Peaceful days in the countryside | Everyday life, gardening & relaxing breaks

These past few days, we've spent a lot of time tending the garden and playing with the puppies; we've also baked apple bread, made apple soup, and made herbal salt. Apple Cinnamon Bread: 3 apples 2 teaspoons cinnamon powder 150g (¾ cup) sugar 100g (1 cup) walnuts (optional) 200g (¾ cup + 1 tablespoon) plain yogurt or sour cream 300g (2½ cups) flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 pinch salt 2 large eggs (room temperature) 80ml (⅓ cup) canola oil or other neutral vegetable oil 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 25g (2 tablespoons) sugar 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder Instructions: 1. Preheat oven to 200°C (390°F). 2. Peel and dice the apples, then mix them with cinnamon powder and sugar. 3. Mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. 4. In another bowl, whisk together the yogurt, eggs, oil, and vanilla. 5. Add the dry ingredients mixture to the wet ingredients mixture and mix gently. 6. Pour the batter into the baking pan and spread the diced apples on top. 7. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture over the top. 8. Add the walnuts. 9. Bake for about 60 minutes. Creamy Parsley Root Soup with Apple & Broccoli: 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 onion 1 apple (peeled), cored and diced 150 g (about 1 cup) potatoes, peeled and diced 150 g (about 1 1/4 cups) parsley root, peeled and diced 150 g (about 1 1/2 cups) broccoli, cut into small florets 150 ml (⅔ cup) dry white wine 600 ml (2 1/2 cups) vegetable broth 1 bay leaf 100 g (about 1/2 cup) fresh cream A handful of fresh lovage leaves 1 tablespoon crème fraîche 2 slices of bread or baguette, diced A pinch of salt Pepper Nutmeg Instructions: 1. Peel and dice the onion, apple, parsley root, and potato. Cut the broccoli into small florets. 2. Sauté the onions in olive oil until translucent. Add the apples, potatoes, parsley root, and broccoli, and sauté for 1-2 minutes. 3. Pour in the white wine to deglaze the bottom of the pan, then add the vegetable broth and bay leaves. 4. Simmer for 25-30 minutes. 5. Meanwhile, toss the breadcrumbs in a little olive oil until golden brown and crispy. 6. Remove the bay leaves, add the fresh cream and a few lovage leaves, then blend until smooth. 7. Season with salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg. 8. Top with a spoonful of crème fraîche, croutons, and fresh lovage leaves. Lovage Salt: 2 handfuls of fresh lovage or basil leaves, 150 g salt (¾ cup). Instructions: 1. Mix all ingredients and blend until smooth. 2. Dry in an oven at 60°C for about 2 hours. 3. Blend again until smooth and store in a clean, dry jar. Music: Artlist.