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Grilled Salmon – Tips for Extra Flavor

Have you ever tried grilled salmon? If not, then it’s about time! When grilled, the salmon fillet not only becomes particularly juicy but also develops its full aroma. We give creative grilling tips for maximum grilling pleasure

Crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside: grilled salmon

Variant 1: Grilled pure on the skin

Ask the fishmonger to give you some nice pieces of salmon with skin. Because grilling salmon on the skin has several advantages: on the one hand, the skin offers heat protection so that the fish stays nice and juicy; on the other hand, the fish, brushed with heat-resistant oil, does not stick to the grill. All you need for this easy grill dish is a fresh skinned salmon fillet, some oil, salt, pepper, and of course a hot grill. Brush the fish and grid with oil and place the salmon, skin side down, on the grid for about 2 to 3 minutes, season with salt and pepper. And leave it alone! Because it is only turned once, even if the skin burns slightly. After flipping, move the salmon to a less hot part of the grill and wait for another 1 to 2 minutes. Then comes the finger test: if the fillet gives way when you press it, it’s still pink on the inside. If you like, drizzle some lemon juice over it – done! Serve with a green salad or cucumber salad with dill.

Variant 2: “Salmon Knot”

The hearty variant of the salmon parcel: The “Salmon Knot” is grilled on the skin and is particularly crispy. For a packet of salmon, you need two decent-skinned salmon sides of the same size (if you’re grilling for more than one person, the amount will have to be multiplied, of course).

Before you tie the salmon sides together, stuff them with anything you crave: how about garlic, lemon, tomatoes, and rosemary? Tie the two salmon halves on top of each other with kitchen twine just tight enough to hold them together.

For the laced packet of salmon, the grill can be really hot, because the skin acts as a heat shield and protects the fish from drying out. Leave the salmon packet skin side down for a few minutes before turning. After a few more minutes, the salmon knot is done. If you want to be absolutely sure, use a meat thermometer: if the salmon pack reaches 55 degrees Celsius, the fish is done.

It is best to grill the side dishes at the same time: broccoli, courgettes or mushrooms taste good with the fresh salmon.

Variant 3: Salmon from the wooden plank

Our Scandinavian neighbors show us how: salmon from the wooden plank is part of the standard repertoire in Norway. And rightly so, because grilled over cedar or aspen wood, the salmon stays juicy and delicately pink on the inside and crispy on the outside. The plank gives the fish a special wood aroma.

You can get special untreated wooden grill planks, for example, from well-stocked specialist shops or from specialized online retailers. Place this wooden plank in water for one to two hours before grilling, before placing the salmon fillet on it. You can let your imagination run wild when it comes to seasoning – whether puristic with salt, pepper, and lemon or exotic with teriyaki sauce, lime and sesame – discover your favorite variant of the plank salmon!

Variant 4: Marinated salmon skewers

Quick and healthy finger food from the grill: the salmon skewers are easy to eat with your hands and are ideal for a summer party in the garden.

To prevent the wooden sticks for the skewers from burning, soak them in water for about half an hour before grilling. Meanwhile, cut the salmon fillet (amount depending on the number of guests) into bite-sized cubes. Season the cubes with salt and pepper and thread them onto the skewers, spaced slightly apart. Brushed with a little high-heat oil, the skewers can be easily removed from the grill. After just 2 minutes and frequent turning, the appetizing skewers are ready! If you like, you can soak the salmon cubes in cream for half an hour. This makes them particularly tender.

Salmon: a healthy catch

According to the German Society for Nutrition, fish should be on the menu once or twice a week, at least half of which are fatty fish species such as salmon. It naturally contains a variety of components that have a positive effect on different parts of our body. Salmon is one of the richest sources of Omega 3 in our diet. Our body does not produce omega 3 itself, it can only be supplied to the body from outside through an appropriate diet, such as salmon. Omega 3 has a positive effect on the functioning of the cardiovascular system and the brain.

The increasing demand for salmon can no longer be met by wild salmon alone. Therefore, the fish increasingly comes from aquaculture. Norway, the main producer of salmon, has completely switched to aquaculture. The philosophy behind this is not to take more from the sea than can grow back. Farmed salmon has long had a reputation for being heavily contaminated with antibiotic residues. Today, however, no antibiotics are used at all: in the same time that salmon production has grown from 50,000 tons to 1.2 million tons, antibiotic use has fallen by 99 percent. All Norwegian salmon are vaccinated, so the salmon is healthy. The cold Norwegian fjord water does the rest to ensure that the salmon grow up healthy and their meat is particularly valuable.

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DIY: 5 Hearty BBQ Rubs for Every Taste

With these great spice mixtures, your next barbecue evening is guaranteed to be a complete success! You can make delicious rubs yourself with little effort.

The term “rub” originally comes from the American. It refers to a dry spice mixture that is rubbed into food – hence the name “Rub”. Rubs serve as a strong flavor carrier for the respective dish. In addition, the BBQ rubs form an aromatic and spicy crust on the food during the grilling process.

With our spicy BBQ rubs, every grilled item becomes a relaxed pleasure, because the preparation is incredibly easy and can be done in no time at all. Try our spicy spice mixes for meat, fish, or vegetarian dishes!

1. Fiery Steak Rub

This dry spice mix is ​​perfect for the grill classic steak. The combination of curry, mustard, and pepper gives the meat a unique spiciness and a crispy crust.

For two steaks you will need:

  • 2 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tbsp salt
  • 1 tbsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp curry powder
  • 4 tbsp mustard powder

Preparation: Mix all the ingredients together, roll the steak in the spice mixture, and grill as desired.

2. Sweet and spicy BBQ rub for tender chicken steaks

For all those who want to keep their slim figure when grilling, here is a delicious variant that is ideal for marinating chicken.

Ingredients for four servings:

  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp sweet paprika powder
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp chili powder
  • ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp salt

Preparation: Roll the meat well in the mixture and grill.

3. Peppery Salmon Rub

Our salmon seasoning turns a conventional salmon fillet into an aromatic delicacy. Incidentally, the pepper has a stimulating and accelerating effect on the metabolism and is therefore absolutely beneficial for our summer figure!

Ingredients for four servings:

  • 90 grams of brown sugar
  • 2 tsp freshly ground red pepper
  • 1 tsp freshly ground pepper
  • 1 tsp mustard powder

Preparation: Mix all the ingredients and turn the salmon into it.

4. Soy rub for juicy tofu steak

For everyone who likes to grill vegetarians: Our soy rub for juicy tofu steak gives your barbecue the necessary spice!
We also use liquid ingredients for juicy tofu. The tofu can absorb this wonderfully and becomes a taste highlight!

Ingredients for four servings:

  • 65 ml soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1 tbsp minced garlic
  • 1 tbsp paprika powder
  • 2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1½ tsp salt
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp cayenne pepper
  • ½ tsp dried oregano
  • ½ tsp dried thyme

Preparation: Mix the liquid ingredients and place the tofu in it for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, mix the dry ingredients and then roll the tofu in it.

5. Fruity BBQ rub for watermelon

This fruity and spicy blend of spices is particularly suitable for adding an exotic variety to the grill. The watermelon can be perfectly combined with grilled chicken steak.

Ingredients for five servings:

  • 1 tbsp salt
  • 1 ½ tsp chili powder
  • grated zest of a lemon
  • juice of a lemon

Preparation: Mix the ingredients and turn the watermelon in it. Grill these for a minute or two on each side. Then take the melon off the grill and drizzle the lemon juice over it.

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Hot Tip for Connoisseurs: Pan Pasta

Classic pasta with sugo and parmesan makes every connoisseur’s heart beat faster – but our mouths really water when the much-loved pasta comes out of the pan. No wonder fried pasta is one of the most popular Asian dishes!

It is all the more surprising that both Italian and German cuisine has so far only known pasta from the pan as typical use of leftover cooked pasta. High time to change that! Because with pasta plus fresh ingredients according to your taste, you can conjure up wonderfully light, all-around delicious dishes.

Pan pasta: This is how it is guaranteed to succeed

Of course, pasta is always the basis for the pan: leftovers are welcome, but you can also pre-cook the pasta for this purpose.

Important: In order for them to be nice and crispy and not mushy, the pasta should be “al dente”, i.e. still have a bite to it, and drain very well! Don’t put too much in the pan at once and turn the pan pasta frequently while frying. As a rule, you first take the finished fried pasta out of the pan, then cook the remaining ingredients and mix the pasta back in to heat it up just before serving.

Incidentally, almost all types of pasta made from durum wheat semolina are particularly suitable as pan pasta, whether whole grain or not. They shouldn’t be too thin – like e.g. soup noodles or vermicelli. Medium size and a rather short shape are ideal: penne, farfalle, conchiglie (mussel pasta), fusilli, or rigatoni, for example, are particularly easy to fry, as are filled tortellini, ravioli, or Cappellini. However, you should also pre-cook the latter for a short time!

Pan pasta: often different, always delicious

Even simpler and downright ingenious: noodles that were specially developed for frying in the pan. Isn’t there? there is! Brand new in the refrigerated section, for example, are three ingenious types of “pan pasta”. The special thing about it: the casing made of delicious dough stays in shape when frying and becomes super crispy. As an irresistible contrast, the creamy filling with fine pieces provides an extra culinary surprise.

And again and again, because the previously “only” three varieties of the pan pasta, which was specially designed for frying, can be combined with almost anything that tastes good – and depending on the ingredients used, it gets a new twist every time. Meat and fish fans will get their money’s worth as well as die-hard veggies. Because whether filled with dried tomatoes and grilled aubergines, with creamed spinach and cheese, or with ricotta and mushrooms: the cappelletti for pan pasta go just as well with fresh vegetables as with meat, poultry, or fish.

Pan pasta: perfect for those in a hurry

Do you like to eat really well, but have little time to cook and wash up? Then pan pasta is the perfect solution for you! You don’t need more than one pan to prepare it – and it’s also extra fast.

For example, you only have to plan a full 10 minutes if you want to serve delicious pans of pasta in tomato cream – even though you prepare the sauce yourself! The pan-fried pasta with creamed spinach and parmesan is also ideal for connoisseurs in a hurry at around 12 minutes.

The colorful pan-fried pasta Caprese with tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil does not take much longer, namely 15 minutes. The sliced ​​​​tender chicken fillet, aromatic tomatoes, and crispy pasta spread enchanting aromas of “Bella Italia” with a turbo-speed preparation time of just 17 minutes. And even a hearty classic like the pan-fried pasta with hearty bacon and vegetables is ready in just under 20 minutes.

Almost record-breaking: The pan pasta with olives and rocket brings real Italian flair to the table after incredible 7 minutes. You can hardly cook market-fresh, healthy, and tasty food faster!

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10 Great Spaghetti Recipes for The Finest Pasta Enjoyment

Spaghetti or Spaghettini is best known when accompanied by a spicy Bolognese sauce. But the long cords can do much more than that. For example, have you ever tried waffles with the delicious pasta or prepared the pasta in the oven? If not, you should make up for it quickly! We provide you with these and other inspirations for delicious spaghetti dishes here.

Pasta with tomatoes and zucchini

We know pasta with a number of different sauces: Classic and simple are pasta carbonara, spaghettini Aglio e olio (with lots of garlic!), spaghetti alla puttanesca, or simple pasta salad. The noodles are boiled in salted water according to the instructions on the packet and then mixed with the respective sauce. Our first delicious spaghetti creation with Mediterranean vegetables spreads a holiday mood, don’t you think? Fresh thyme and aromatic Parmesan make the enjoyment perfect.

Red mullet fillet on spaghetti

Anyone who only ever serves fish with rice or potatoes is missing out on the best: the tender red mullet fillet and the delicious pasta form a successful combination! The slight kick of spiciness from the chili gives the dish the finishing touch.

Spaghetti with carrots, feta cheese, and sesame

This delicious veggie dish impresses with its contrasts: fruity seasoned carrots and spicy feta cheese form a great taste contrast. The whole thing is perfected with fresh parsley and aromatic sesame. By the way: Instead of feta cheese, you can also use halloumi – it tastes at least as good.

Spaghetti with wild garlic and almond pesto

Pesto is one of the classic pasta sauces – and for good reason: the delicious herb sauce can be varied wonderfully and is quick to make. Why not try this spring-like variant with aromatic wild garlic and crunchy almonds!

Pasta with olives and tomatoes

“Vegan and delicious” – that could be the motto for this dish. The delicacy of spaghetti, olives, tomatoes, and capers is on the table in just 30 minutes.

Spaghetti Shrimp Parcels

These small packages are really something special: because the delicious pasta is tied up with shrimp, tomato sauce, and fresh parsley and prepared in the oven. Practical: This variant is super easy to prepare and then only has to be baked shortly before consumption. With a few extra shrimp, a delicious shrimp salad can be served as a side dish.

Pasta with nut and broccoli sauce

You have to try this delicious pasta with creamy vegetable sauce yourself – it’s definitely worth it! Crunchy nuts and aromatic broccoli complete the quick treat.

Pasta with colorful vegetable sauce

Asparagus, peppers, tomatoes, spring onions, and a slight spiciness from the chili – this pasta clearly stands for healthy enjoyment! If you prefer to enjoy the dish vegan, simply leave out the parmesan.

Spaghetti with meatballs and tomato sauce

Not only do Susi and the Tramp like this spaghetti variant – we also like the spicy meatballs in combination with aromatic tomato sauce and al dente pasta!

Spaghetti waffles with powdered sugar and berry compote

We also have the right spaghetti recipe for those with a sweet tooth: together with eggs, milk, flour, and sugar, the noodles become crispy waffles. Serve with a fruity compote – delicious!

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Hearty Porridge: Oatmeal for Lunch

Now that the days are getting shorter and unfortunately also colder, a warm meal in the morning is exactly the right way to start the day. Porridge is a popular variant. The porridge is a real power food and is usually refined with your favorite fruit, nuts, and honey. But now not only breakfast fans can enjoy it: hearty porridge is currently conquering the bowls and turning the rest of the breakfast into a healthy lunch menu.

The sweet times are over

As a balanced alternative to wholemeal bread and muesli in the morning, porridge made its way onto the breakfast table. A healthy affair that you can now also enjoy for lunch or dinner: as a hearty porridge. Instead of the usual sweet toppings, the oatmeal is refined with all sorts of vegetables, mushrooms, eggs, meat, or seeds and is therefore suitable for a nutritious main meal. Many bloggers and hobby cooks have already tried the latest trend and are convinced with more and more variants of the hearty porridge.

That’s why porridge is healthy

The basis of the oatmeal is the same as for the hearty porridge: the basic ingredients are oat flakes or flour but spelled flakes also taste great. The grain scores with a high fiber content, which keeps you full for a long time and ensures good digestion. The complex carbohydrates provide a lot of energy, keep the blood sugar level constant and thus prevent annoying food cravings.

Porridge gets its creamy consistency by boiling it in water or milk because the flakes swell in it. Milk supplies the body with important nutrients such as calcium, protein, and vitamins A and D. If you like it spicier, you can refine your hearty porridge with salt or cook the flakes directly in vegetable broth.

Instead of fruit, this variant is mixed with vegetables. Varieties that cook quickly, such as peas or tomatoes, can be added directly to the grain in the pot and cooked after about five minutes cooking. Otherwise, briefly steam the vegetables in a pan and add to the hearty porridge. Vegetables have hardly any calories and score with lots of fiber and vitamins. Of course, the eye also eats with you and so, depending on the season and taste, the best varieties can be selected and the hearty porridge varied.

Hearty porridge recipe

The following recipe can be used as a basis and supplemented by the alternatives already mentioned above:

Ingredients for 2 servings

  • 500 ml liquid (water, milk, vegetable broth)
  • 100 grams of rolled oats
  • 1 pinch salt (if not using vegetable broth)
  • 100 grams of peas
  • 100 grams of corn
  • 2 tbsp sunflower seeds

The preparation

  1. Boil the liquid and then stir in the flakes. Season with salt only if not cooking in vegetable broth. Let the whole thing simmer for about five minutes.
  2. Rinse the peas and corn and mix in with the porridge. Cover and simmer for five more minutes while stirring.
  3. Refine the hearty porridge with the sunflower seeds and serve in two bowls.
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Make Way for the Pasta Express!

These uncomplicated pasta sauces will inspire you: Because they are prepared in no time and the ingredients can be bought on the way home from work.

Tuna and capers sauce with olives

Spontaneous visit in the evening? This tuna sauce is super handy because once you roughly chop the olives, onions, and tomatoes, it pretty much makes itself. Capers and tuna give the pasta sauce a full aroma even without a long simmer. The sauce mixed with pasta is simply placed in the pan on the table – and the quick, sociable dinner in the colors of Italy is ready!

The sauce pairs best with pasta shapes that absorb sauce well, such as conchiglie, penne rigate, and tagliatelle.

Mac and Cheese

Sometimes it just has to be pasta with cheese. For this quick mac and cheese recipe, refine a roux with aromatic cheese, toss the macaroni in it, and dinner for cloudy, uncomfortable autumn evenings is ready! If you like, you can bake the macaroni in the oven with grated cheese.

Creamed Spinach Cheese Sauce

It couldn’t be easier or faster! You don’t even need a pot for this pasta, because both the sauce and the pasta are cooked in the pan. The fried cappelletti gives the soft dish the necessary bite. Tortellini, farfalle, and fusilli also go great with the creamy spinach sauce.

Fast turkey bolognese

Like spaghetti bolognese, only lighter and faster: turkey strips provide a certain amount of content in the pasta sauce, but they don’t have to stew as long as with a classic bolognese. This aromatic and delicious pasta dish is on the table in just 20 minutes! In addition to spaghetti, ideal partners are penne and linguine.

Super-convenient Green Bean Pasta

Delicious, healthy and so practical! With this wholesome pasta dish, the beans are simply cooked in the pasta cooking water. If you have some time left, make the pesto for this dish yourself; Those in a hurry can use pesto from the jar. The great thing about the bean pasta is: It supplies the body with complex carbohydrates and keeps you full and satisfied for a long time. Apart from tagliatelle, all types of pasta that absorb sauce well, such as penne or fusilli, are suitable.

Aglio e olio molto rapido

It couldn’t be simpler: Pepperoni and chili give the classic pasta dish a tasty boost. Be sure to catch some pasta water, because it binds the hot garlic oil sauce.

Spaghetti is best for “Aglio e Olio”.

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Vegetable Dessert for Dessert!

You can never get enough vegetables! Every season offers new colors, shapes, and flavors: from sweet to sour to nutty, there is something for everyone. In addition, vegetables are extremely figure-friendly because they are mostly low in calories and very rich in vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Now the sweet kitchen has discovered the advantages and conjures up all kinds of vegetable desserts.

Carrot muffins

This vegetable dessert tastes big and small: carrot muffins with almonds! Thanks to the grated carrot and apple, these muffins taste super moist and are full of vitamins. And best of all, this vegetable dessert can be frozen and then served on the right occasion.

Beetroot cake with chocolate

One ingredient is particularly popular with those with a sweet tooth: chocolate! The tenderly melting candy can of course also be combined with a vegetable dessert, such as beetroot. It’s beautiful bright red, also gives the beetroot cake a great color.

Kale Apple Muffins

There is no kale as an ingredient for a vegetable dessert? Yes, there are kale and apple muffins, for example. The wintry vegetable also scores with its high proportion of vitamins and minerals that promote health. The recipe is here:

Ingredients

  • 1 kg kale leaves
  • 3 tart apples
  • 4 eggs
  • 160 grams of sugar
  • 2 teaspoons of baking soda
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • 1 tbsp cinnamon
  • 350 grams of flour
  • 100 grams of nuts

Preparation

  1. Preheat the oven to 175°C top and bottom heat.
  2. Gradually add kale leaves, apples, eggs, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon to a food processor and mix thoroughly.
  3. Now add the flour and mix again. Then add the nuts and mix well.
  4. Pour the finished batter into the muffin cases and bake for about 45 minutes.

Pumpkin Mousse

One ingredient for the vegetable dessert should not be missing, especially in autumn: the pumpkin! Not only hearty but also delicious sweet dishes can be conjured up from it. It gets creamy with the pumpkin mousse from EAT SMARTER. The pumpkin seeds processed in it provide unsaturated fatty acids, amino acids, and vitamin E.

Carrot strudel with cinnamon

This variant of the well-known apple strudel is at least as delicious: carrot strudel with cinnamon. The orange-colored vegetable dessert is bursting with beta-carotene, a cell-protecting antioxidant. After being converted into vitamin A in the body, it helps with the structure and function of the skin, and the nerve cells and is important for the visual process.

Zucchini chocolate cake

If you want to bite into a juicy piece of cake, you should write down the recipe for the zucchini chocolate cake. It is a lower-calorie variant of the pure chocolate cake since the zucchini itself adds only 17 calories per 100 g to the calorie account. When the grated green vegetables are mixed with the cake batter, they provide an extra portion of the volume, which reduces the amount of flour.

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10 Rules for Pegan Diet

Pegan = Paleo and vegan? No, not quite: Although the pegan diet combines the cornerstones of both diets, eating meat is allowed. We have compiled the ten basic rules of the pegan diet for you.

The spiritual father of the pegan diet is Mark Hyman, an American physician. Paleo and vegan diets do not differ in their principles, according to the doctor: Both eat as natural, unprocessed foods as possible and thus combine in pegan!

The 10 rules of the pegan diet

1. Eat foods with a low glycemic index (GLYX)

Avoid foods with sugar and refined carbohydrates. Eat fruits, vegetables, legumes, and nuts instead.

2. Vegetables are the main part of the diet

Although meat is permitted in the pegan diet, 50 to 70 percent of your diet should consist of vegetables. The darker the vegetables, the better. Because a strong color is an indication of high content of secondary plant substances.

3. It’s all about the fats

Vegetable oils are taboo in the pegan diet. The only exception is olive oil. Fats are ingested from nuts, avocados, coconuts, and, in small amounts, saturated fat from meat.

4. Meat is the accompaniment to vegetables

The Paleo diet is very meat-heavy, vegans completely avoid it. With the pegan diet, the trade-off is this: only about 25 percent of the meal is meat, with the rest being vegetables.

5. Eat free-range meat

The advantage of healthy, natural husbandry is particularly noticeable with cows. Because in cows that are allowed to eat grass regularly, the meat has a higher proportion of omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin A and vitamin D. When it comes to fish, types that contain a lot of omega-3 fatty acids, such as sardines or salmon, are also preferable.

6. Avoid dairy products

Dairy products are frowned upon by both paleo and vegan advocates, citing studies such as the China Study which claim to show that dairy products contribute to obesity, osteoporosis, and cardiovascular disease. Dairy products are therefore also taboo in Peganism.

7. Avoid gluten, eat little grain

Avoiding gluten is currently en vogue. The pegan diet also dispenses with wheat gluten and thus most cereal products. Since the consumption of (whole grain) cereals increases blood sugar levels and the risk of autoimmune diseases, according to Mark Hyman, caution is generally required.

8. Legumes in moderation

According to Mark Hyman, beans also increase blood sugar levels. So: eat a few legumes.

9. Sugar only in exceptional cases

Refined sugar and sugar substitutes are taboo in the pegan diet. Maple syrup, honey, or coconut blossom sugar are allowed in moderation.

10. Eliminate additives from your diet

According to the maxim of eating as natural and unprocessed food as possible, flavorings, colorings, and preservatives are completely banned from the pegan diet – a clear advantage for health. However, these strict rules make it almost impossible for Pagans to eat out.

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What Do You Do on Hanukkah for a Day?

The Jewish Festival of Lights falls in the dark season. This commemorates three important events in the history of the Jewish people that tell of self-assertion and the preservation of religion, namely the liberation from Hellenistic rule, the second consecration of the temple in Jerusalem – and a miracle of light that lasted eight days. In memory of this, special prayers are said in the synagogue in the morning. In the evenings, the families meet at home and always light a new candle on Hanukkah – until all eight candles are burning. In times of the pandemic, celebrations are less boisterous and quieter.

Hanukkah is a so-called semi-holiday – a day that does not go back to biblical commandments, but to historical events. That is why Jewish believers can only commemorate the rescue of Israel from Hellenistic foreign rule more than 2,000 years ago after the work has been done.

The Miracle of Light

The occupiers made life difficult for the Jews with constant new commands and laws. In the end, they also banned them from practicing religion. The Jews defend themselves against this. Led by Judas Maccabeus and his brothers, they defeated the Seleucids in the so-called Maccabee Rebellion in the 2nd century BC and also recaptured their temple in Jerusalem. When they wanted to take it back and purify it first, they found only a small residue of consecrated oil to light up. Miraculously, however, it burned not just for one but for eight days, as a Talmud legend tells. Just as long until new, kosher oil was produced. The dedication of the temple (Hanukkah habajit) was celebrated in 164 BC. According to the Jewish calendar on 25 Kislew.

Why is celebrated for eight days

To commemorate this miracle, a new candle is lit from the eight-armed Hanukkah candlestick in Jewish homes and synagogues each evening during the Festival of Lights. For this, the ninth candle is used, which is called “Shamash” (servant). The ritual of lighting also includes blessings and prayers: “Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who worked wonders on our fathers in those days at this time.” The candles are lit from right to left, the new one always first.

Jewish Festival of Lights Hanukkah is celebrated quietly again

The Jewish Festival of Lights begins on Sunday afternoon with the lighting of the first light on the Hanukkah candlestick. Because of the corona pandemic, Thuringia is again celebrating quietly.

Family party with spinning tops and latkes

According to tradition, from sunset to midnight, as long as the lights are on, people don’t work in the house, but sing and play. The Trendl or Dreidel game with a four-sided spinning top bearing four Hebrew characters is popular. They result in the saying: “A great miracle happened here.” In addition, the children are given presents every evening, and there are special dishes such as latkes, a type of potato pancake, and sufganiot, shortbread cookies baked in oil.

At the end of Hanukkah, all eight lights are lit. So that the believers remember the miracle of light and God’s presence, many Jews place their Hanukkiah on their window sills and doorways. In doing so, they testify to their faith, their trust in God and often also their pride in being Jews.

Hanukkah ceremony at the memorial in Leipzig

Like last year, the festival falls under the restrictions of the pandemic for the second time. Nevertheless, the 2020 festival in Leipzig was celebrated with a special ceremony. Saxony’s state rabbi Zsolt Balla inaugurated an eight-armed Hanukkah candlestick at the memorial site of the former Great Synagogue. Representatives of the Jewish community, the Leipzig city administration and residents were present to set a sign for peace and community with the symbolic joint act of lighting candles. The 3.50 meter high electric candle holder was made by the theater workshops of the Leipzig Opera and is to be set up at the memorial every year for Hanukkah.

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Turmeric – Silver Bullet for Health

Whether as tea, lemonade, or smoothies. The stars swear by turmeric. Why is the yellow spice so healthy? We reveal it!

Whether in the metropolises of New York or Los Angeles or in the surfing mecca of Bali. You can buy “Tumeric Tonic” everywhere at the moment. This is a kind of lemonade made from water, turmeric, and maple syrup. The drink is said to be particularly healthy. Goldenseal, as turmeric is also called, is also used for turmeric latte or as a face mask. Because it is said to help against acne and other skin impurities due to its anti-inflammatory properties.

Turmeric has played an important role in the traditional Indian healing art of Ayurveda for thousands of years. As mentioned, turmeric is known for its cleansing and healing properties. That is why turmeric is also known as the “magic tuber” or “spice of life”.

Goldenseal has an anti-inflammatory effect and a digestive effect. The liver is stimulated by the ingredients to release more bile acid. This binds dietary fats and makes the fat easier to digest. This effect can relieve flatulence and feelings of fullness.

Researchers from the Universities of Kiel, Frankfurt, and Jena have looked into the medicinal effects of turmeric and were able to discover that the root has anti-cancer properties. Turmeric can also make a contribution in relation to Alzheimer’s. In other experiments, the plant substance prevented the deposit of certain protein complexes in the brain. These complexes, in turn, may be involved in the development of Alzheimer’s. In practice, however, turmeric has so far only been used medicinally for digestive disorders.

Where is turmeric in?

Turmeric goes in all curry mixes and in all masalas except the red one. In the Middle Ages, goldenseal was also called “Indian saffron”. Like saffron, turmeric gives all dishes an intense yellow color.

A positive side effect: turmeric is significantly cheaper than saffron because it is obtained from a dried and ground root of a plant that is closely related to ginger.

If you want to buy turmeric, you should go for organic goods because of the low price. So you can be sure that it does not contain any harmful substances or has been irradiated.

Make Tumeric Tonic yourself

If you want to make Tumeric Tonic yourself, you only need the following ingredients:

  • 1 medium stick turmeric root (or 2 teaspoons turmeric powder)
  • 1 medium piece of ginger root (or 1 tsp ginger powder)
  • juice of 3 lemons
  • 1 pinch of cayenne pepper
  • 4 cups coconut water or water
  • Agave nectar, maple syrup, or honey to sweeten as needed

Put all the ingredients in a high-performance blender or juicer and blend until you get a homogeneous liquid. The resulting lemonade will keep in a closed jar in the fridge for 3-4 days, as lemon acts as a natural preservative.

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