Chimichuri sauce – is a favourite of mine. It’s originally an Argentinian sauce, but the very first time I had it, was on a trip to Venezuela – and it was love at first sight taste.
It has an intense and incredible flavour, given by the fresh herbs, the chilli, the lemon juice, and the garlic. It’s so good with so many things: fish, chicken, lamb, fabulous in sandwiches, drizzled on pizza, as dip for a slice of freshly baked bread, with omelet , or just served with vegetables.
I speculated on how it would taste with different things and came up with the idea of pairing it with root celery and … it’s pretty magical!
It seems like every day I’m hearing people say ” Oh no, I’m going down with the flu”!
Yesterday afternoon, a dear friend of mine emailed me – “what do I do? I’m getting a cold, I feel it coming on – help”!
When I get these kinds of feelings, rather than filling myself with vitamin Cs in the form of pills, I load up on straight natural vitamin Cs! The ones you find in oranges, grapefruits, limes, lemons, kiwi, pineapple …….etc
Potent and effective as well as downright delicious!
This is what I do:
In a big jug of ice water I put slices of fresh ginger, lemon, and lime – I was even so lucky this morning to find small fresh sprigs of mint in the garden!
It tastes delicious and it’s a great way to add natural vitamin C to your drink.
Vitamin C water
Here on the West Coast, we have a very popular local coffee brand called “Kick Ass Coffee”
Using that theme, I make Kick Ass Juice – if you try it, you will know that this is the perfect name for it!
This is what goes in it:
Lots of fresh oranges
A couple of grape fruits
One fresh fennel
Lime
Fresh mint
Lemon
Fresh ginger
Kick Ass Juice
Kick Ass Juice with Fennel
Apart from this, for holding off the flu/cold bugs, I also drink hot and spicy ginger tea made from fresh slices of ginger, slices of lime and lemon. Just pour steaming hot water on – you can add a spoonful of honey if you like (,) Honey 🙂
Fresh ginger tea
I hope these vitamin C boosters, will help you flight off flues and colds this winter!
Another sparkling fresh and new year has arrived. And with that often comes the ambitious New Year’s resolutions….
I don’t really believe in New Year’s resolutions! Why? Because so often they become yet another thing we can hit ourselves on the head with, be disappointed in ourselves about, and another proof that we have not lived up to expectations, and so on …….
Instead I’m a great believer inspoiling others including myself and when it comes to new years resolutions I much prefer to look at it this way:
In 2014, I will spoil myself by:
taking even more morning runs especially just while the sun is rising
drinking more healthy delicious green juices
doing more mindfulness meditation
participating in a hot yoga class
eating more plant -based meals
This approach is so much better to me than carving out hard-core goals in stone. Goals that I force down my throat, pressure myself into, and beat myself up with afterwards because I didn’t follow through with them.
And by the way – it’s not selfish to spoil yourself, actually, you become a much more pleasant person to be with. You will spread your smile and laughter more often and your relaxed and contented being will be contagious and help others feel at ease and happy too. And you will be so much better at spoiling others!
What will you spoil yourself with in 2014?
May your 2014 be a wonderful one full of moments where you spoil yourself!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
On another note – my article Balancing life with Mindfulness is now in Allthingshealing and you can read it here
I love Tabouleh! It’s one of my favourite salads in the world. It’s this combination of freshness and herbs that I love so much – that creates a true sensation of party in my mouth.
I had some leftover cooked bulgur in the fridge as well as a bunch of fresh coriander, and there was fresh mint in the garden! I also had a big juicy pomegranate laying on the table begging me to play – so inspired by Tabouleh salad, I created this:
Fresh herb salad
Fresh herb salad with bulgur and pomegranate
One cup of cooked bulgur
one bunch of fresh mint
one big bunch of Italian parsley
one big bunch of fresh cilantro
one bunch of spring onions
one pomegranate
1/2 cucumber
one lemon
1/4 cup olive oil
Sea salt
Rinse and finely chop herbs and spring onions – mix with the bulgur in a bowl. Squeeze the lemon and stir in the olive oil, mix in the salad. Add sea salt and serve with pomegranate seeds on top. Serve and enjoy! Perfect for lunch!
Pomegranate
While chopping away, I was thinking how much I love spending time in the kitchen, creating – for me it’s the perfect way to relax. Kitchen meditation or even kitchen therapy for my soul – how many problems have not been solved around a kitchen table? Not to forget the amount of amazing ideas that have been given birth to in the kitchen, deep talks, laughter, and love shared in this almost sacred space of the house.
This time of year is prime time for colds and flus – people are heading for their flu-shots trying to prevent the dreaded symptoms of flu, headaches, aching bodies, sneezing and endless running noses.
At the checkout counter in the supermarket we find not only candy to tempt us, but also bags of vitamin C powder that magically is supposed to help us fight the flu.
In my life instead of pills, tablets and bags of vitamin C, I prefer boosting my immune system the natural way, with freshly squeezed delicious juices – that are naturally packed with fresh vitamins and minerals. Like this one, for instance, freshly squeezed carrot juice with apples, lemon and ginger, made with all fresh organic ingredients. Carrots, filled with vitamin A, organic local apples filled with fibre, minerals, and vitamin A, B1, B2, B6, C, E, K, as well as loaded with antioxidants. Slices of fresh ginger that are packed with goodness and always has been known and praised, for its medicinnal powers to cure all kinds of ailments such as nausea, colds etc
Along with freshly squeezed lemon, with its high content of vitamin C and its power to clear up colds. This is a seriously healthy drink which tastes delicious at the same time!
I believe this is so much more powerful than any vitamin supplement, it’s natural, fresh and potent. A perfect way to boost our immune system naturally.
Thank you for all the bloglove I am receiving! I apologize for not replying to comments and email messages as promptly as I would like to, but please know that your love and messages are like honey poured directly into my heart and healing tonic for my soul!
I am doing what I need to do right now – taking time to slow down, creating space to listen to my heart, to meditate, to write, spending time with people I love – doing the things I know will assist my body in healing.
I feel the benefits in many ways – less pain, more laughter, more ideas coming to me, more creativity, wanting to dance and do somersaults on the lawn….. 🙂
I would like to share a book title and a TED talk – by Dr. Lissa Rankin
Dr Lissa Rankin speaks my language – re-afirming to me, just how important it is to listen to the body. How important emotional health is to our overall health – it’s not a separate entity – emotional health is the foundation of health.
Dr. Lissa Rankin is wildly inspiring. I hope you enjoy!
Another thing I want to tell mention, is that the famous VVP Virtual Vegan Potluck, will take place on the 16th of November. If you are into healthy eating or simply wants inspiration to a healthier diet – the VVP is a mecca of great inspiration!
It has been busy around here and life is not always as you plan it or want it to be …..
I had just accompanied my beautiful daughter to her new home. Helped her as she settled and got ready to start a new life at university. We had some amazing days together and my heart was filled with of love, tenderness and tears, as Ihugged her goodbye and headed to the airport to fly home, without her.
Back home again, I was busy giving workshops and it was fun, I love it, I was busy preparing for another 4 workshops that were already booked. I was running my beautiful 10 morning k’s every other day.
And then one day just after I had been out swimming in the lake, enjoying maybe the last swim this year — I got sick — really sick! And ended up being taken to the hospital in an ambulance! That, definitely, was NOT supposed to be!
I spent 4 intense days in the hospital, and gratefully I am now home recovering and feeling the strength and energy coming back. Wonderful!
But it definitely was not the food that healed me………..I know that for a fact. The doctors and nurses were absolutely incredible, they went out of their way to help me heal and feel comfortable. Amazing competent, warm and wonderful people!!
But the food……… that’s another very sad story!
During the 4 days, I was served 12 trays of food, each of them impossible to eat. I know I should be happy and grateful that I was served food at all ……. but honestly, it was the most unappetizing sad “food” I have ever seen in my life – I was chocked!
As a chef and a person who has been healed through food and lifestyle changes – I just couldn’t stop myself from thinking – why?
Food is so important for so many reasons!
Surely this can be done better!
Over and over again I was thinking how absurd it was that I was in hospital, a place of healing and there was no interest about the food. Fresh nourishing food is such a vital part in healing!
Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food – Hippocrates (year 431 BC!)
In those 4 days I did not see a single fruit or vegetable, never mind the fresh anything at all – no fresh fruit nor fresh vegetables – no – ZERO – none at all!
The food on the trays had perhaps never been fresh! Everything was processed and as far as I could judge, had nothing to do even with nourishment! And served in dull plastic containers on a dull plastic tray.
With a rumbling tummy and food fantasies on my mind, I talked to the nurse about the food – they said that over 70%!!! of all trays go back untouched!
70% -What a waste!!! What a shame, how sad, what a total missed opportunity!
We know that healthy food helps us heal faster, we know that healthy food has the potential to prevent disease. We know that sick people more than anybody needs nourishment.
We also know that a vast majority of diseases are caused and directly linked to unhealthy lifestyle and eating the wrong diet……..so why don’t the hospitals grab the chance and serve sick patients enjoyable, nutritious fresh food. Grab the chance to feed and inspire healthy living – and help the patients to heal themselves.
So why? …….. The argument is “It’s too expensive!”
But is it, really?
In Denmark, at one point in time, they went through the same gloomy experience! 40 tons of hospital food was chucked away every day, because it was so grim, no one wanted to eat it.
To change that, they employed professional chefs along with dieticians and they designed menus for people to enjoy, to look forward to every day and to help them heal faster!
Serving meals, 3 times a day became a thing of the past — because when you are sick you are not necessarily hungry on the dot. Instead every patient has a menu and a telephone. And when hungry, they simply take the menu, pick their fancy and call the chefs in the kitchen. The meal is then prepared, cooked from fresh natural ingredients and brought up to the patient. Nutritious, fresh, delicious — real food from real people – who care and love cooking!
What they found was, not surprisingly, that there was hardly any food waste, patients got well, out of bed and home faster, too.
And, it was not more expensive!
But unfortunately, it is in general the same story – no matter where you are in the world – hospital food has a bad reputation.
Hospitals around the world are missing a huge opportunity. Hospitals, our health care system, could be the greatest example of health! Show us how to enjoy food, teach us what to eat to stay healthy and nourished, thebest food for our bodies – to assist us heal, to help fight disease and prevent it.
Great food in hospitals would not only help us heal, but it would also inspire us all to practice more healthy living when we got back home.
Imagine how we could assist the body in healing if we were served something like this:
Freshly squeezed carrots
Freshly prepared green smoothies with fresh spinach leafs and juicy fruits
Creamy Raw Food Oatmeal, with almonds, dates and apple – a glass of freshly squeezed orange
Free access to fresh fruits and veggies
Crispy Spring Rolls
A bowl of freshly made tomato soup made of REAL tomatoes
Instead of this –
Jello for breakfast?
Lunch?
Not sure….
On the fourth day I cried…….
If we have to spend money – why not spend it well?
I know there are other places that have changed the concept of tasteless grey hospital food – and with great success – that’s here in Canada.
Listen to this inspiring talk by Joshna Maharaj – an amazing passionate woman who helped change the hospital food in Toronto.
Having fun preparing for a “Balanced Living ” workshop I will be doing later this month – and in need of something refreshing…..
What’s better than a glass of freshly squeezed cool juice?
Summer is the perfect time for juicing – there are an abundance of delicious sun-kissed fruits and vegetables available – so I decided to make the perfect “instead of coffee drink” …..a glass of freshly squeezed baby beets!
In this juice I added lots of sweet crispy local apples, a lime, a bunch of mint and a slice of fresh ginger.
Enjoyed outside in the shade ……..
Delicious beet juice ready to serve
It tastes so good and while you drink, you are getting incredible amounts of fruits and greens – nutrients that goes straight into the body, to feed, rejuvenate and nourish it.
In love with the colour
p.s. still working on the move to self-host this blog. In the meantime my blog may be down for a couple of days…….
Hope you are enjoying the summer wherever you are!
One of the best things that I remember from my childhood is my mom’s passion for yoga. Often I would join her on the mat and try to copy her poses. I could walk on my knees, put my legs behind my neck and stand on my head. Not so much anymore….. 🙂 — but I have always wanted to start yoga and get into the yoga groove. My problem is, I really don’t enjoy big, filled-to-the-brim yoga studios. I like to be in my own space, I like the peace, and I like to enjoy yoga when it fits into my schedule.
Two fabulous programs, videos of different lengths, different levels, different styles, different teachers – you pick and choose what fits you best.
I absolutely love it!
Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it. Rumi
There are so many benefits to doing yoga. It’s quite amazing what happens in just a few moments of deep breathing, slowly moving the body into poses, simply being on the floor reduces stress and before you know it, you feel more relaxed!
P.S Please listen to your body and don’t do too much – let your body be your guide!
Here are some great articles about the benefits of yoga:
Another by Science Daily, an interesting study shows that yoga reduces stress and anxiety among prisoners and has a positive effect on impulsive behaviour.
And a third by the Yoga Journal about the overall health benefits
On a finishing note – I am moving my blog to be self-hosted – this means my blog might be down for a day or so – Looking forward to seeing you over there 🙂
I’m off! Today is the day I have been longing for – for months – the first day of the summer holiday!
I am off to spend 3 delicious weeks in a summer-house by the sea.
I can hardly wait.
Summer
I am so excited and at the same time I know it’s important to plan ahead, so that we make the most of it. Successful holidays don’t just happen. Holidays can be disappointing! We all have expectations and dreams and they may not turn out the way we wished, hoped and longed for. Unfulfilled expectations cause stress and disappointment!
The time leading up to the holidays can be particularly stressful.
We all need our holidays – to recharge, rejuvenate and fill ourselves with new energy.
So how can we increase our chances of fulfilling it …
This is “my” plan for a stress-free summer:
Unplug. Actually turn of all electronics and be out of reach. Yes, no need to check emails, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, blogs etc.
Mindfulness – live in the moment. Practice mindfulness, breathe, and be in the moment.
Meditate – to reconnect with myself through daily mediations
Read books – instead of computers and internet, I want to read great books, in the shade …..
No plans – be spontaneous. No schedules, just feel the flow and be part of it.
Play – God yes, be crazy, play let go, have fun, look silly
Bare feet – connect to the earth and the ground -lots of research on this …. great idea.
Go slow – nothing I need to do or nothing I need to get to – just inhale the moment – remember to stop and smell the roses.
Smell the roses
“Every Sweet-scented rose tells from it’s heart the secrets of heaven and earth” –Rumi
Bare feet in the sand
Beach
I know this will not be easy and I am sure I will have withdrawal issues for a while 🙂 But I also know how vital, how crucial, it is to disconnect to reconnect – and recharge.
” And forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair”
Anne Sture Tucker 