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Fall

Weekend Yoga Retreat Gstaad 2015

During this weekend with Chantal at Le grand Bellevue Gstaad, you will learn how you can prevent winter blues through yoga, breath work and good food. We examine the impact of nutrition, breathing and yoga on our body, our energy level and our state of mind. You will gain more insight in yourself, in what you need to feel alive and full of energy. At Le Grand Bellevue, you’ll enjoy easy elegance and Michelin* rated food in a captivating Alpine setting. Read More

Top 5 Recipes to Beat a Cold

It can be challenging to eat healthy when you’ve got a cold and are feeling run down. Everyone gets a cold occasionally but there’s something you can do to speed up your recovery process. Besides taking plenty of rest and drinking your fluids, incorporating certain foods into your diet can help prevent your cold from becoming a worse. I prefer a runny nose to being bed-ridden for a week unable to move or breathe normally. Here’s my top five recipes beat a cold.t, They are just what you need when your body needs to give its undivided attention to fighting off the germs.Read More

Beluga Lentil Kale Beet Stew

This Beluga Lentil Kale Beet Stew with apple is just what you need to warm up on a crisp Autumn day. It’s comfort food at its best. Fall is the season for slowing down. Even in the kitchen it’s important to slow things down. In the Fall our bodies require more warming foods as the temperature drops. This Beluga Lentil Kale Beet Stew has a warming effect and grounding effect on our bodies. Lentils and root vegetables like carrot, shallots and beets can help us to restore balance. When we transition from summer into fall, we can sometimes feel a little ungrounded or even a bit sluggish. Read More

Fig Vanilla Almond Chia Pudding

This Fig Vanilla Almond Chia Pudding with pomegranate seeds and pistachio nuts is infused with the aromatic and fragrant flavours of the Middle East. Green cardamom is great in desserts. It has a spicy, herbal, citrusy character and works really with vanilla, pomegranate and pistachio. Figs and pomegranate are two of my favourite fruits. They work really well together but are also great with pistachios and almonds. This decadent Fig Vanilla Almond Chia Pudding is a great way to indulge yourself with something sweet and delicious while staying healthy at the same time.Read More

Green Quinoa Salad

This light and refreshing Green Quinoa Salad combines the earthy and pungent flavours of the Middle-East with the freshness of green herbs. The fresh herb paste made with fresh parsley, dill and fresh mint and extra virgin olive oil is really the star of this dish. It transform the quinoa into something completely different. The bitter flavours of the fresh herbs, arugula and green onion sing in your mouth. For some sweetness I have added dried chopped apricots and I used a Za’atar spice mix to spice things up a little. Za’atar is a dried herb mix used in Middle Eastern cuisine. It’s a real party in your mouth. Read More

Spinach Feta Omelette

This Spinach Feta Omelette with fresh basil is super delicious and very quick to prepare. It’s great for breakfast or lunch and even as a light dinner with a green salad on the side. To cook the omelette, I used a method that is often used in the Provence, which involves turning your omelette around instead of folding it in half. Both sides become nicely browned this way making the omelette even more tasty. Omelettes are such a great way to create a super quick and tasty meal. The best part is that you can add any ingredients you like. Feta cheese, spinach and basil are such a great combination. Read More

Kale Pomegranate Spelt Salad

This hearty Kale Pomegranate Spelt Salad is super delicious and combines three of my favourite ingredients: whole spelt berries, shredded Dinosaur kale and pomegranate seeds. This week I saw the first Dinosaur kale or cavolo nero back in stores again. In Europe, you can often find cavolo nero in stores from July to Januari. The crisp sweet pomegranate seeds are the perfect addition to this salad, the freshness of the pomegranate seeds works really well with the chewy spelt berries and hearty, slightly bitter taste of kale. Spelt is high in protein and fiber and has a lovely nutty flavour and chewy bite. Read More

Pomegranate Bulgur Salad

This Pomegranate Bulgur Salad with salted ricotta is a tasty light meal for a summer evening, picnic or potluck. It’s not just a very delicious and refreshing meal on a hot summer evening but it’s also a party for the eye with all the bright colours and different textures. The snow-white colour of the salted ricotta strikingly stands out in the salad against the vivid green colour of the fresh herbs, the pink-red color of the pomegranate seeds and the light green colour of the cucumber and celery. In terms of flavour, the sweetness of the pomegranates and dates contrast beautifully with the salty crumbly, salty ricotta, and the nutty bulgur.Read More

Chocolate Hazelnut Brownies

These no-bake Chocolate Hazelnut Brownies taste delicious and are great as a healthy sweet treat or dessert. I made them for the first time during our Mindfulness Retreat in Friesland last weekend. I wanted to create a healthy, (refined) sugar-free dessert for our retreat guests. I found this recipe for Raw Hazelnut Chai Brownies on Green Kitchen Stories and I decided to tweak the recipe a little and give my own twist to these easy-to-make brownies. By adding ground hazelnuts to the recipe and more cacao powder they become more firm in texture, almost like a fudge, and have a stronger chocolate flavour. Read More

Mango Coconut Chia Pudding

This Mango Coconut Chia Pudding makes a great high-protein breakfast or a lovely sweet and healthy dessert. I love these little chia coconut puddings, They are so easy to make and they are nourishing and delicious. The dried mango adds a rich flavour to the pudding. The coconut yoghurt adds a clean, fresh flavour and gives the pudding a lovely smooth and creamy texture. Chia seeds are a source of complete protein with all the 8 essential amino acids. They are also a great source of healthy omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, protein, antioxidants, calcium and potassium. Read More

Ginger Honey Veggie Bowl

This Ginger Honey Veggie Bowl is simply a bowl of goodness. It’s pure and simple food that feeds your heart and soul. It’s what I crave coming home after a long, busy day. It makes me happy and helps me to restore my balance. Often when we feel tired, we crave the bad stuff, foods high in salt, fat or sugar. Junk food might give you a momentary high when you’re feeling low, but it depletes your body. As it places a huge burden on your digestion, it takes away energy. Energy you need to heal. This Ginger Honey Veggie Bowl nourishes your body so your body can devote its time to healing. Read More

Baby Spinach Pomegranate Salad

This Baby Spinach Pomegranate Salad is inspired by my recent trip to Athens. I was in Athens for the European Yogi Nomads event and we went to the most amazing restaurants. My most memorable dish was a delicious salad with baby spinach leaves, pomegranate and roasted almonds. I have tried to re-create my favourite salad at home. This time I couldn’t find baby spinach so I used lamb’s lettuce instead. Both spinach and lamb’s lettuce work really well in this salad.
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Peanut Butter Chocolate Fudge

This super easy Peanut Butter Chocolate Fudge melts in your mouth and . It’s creamy, buttery, rich and delicious and made 100% without refined sugar and dairy. I have added just a little sea salt flakes to give the fudge a slight salted caramel flavour. The chocolate peanut butter flavours lingers in your mouth after taking a bite. It feels decadent. Yet you could argue that this melt-in-your-mouth fudge is healthy, even very healthy. Read More

Skin Glow Juice

This refreshing, crisp and clean Skin Glow Juice, when consumed regularly, will help you get smooth, soft and glowing skin. This juice is rich in chlorophyll, a powerful antioxidant, which is responsible for the green pigment in this juice. Chlorophyll helps the transport of oxygen to your muscles, tissues, organs, brain and cells. It gives you more energy, increases focus and helps detoxify the body, removing built-up toxins, which can manifest in skin problems such as acne, pimples or a grey and dull skin tone.Read More

Jerusalem Artichoke Lentil Salad

This warm Jerusalem Artichoke Lentil Salad is so delicious and very easy to make. I love adding Le Puy lentils to my salads. They have an earthy, delicate flavour and they hold their shape during cooking. They also combine really well with the earthy, nutty and slightly sweet flavour of the Jerusalem artichokes. I have roasted the Jerusalem artichokes in the oven which enhances their natural sweetness. The Mustard Honey Balsamic dressing is sweet and pungent, which is just perfect to balance of the earthiness of the lentils and Jerusalem artichokes. Read More

Bergamot Almond Polenta Cake

This Bergamot Almond Polenta Cake has an intense citrusy and floral flavour. It is one of the most delicious cakes I have eaten in a long while. Using fragrant Bergamot Oranges makes all the difference in this cake. As Bergamot Oranges are sometimes hard to get, you can also use a less acidic and more floral lemons like Meyer lemons or Amalfi lemons (the ones used to make limoncello). Whatever you’re buying make sure you use organic, unwaxed lemons or Bergamot oranges as the peel plays a big part in this recipe.Read More

Vegan Carrot Halva

This Vegan Carrot Halva is based on a popular Indian dessert called gajar ka halwa. It resembles a sweet rice pudding or rice porridge. For this carrot porridge, grated carrots are cooked very slowly, until you get a mushy, porridge-like consistency. Carrot halva is traditionally made with milk, ghee and cream. For my Vegan Carrot Halva I have used coconut rice milk and coconut oil instead of dairy. It tastes absolutely amazing served warm with a generous scoop of ice-cream and some roasted almonds and coconut flakes on top. Read More

Cashew Raisin Chickpea Balls

These sweet Cashew Raisin Chickpea Balls are inspired by an Indian sweet called Besan Ladoo. They remind me a little bit of halva, the nutty and crumbly Middle-Eastern dessert usually made from tahini (sesame paste) or nut butter. The chickpea flour used for these balls gets a similar nutty flavour and crunchy texture once toasted. The cashew nuts are toasted along with the chickpea flour which gives the cashews an intense, caramel-like flavour. The raisins add a nice chewy and gooey bite. Read More

Three Grain Cranberry Porridge

This Three Grain Cranberry Porridge is a real treat. It’s sweet and warming. Cooking the grains in apple juice gives them a beautiful sweet flavour, like apple compote. The tart cranberries become soft, plump and sweet when cooked in the porridge. I eat this on a morning that I have a little more time on my hands and can really take my time for breakfast. If you don’t have much time on your hands, you can also ‘cook’ the grains and cranberries overnight by adding the grains to a bowl with the water and apple juice.Read More

Smoky Harissa Pepper Soup

This Smoky Harissa Pepper Soup shows how delicious simple ingredients like red bell peppers and tomatoes become when you love them up. This soup takes time, not in the sense that there’s a lot of hands-on cooking. The Roma tomatoes are slow-roasted in the oven until caramelised, sweet and delicious. The red peppers are charred, which gives them a smoky, sweet flavour. The fresh chili peppers and the blend of spices like cumin, caraway and paprika gives this soup a nice bit of heat. Read More

Radicchio Fennel Spelt Salad

This Radicchio Fennel Spelt Salad is the perfect winter salad. It can be enjoyed both warm or cold. Radicchio is wonderful in any winter salad. I love it raw, thinly sliced in a salad, but lately I have been braising it in the oven with garlic, rosemary and balsamic vinegar. It’s the best thing ever. When braised, the radicchio gets an intense and subtly bitter aroma. For this salad, all vegetables are roasted in olive oil and balsamic vinegar until browned and caramelised.Read More

10 Reasons To Get a Flu Shot

I was on the phone with a friend the other day, who asked me what my thoughts were on her getting a flu shot. She has two kids at home and she just keeps on getting sick. And she’s sick and tired of it. Knowing that I am a health coach with a passion for nutrition and natural healing, she asked my honest opinion on the matter. She had heard all these conflicting stories in the media on flu shots, so this is what she asked: “Should I get a flu shot?”. Read my answer here. Read More

Silky Smooth Pink Smoothie

This Silky Smooth Pink Smoothie makes an amazing lunch. You won’t believe how creamy and delicious this smoothie is. The avocado and banana gives this smoothie texture but it also makes it filling enough for a meal. If you are struggling with green smoothies, this is a great way ease yourself into the business of smoothie making. This smoothie also makes a great post-workout smoothie and will help replenish your muscles and speed up your recovery. Read More

Kumquat Cough Remedy

If you have a sore throat or a nagging cough, this Kumquat Cough Remedy will give you quick relief. According to traditional Chinese medicine, kumquat helps eliminate phlegm and can alleviate your cold symptoms. This is my version of a cough and sore throat remedy. I like the freshness of the raw juice but if you’re feeling quite sick, I recommend trying fresh kumquat tea with raw honey instead to help soothe your sore throat.Read More

Sauerkraut Hotchpotch

This Sauerkraut hotchpotch is the perfect winter dish, hearty, sweet and comforting all at the same time. I have been looking for ways to make a healthier of the hotchpotches I grew up with and enjoyed so much as a kid. I have finally succeeded in making a version of hotchpotch that’s just as tasty and satisfying. This has become a favourite at our home. Read More

Persimmon Avocado Kale Salad

This refreshing and brightly coloured Persimmon Avocado Kale Salad is gorgeous, healthy and just perfect for the holidays. Persimmons are in season right now and I cannot get enough of them. The subtle sweetness of the persimmons works really well with the slight bitterness of the kale. I just love the fresh taste and feel of this salad: crispy pomegranates, refreshing persimmons, crunchy fennel, creamy avocado, fresh goat’s cheese and a zesty, slight sweet lemon-honey dressingRead More

Espresso Date Chocolate Fudge

This dairy-free Espresso Date Chocolate Fudge with pistachio nuts is rich and decadent and very easy to make. It requires no baking and combines all my favourite flavours: the intensity of dark chocolate, the richness of a strong espresso, the spiciness of cardamom and cinnamon, the soft, chewy caramel-like flavour of o fresh Medjoul dates, the nuttiness of pistachios and the salt kick of the sea salt flakes.Read More

Persimmon Ginger Smoothie

This sweet and creamy Persimmon Ginger Smoothie almost tastes like dessert. Persimmons are sweet and delicious. They add a lovely creaminess to your smoothies. When fully ripe, the flesh is soft and almost has a pudding-like texture. If you have a sweet tooth, you are going to love their sweetness. Persimmons are nutritional powerhouse too, rich in dietary fiber, magnesium, potassium, calcium and iron. They are also a great source of vitamin C and beta-carotene, which help prevent free radical damage.Read More

Anti-Flu Juice

This Anti-Flu Juice with fresh turmeric, ginger, red chili, oranges, carrots, lemon and sweet potato contains all you need to make your own cold and flu home remedy. It can help you to get rid of your cold if you have one or to keep a cold at bay when you are feeling a bit under the weather. Ginger and honey are well documented to boost the immune system. Ginger and turmeric are natural pain killers and both have very powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
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Blueberry Banana Bread

This delicious Blueberry Banana Bread is inspired by a classic banana bread but made without eggs, dairy or gluten. It makes a great warm breafast on a cold morning or a nice treat on a lazy afternoon, sipping a cup of hot tea. Cooking this Blueberry Banana Bread fills your kitchen with the wonderful aromatic smells of cinnamon and cardamom -comforting and spicy. I like to serve my banana bread with a few slices of banana, a few blueberries and a sprinkle cinnamon on top! Read More

Iron Booster Juice

This Iron Booster Juice boosts your iron levels, your immunity and your energy levels. Iron is an essential mineral that plays an important role in the transport of oxygen to cells. It is incredibly important for energy and stamina. An iron deficiency depletes cells of oxygen, which can result in fatigue, dizziness, low stamina, irritability and a weak immune system. Women require more iron than men for a variety of reasons, such as menstrual flow. If you are a woman and a vegetarian or vegan, you are at a higher risk for iron deficiency (anaemia). Read More

Cranberry Beet Orange Juice

This Cranberry Beet Orange Juice is a great way to enjoy the many health benefits of raw, fresh cranberries. Most people can’t stand to eat fresh cranberries alone as they are extremely tart. When you juice fresh cranberries with sweet fruits like oranges and apples, the sourness moves into the background. I particularly love the combination of fresh cranberries and oranges. This Cranberry Beet Orange Juice is sweet, citrusy and earthy with just a hint of sourness. Read More

Cranberry Almond Chocolate

This Cranberry Almond Chocolate is absolutely delicious and will satisfy your chocolate cravings without the guilt trip and energy dip that usually sets in right after enjoying your chocolate treat. This Cranberry Almond Chocolate is made with 100% natural ingredients like coconut sugar, raw cacao powder and pure cacao butter. It does not only taste good; it is also much healthier for you than the chocolate you can buy in stores. By making your own chocolate, you can not only feed your chocolate cravings (just a little) but also enjoy the highs without the lows.Read More

Cranberry Speculaas Granola

This gluten-free Cranberry Speculaas Granola with walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds, dried cranberry and speculaas spice is delicious this time of year. It is hearty and warming, just what you need on a cold morning. My absolute favourite way of eating this Cranberry Speculaas Granola is parfait-style with still warm cinnamon baked apple slices on the bottom, the Cranberry Speculaas Granola as the second layer and finished of with a layer of thick yoghurt. I love coconut yoghurt but any of your favourite type of thick yoghurt will do. Read More

Cinnamon Ginger Carrot Juice

This Cinnamon Ginger Carrot Juice can help reduce inflammation. Whether you are an athlete or just working out a couple of times a week in the gym, inflammation is a natural part of recovery. If our diet is high in inflammatory foods or you are working out too much, inflammation can build up in our system. This can negatively impact your recovery as an athlete. By increasing your intake of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory foods the oxidative stress that builds up during a training session can be eliminated. Anti-inflammatory nutrients, such as ginger, cinnamon and turmeric, can help you recover from a training session. Read More

Black Bean Quinoa Chili

This spicy Black Bean Quinoa Chili is healthy, nourishing and balances blood sugar. It’s full of flavour and packed with nourishing vegetables and protein in the form of quinoa and black beans. When you struggle with blood sugar imbalance it’s important to eat mostly slow carbs in plant form. This recipe is full of slow carbs that release sugar in your bloodstream slowly, such as shallots, tomatoes, zucchini, red peppers and parsley. Read More

Fennel Apple Avocado Salad

Want to surprise your taste buds with a ridiculously simple but insanely deliciously salad? This Fennel Apple Avocado salad is one of my favorites. The fennel is sweet, crunchy and refreshing and combines well with tartness of the apple and thick creaminess of the avocado. It makes a great side-dish for a heavier entree or you can enjoy it on its own. Read More

Vegetable Hotchpotch Soup

We are definitely entering the winter season. There’s something deeply nourishing about a bowl of soup on a cold winter day. I literally feel my body warm up from inside out. My new favorite soup is based on Dutch hotchpotch but then turned into a soup. This soup has delicious natural sweet flavor and warms your body from inside out. Read More

Raw Ginger Chili Chocolate Hearts

Eat your heart out with this simple and delicious recipe for raw chocolate hearts. This is one of my favorite combinations but you can go creative and add nuts, dried fruits, coconutflakes or superfoods like spirulina. Doesn’t this recipe sound delicious and easy to make? I love making raw chocolate to satisfy my chocolate cravings.Read More