Elle Republic

There are all sorts of things that can leave us feeling in need of a recharge, especially this time of year after weeks of festive indulgence. Guilty! There is no denying it, tis the season for overindulgence! Visits to the Christmas markets for mugs of warm Glühwein and Bratwurst sausages, baked homemade sweets, alcohol-fueled parties, and festive dinners….plus all that holiday stress I keep hearing about…these are all things...

With this wintery kale salad, I discovered a new type of rice – black rice. A whole grain Chinese hybrid grown in neighboring Italy called Riso Venere. Its color is remarkable – it’s an intense deep purple, so deep it’s almost black. Together in this winter salad with roasted beets and purple kale, it actually gets lost among all the deep, dark, dramatic colors. Everything but its taste, that...

Here's a little shrimp and cucumber salad starring my most recent obsession - Büsumer Krabben. Tiny little succulent North Sea brown shrimps. Delicious, juicy...they are the perfect accompaniment to any simple salad. Yes, I did do a version of this salad before, but because it's so tasty I thought it’s time for another version of Büsumer Krabben deliciousness. This time, another simple version with grated cucumber and fresh dill,...

At this time of year, the holidays are the perfect time to host a little get together with friends. Whether you are serving beer by the bottle, mulled wine or champagne, it’s nice to serve up a few snacks for guests. Yes, of course you could open a bag of chips or pretzels (honestly, what could be easier?), but how about showing off a little? Sophisticated has never been...

Homemade chocolate bark is a super easy (and gorgeous looking) holiday gift. There is no recipe required, you don’t need to measure anything AND the hands on time is maybe ten minutes. It’s a great last minute gift for practically anyone. Oh, and here's the best part -- there’s no baking either! Hallelujah! For chocolate lovers it really is the easiest make-at-home chocolatey sweet treat, ever! And The best part...

On my last trip to Barcelona, I had one of the most amazing zucchini salads. A zucchini salad with truffle oil to be exact. Imagine this: thin ribbons of fresh zucchini carefully tossed with sweet sun-dried tomatoes, toasted sliced almonds, a hint of garlic, shaved parmesan, AND truffle oil. Simply amazing! First of all, ribbons of anything instantly transform a salad into something special. Adding truffle oil to the mix...and...