In a world full of hustle and fast food, it feels good to embrace simple, natural eating — inspired by Hildegard von Bingen. Her kitchen was never complicated, but grounded, nourishing and mindful. With spelt, vegetables, herbs and seasonal ingredients — all in the spirit of nature and moderation. These 10 recipes are perfect for everyday life — easy to prepare, delightful in taste and wonderfully uncomplicated.
1. Hearty Spelt Porridge for Breakfast
Start your day mindfully with a warming spelt porridge. Simply bring spelt to a boil with water, let it steep, then refine with a little sweet honey and warming spices such as galangal or pellitory. This way the morning begins nourishing and gentle.
2. Colourful Autumn Vegetable Soup
A bowl of warm soup feels like a hug: let carrots, fennel, celery and perhaps a few beans simmer gently, season — and you're done. This soup warms from within and brings calm to everyday life. Perfect for cooler days or when you're in the mood for something soothing.
3. Steamed Fennel Vegetables with Herbs
A simple, digestible dish: cut fennel into fine strips, steam lightly and refine with fresh herbs and a touch of olive oil or butter. A lovely treat when you prefer something light and uncomplicated.
4. Chestnut and Potato Mash with Seasonal Vegetables
Chestnuts, cooked until soft, mashed together with some cooked vegetables and herbs — and you have a cosy autumn/winter dish. The mash warms, satisfies without weighing you down, and is ideal when you want a gentle, nourishing meal that leaves you full and content.
5. Autumnal Beetroot Salad with Quince Dressing
Beetroot and quince — combined into a colourful salad with a mild dressing. The warm earthy tones are reminiscent of the season, while the flavour warms and invigorates. A wonderful accompaniment as a starter or light evening meal.
6. Spelt Bread — Home-Baked and Natural
A freshly baked wholegrain spelt loaf — rustic, hearty and fulfilling. Made with little effort and without yeast or refined ingredients, it accompanies every meal. A simple, honest staple food — entirely in the spirit of Hildegard's kitchen.
7. Bean Stew with Herbs and Vegetables
A stew of white beans, mixed vegetables and herbs — slowly cooked, full-bodied in flavour, nutritious and easy to prepare. Ideal for cool evenings or when you're looking for an uncomplicated, filling classic.
8. Fennel and Kohlrabi Vegetables with Butter and Herbs
Tenderly steamed vegetables, lightly seasoned and refined with a little butter — this dish tastes light, fresh and pure. It works well as a side dish for many main courses or as a simple vegetarian meal.
9. Warm Pumpkin Stew with Mild Spices
Pumpkin — a gift of the season — is cooked until soft, then seasoned with a little broth, herbs and mild spices. The light, slightly sweet flavour, the creamy consistency and the scent of autumn make this stew a soothing meal — perfect for cosy evenings.
10. Sweet Spelt and Fruit Compote to Finish
To round off the day, a light, warm spelt and fruit compote can provide a perfect ending: spelt gently cooked together with a little fruit (e.g. apple or pear), cinnamon and honey — nourishing and sweet — without heaviness. A gentle and kind close to the day.
Why this style of cooking is especially good today
- The recipes are simple and practical for everyday life — they require no exotic ingredients, no special tools, just a little time and a love of cooking.
- The use of spelt, vegetables, pulses and seasonal foods makes the cuisine digestible and nourishing.
- The dishes are often light, gentle and warming, ideal when you long for calm and a mindful moment.
- Cooking according to these principles can help you live more consciously, mindfully and in harmony with your daily life — rather than eating hastily and without thought.
Conclusion – Eating as a Conscious Ritual
Cooking with Hildegard does not mean rigidly following old rules — it is an invitation to cook with the heart. With care, with nature, with love. It is a cuisine for everyday life and the soul alike: simple, honest, nourishing.
Perhaps now is exactly the right time to pick up the wooden spoon again. To let a fragrance begin — of warm spelt, of vegetables, of herbs. And to bring a touch of unhurried naturalness into everyday life. Also discover our spelt range and our herbs according to Hildegard's teachings.
