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My blog

Why speaking up does not help women leaders thrive, and what does

Yesterday I read an Harvard Business Review article on research suggesting that men get credit for voicing ideas but women don’t. As a coach helping women (and men) to be successful leaders, I am particularly interested in this topic. It got me thinking about how unconscious bias stands in the way of women emerging as leaders and how we can address this. The article suggest a few helpful strategies to address this issue in the workplace, but I believe there’s another possibility, that may even be more effective in helping women thrive as leaders.Read More

The stories we tell ourselves

What really strikes me time and again is the importance of the stories we tell each other and of the stories we tell ourselves. How we tell our story greatly affects our healing. I have learned this myself the hard way. Like many people, I came to yoga through an injury. Years ago I had an accident that seriously damaged my neck and shoulder. My life as I knew it changed suddenly. I learned the hard way that the stories we tell ourselves can keep us from healing and can hold us back from experiencing life fully.Read More

Leadership: Treat your people like family

People’s lives matter and it’s people within a company that help build a company and enable it to thrive. As a leader, it is your job to do right by your team members, to enable them to thrive. Chapman has re-defined leadership as the stewardship of the lives entrusted to you. Leadership is an opportunity to shape the lives of people and to make a difference. Leadership is a privilege to care for your people like family. Or, as he says: “We build great people who do extraordinary things” and “We measure success by the way we touch the lives of people”.Read More

Mindfulness and Yoga Retreat 2016

During this Mindfulness and Yoga Retreat we cultivate presence on the yoga mat, the meditation cushion and at the dinner table. Mindfulness, yoga and meditation teach you to be aware in the present moment. Being present is the only way to enjoy life to the fullest. By being mindful, you enjoy your food, friends and family more. By being more present in your everyday life it’s easier to let go of stress, tension and negativity. You become more open, more playful, more relaxed and more appreciative of life. Read More

Yoga Retreat Zeeland 2016

During this weekend you will get loads of new energy and insights on how to lead a more relaxed and balanced life. Discover how yoga, breath, meditation and living life mindfully can support you. During this weekend we eat with full awareness and we will nourish your system with healthy, tasteful meals. You will be able to enjoy your food more and become aware of what the effect of good food is on your body and mind. There will be dynamic, energizing vinyasa classes as well as more calming, relaxing yogaclasses in which you will learn to deeply relax and release tensions and stress.Read More

Grød in Holland

On my visit to Copenhagen last year I fell in love with the porrigde bar, Grød. Grød is Danish for porridge. If you ever get bored with your daily bowl of oatmeal, Grød is the place to go. Grød’s mission is to redefine porridge and to get everyone to enjoy porridge. Last time I was in Copenhagen I packed a whole suitcase with porridge mixes and toppings like freeze-dried buckthorn and raspberries. Grød has recently started selling their porridge mixes in supermarkets in The Netherlands. Grød’s porridge mixes are creative and so tasty. Read More

Is coffee healthy or not? 

I believe coffee can be part of a healthy lifestyle. This may sound strange coming from a health coach who helps people detox from coffee but I do believe that coffee, or anything else for that matter, is not a problem for your health when used in moderation. However, if you need eight cups of coffee to simply get through your day, it’s a whole different story. Read my 12 tips on how to embrace healthy coffee drinking habits.Read More

What death has taught me about life

Today I said my last goodbyes to a family member. In my family we’ve had more funerals than weddings. It’s days like this that I am reminded how incredibly fortunate I am. Due to a very rare disease in my family I have had my fair share of death and loss and it has taught me many lessons that inform me in every part of my life.Read More

Pop-up Dinner Amsterdam

Our Pop-up dinners welcome young social & creative entrepreneurs and entrepreneurial spirits who like to connect with like-minded people in a setting outside of a commercial restaurant. Dinners are held in the privacy of someone’s home. The purpose is to meet new people, to share ideas and inspire each other, all while enjoying a delicious home-cooked meal. Bring an open mind, a positive, relaxed and curious attitude and a strong desire to connect with new people.Read More

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

Weekend Yoga Retreat Zeeland 2015

During this Weekend Yoga Retreat in Zeeland with Chantal, you will learn how to clear space in your body and mind in order to bring in renewed energy. Spring is a time of shedding and rebirth, the perfect time to renew yourself and to let to go of what no longer serves you, to shed what needs to be shed. This is includes cleansing your body of any winter build up. Just like we need to take a shower every morning or clean our homes, we need to clean our bodies internally. 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

Weekend Yoga Retreat Zeeland 2014

During this Weekend Yoga Retreat in Zeeland you will learn how to prevent the winter blues through yoga, breathing exercises and nutrition. Many people feel less fit and healthy during the winter season. Winter is a time when people go outside less, become less active and eat more food. The days are shorter and colder and it’s easy to find excuses to avoid exercise or eat healthy when it’s cold and miserable outside. During the retreat you will learn strategies which help you stay motivated during the winter season and stick with a healthy eating and yoga routine. Read More

Yoga Retreat in Gstaad 2014

During this Yoga Retreat for Foodies, in the beautiful Swiss mountains, Chantal Soeters, certified yoga teacher, foodie and health coach, will share her love for food and yoga and you will learn different ways to nourish yourself through short talks and workshops. Good food is at the essence of a happy, healthy and passionate life. During the retreat, you’ll enjoy pure and delicious food, food that makes you feel happy, nourished and whole. Dinner will be served in Le Grand Bellevue’s flagship restaurant LEONARD’s, which has a Michelin star and offers world-class dining in a sophisticated yet laid-back setting.Read More

Mini Weekend Retreat (in Dutch) 2014

Mindful – Matters organiseert in samenwerking met Suzan van de Roemer en Chantal Soeters een weekend-mini-retreat in Friesland. Een mini-retreat betekent 3 dagen lang ontspanning, rust en aandacht voor jezelf. Laagdrempelig, vrolijk en inspirerend ben je bezig met bewustwording. Op het programma staan verschillende en toegankelijke meditaties en laagdrempelige activiteiten om het weekend mindful te beleven. Maar ook: goed en puur eten, bij het haardvuur zitten, door het bos wandelen en goede gesprekken. Of juist stilte als je daar even aan toe bent.Read More

WH’s Fit for Summer event

A few weeks ago I taught yoga to 70 women on the beautiful terrace of the Muziekgebouw on the shore of the river ‘IJ’. The yoga class was part of Women’s Health Fit For Summer event , an event where healthy and fit women could explore different kinds of movement, including bootcamp, yoga, surfing and paddle boarding. The yoga class was part of a partnership with Lululemon, my favourite brand of technical yoga wear. When it was time to teach my yoga class, the rain came pouring down, the winds blew hard and heavy against the building and our yoga mats were soaked right through and almost blew away. Read More

Mini Weekend Retreat (in Dutch)

Mindful – Matters organiseert in samenwerking met Suzan van de Roemer en Chantal Soeters een weekend-mini-retreat in Friesland. Een mini-retreat betekent 3 dagen lang ontspanning, rust en aandacht voor jezelf. Laagdrempelig, vrolijk en inspirerend ben je bezig met bewustwording. Op het programma staan verschillende en toegankelijke meditaties en laagdrempelige activiteiten om het weekend mindful te beleven. Maar ook: goed en puur eten, bij het haardvuur zitten, door het bos wandelen en goede gesprekken. Of juist stilte als je daar even aan toe bent.Read More

All about olive oil

All about olive oil – Last Tuesday I spent an afternoon tasting beautiful olive oils at Restaurant Merckelbach in Amsterdam. The event was hosted by Olivomio, a local business with a passion for slow food and olive oil. Olivomio sells a wide range of high-quality organic olive oils from small, independent sustainable farmers from Italy, Spain and Greece. I first came across Olivomio’s olive oils at the Lindenhoff market where I bought an extra virgin oil specifically for the preparation of sweet dishes like my Bergamot Polenta Cake or Lemon Lavender muffins.Read More

14 Tips To Prepare For A Detox

Preparing your body for a detox is just as important as doing a cleanse itself. If you already eat clean and healthy, then preparing for a cleanse is fairly easy. A few days before the cleanse, eat simple, light foods such as steamed veggies, soups or salads with lots of leafy greens and raw vegetables. If you’re not such a clean eater, give your body time to prepare for a cleanse. Take small steps towards cutting down on processed foods by gradually increasing the amount of whole grains, pseudo-grains and fresh vegetables and fruits in your diet.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

Grød and Granola

Copenhagen is the place to be for food lovers. You can get amazing food almost everywhere. If you are looking for the best places to try out porridge or granola in Copenhagen, there’s two places you must visit, Granola and Grød. I fell in love with the wholesome and hearty breakfast served at Granola in Vesterbro. And Grød, a cosy porridge bar in Norrebro, inspired me to start making my own granolas and porridge mixes, even selling them at The Sustainable Food & Art Marketplace in Amsterdam.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

Free Christmas Menu

Do you want to enjoy the holiday season but not at the expense of your healthy habits? Do you need inspiration for a healthy and delicious Christmas in style? Get my Free Christmas Menu with easy, delicious and healthy holiday recipes now! The holidays are a typical time of the year where we tend to go overboard. The holidays are all about sweet treats and indulging. But there’s absolutely no need let the holiday season wipe you out. Why start wiping your slate clean after the holidays?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

Bakers and Roasters

I fell in love with Bakers and Roasters on my first visit and my heart has only grown fonder ever since. At Bakers and Roasters they serve wholesome, hearty dishes, clean food, excellent coffee and lovely fresh juices. The place looks healthy too. As you are sitting down for breakfast, crates of fresh fruit and vegetables are staring back at you and there’s always someone behind the counter juicing fresh fruit and vegetables.
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The Proud Otter

At the front of Charlie+Mary, a sustainable fashion store in de Pijp, there’s a lovely cafe called The Proud Otter that I love to hang out on weekdays. You can sit down for a cup of locally roasted coffee or have a small bite. All the food is home-made and organic, from the scones and the hummus to the sourdough bread and the elderberry flower cordial. It’s delicious, simple and homely food. I love picking up a magazine, while enjoying enjoying a homemade sandwich and a perfect cup of coffee.Read More

Venkel An Organic Salad Bar

Venkel, an organic salad bar in De Pijp, just opened up its doors a few days ago. I have enjoyed it so much that I have already been there twice. I am already a great fan of SLA, the organic salad bar on the Ceintuurbaan, but you can never have too many salad bars in your neighbourhood. Read More

Cooking veggies at De Librije

Eating your greens never was this exciting! I recently attended a workshop at Librije’s atelier with a focus on cooking with vegetables. For many people, creating a tasty meal without meat or fish can be a challenge. If you are newer to cooking with vegetables, the workshop “Variation in the Kitchen” is a great place to find out how easy and delicious cooking with vegetables can be.The workshop at Librije’s atelier encourages you to look at vegetables in a new way and teaches you interesting methods and techniques. Cooking with vegetables can be so versatile and exciting. Read More

Around the Kinfolk Table

Last Saturday evening we attended the Amsterdam Kinfolk Table Dinner, part of the Kinfolk dinner series that are held in honour of the recent release of The Kinfolk Table cookbook. A wonderful book with recipes for small gathering come from creative home cooks all around the world. The Kinfolk dinners are meant to be small and simple, home-style dinners where people can easily connect. Chantal and Harry were the perfect hosts for the Amsterdam Kinfolk dinner. They created a casual, welcoming dining atmosphere where everyone could relax and feel at home. Read More

Red Beet Grapefruit Juice

This delicious Red Beet Grapefruit Juice is rich in nutrients and a great cleanser. When summer turns into fall, I always feel like cleaning up my diet and my life. Summer is my season for indulging. Fall is when I clean up and restore balance. This Red Beet Beet Grapefruit Juice is excellent for detoxification. Beets are grounding, they help detoxify the liver and stimulate digestion. The ginger, cinnamon and orange blossom honey add some warmth and sweetness to this slightly bitter and earthy juice. Read More

Fresh Fig Green Smoothie

This energising Fresh Fig Green Smoothie is an excellent way to start your day. Figs are a great source of energy without crashing your blood sugar. Figs are not only utterly delicious and a great source of energy; they are very healthy too. Rich in dietary fiber, potassium, calcium and manganese, figs can help with sugar balance, weight management and the regulation of blood pressure. This time of the year beautiful ripe figs are abundant. I like to get the most of them while the season lasts. Nothing beats the unique taste and texture of sweet, ripe, fresh figs. Read More

Farro and Pearl Barley Salad

This recipe for ‘Insalata di farro e orzo’, Emmer and Pearl Barley Salad, is inspired by my trip to Umbria. The big flavors in this recipe come from using beautiful fresh This recipe for ‘Insalata di farro e orzo’, Emmer and Pearl Barley Salad, is inspired by my trip to Umbria. The big flavors in this recipe come from using beautiful fresh ingredients such as ripe and juicy tomatoes, fresh basil, a good quality moist mozzarella and a slow pressed extra virgin olive oil. Read More

Healthy Fast Food Is Hot

Healthy fast food is hot. Urban Salad Bar opened its door last October in commercial zone ‘de Bijlmer’ and, just recently, SLA, an organic salad bar, opened up in De Pijp. Both are a huge success. And they prove that fast food can be healthy. Eating unhealthy foods can put a lot of unnecessary stress on our bodies. Life can get stressful enough as it is. Changing your diet can have a huge impact on how we handle the stresses of life. Read More

What would you do?

Can you stand by and watch when someone abuses an animal? Today I was in total shock when I saw a couple kids trying to slowly suffocate a pigeon by locking it up in a cardboard box on a hot summer evening. When we told them off, . they told us they were having fun and that we did not own them. They never stopped and their parents were cheering them on. What would you do? Read More

EENMAAL

A dinner for you and you only? EENMAAL (literally one meal/one time) is the world’s first ‘one person’ restaurant. The pop-up restaurant opened its doors last week in Amsterdam. It was open for two days only. According to Marina van Goor, creator of the concept, EENMAAL, aims to create a perfect place to dine in pleasant solitude and to make dining alone an exciting experiment for those who never go out to dinner alone. In this post I share my experience and explain why I have fallen in love with this new take on dining solo.Read More

13 Tips to Stop Food Waste

Last Saturday I enjoyed a free lunch at the Damn Food Waste event at Museumplein, Amsterdam. Damn Food Waste served a lunch to over 6000 people consisting of fresh food that, for various reasons, would not end up on our plates otherwise. In a world where people are still starving, the amount of food wasted is staggering. Events like Damn Food Waste are part of a global movement against food waste that aim to tackle food waste and promote the delicious solutions to food waste internationally! Here are my 13 tips to stop food wasteRead More

SLA, An Organic Salad Bar

I can’t wait to find out more about this new organic salad bar, SLA, in De Pijp. Most places in De Pijp serve sandwiches or they offer one daily salad. I am not a cheese sandwich girl and I stay away from gluten most of the time. Instead I prefer having a big salad for lunch, with lots of fresh vegetables and herbs. I can’t wait to find out more about this new salad bar, SLA (lettuce in Dutch).Read More

Cottoncake

Cottoncake is truly one of my favorite places in De Pijp. De Pijp is Amsterdam’s SoHo, a very lively area filled with small cafes, eateries, boutique shops and vintage stores. Cottoncake is both shop and café. They combine two things I love: cotton and cake. Cotton stands for the beautiful unique clothing and design items they sell and cake for the lovely, fresh foods they serve here. Cottoncake has almost become like a second home to me. I am here quite often. It has a cozy, relaxed atmosphere. I love to take my friends here for lunch, meet up with my clients, read a book or work behind my laptop.Read More

17 Tips for Eating Safe

Have you ever wondered if the foods you are eating are safe? A recent study showed that a potentially dangerous weed killer was found in human urine across Europe. A network of environmental groups, Friends of the Earth International, tested the urine of 182 European urban dwellers, from 18 countries, and found traces of the potentially dangerous herbicide glyphosate, commonly known as Roundup, in 44% of samples. In 5 of 8 of the Dutch volunteers the pesticide was found in their urine. What can you do to stay safe?Read More

Less is more when you go local

In today’s world we can buy anything we want at anytime. There’s an abundance of choice. Strawberries in winter, super foods and exotic fruits and veggies flown in from faraway countries. We have it all. Isn’t it nice sometimes to return to simplicity, to a more simple life? Although I love my super foods and exotic products like coconut juice and durian and I don’t with to be without them anymore, I do notice a need to return to simplicity in the way I prepare and connect to food I eat. Read More

Apple Cucumber Celery Juice

This Apple Cucumber Celery Juice celebrates simplicity. It has no more than four ingredients. It’s clean and refreshing. It tastes delicious and it’s really good for you too. Although I love my super foods and exotic products like coconut juice and durian and I don’t with to be without them anymore, I do notice a need to return to simplicity in the way I prepare and connect to food I eat. Read More

My Top 10 Tips To Survive A Detox

So what do you do when you’re in the middle of a detox and you cannot take it anymore? What enables you to get through when the going gets tough? Even though you know at a mental level that the side-effects of a detox or the challenges you experience during a cleanse are not here to stay, it can still be hard to follow through in those moments where you hit rock bottom. Use these ten tips to stay inspired during your detox, to stick to your goals and make your changes last.Read More

My Detox Story: Crazy Sexy Diet

This post is about one the first cleanses (Crazy Sexy Diet) I did a few years ago. It’s about the hard parts and what enables you to get through when the going gets tough. The 21 day cleanse I did was an amazing experience for me. If you need inspiration to move towards a healthier lifestyle or if you have gone back to your old, unhealthy eating habits, a detox can be a great way to start over again or get you back on track.Read More

21 Simple Ways to Detoxify Naturally

You don’t necessarily have to go on a 3 week cleanse to support your natural detoxification process. You can start by taking small steps to clean up your diet and lifestyle. If you take one step at the time, by adding healthier foods to your diet and slowly eliminating unhealthy foods, it will be easier for you to maintain a healthy diet for a sustained period of time. Small steps equal big change. Use these 21 simple ways to detoxify naturally.Read More

Is Spring Cleansing For You?

Spring has finally arrived. The days are getting warmer and the sun is shining brighter. Spring is a typical time of the year where many people will start to clean up their homes and their diet. Increased energy, improved digestion and weight loss are just a few of the promised benefits of a spring cleanse or detox. With all those amazing benefits Spring cleansing sounds absolutely amazing, but is Spring cleansing really for you? Read More

Apple Radish Arugula Salad

This Apple Radish Arugula Salad is very refreshing. It is a simple dish with clean flavors and a nice crunchy texture. I love the fact that this Apple Radish Arugula Salad is not only healthy and tasty but very pretty too with all those different textures and colors. There’s something really pretty about radishes with their white, almost translucent interior and bright-red margin, but did you know that they are super-healthy too? Radishes are surprisingly rich in vitamin C which supports your immune system and the antioxidants in radishes can help fight free radical damage. Radishes, thinly sliced, are a great addition to any salad and can help you to get your daily healthy dose of vitamin C in. Read More

Pineapple Mint Cucumber Smoothie

This Pineapple Mint Cucumber Smoothie reminds me of Ibiza and hot summers. It’s a great drink on a hot summer day but also a fantastic electrolyte boost after a long workout. Replenishing electrolyte levels is crucial for recovery after a workout and can help boost performance in the long run. Most store-bought sport drinks, however, are loaded with sugar, additives and have little or no nutritional value. If you regularly exercise for more than an hour, replenishing electrolyte levels and getting the right nutritional building blocks in your body is a must. Read More

Red Power Salad

My lunch today at de Ysbreeker inspired me to create a new recipe based on the principle of red power, a Red Power Salad with red quinoa, red cabbage, red beets, pomegranate seeds and cranberries. When it comes to health, the colours on your plate matter. Phytonutrients, also known as phytochemicals, are the nutrients often concentrated in the skins of fruits and vegetables, that are responsible for their color. This salad focuses on the antioxidant power of the red/purple family of phytonutrients,which have been found to protect against heart disease and even cancer.Read More

Pomegranate Aloe Vera Smoothie

This delicious and refreshing Pomegranate Aloe Vera Smoothie is anti-oxidant rich and great for reducing inflammation. Both pomegranate seeds and aloe vera gel are powerful antioxidants and contain potent anti-inflammatory phytochemicals. Antioxidants help to minimize the effects of free radical damage to your cells caused by oxidation. Living in our modern world, we cannot avoid the production of free radicals but we can consume foods that help neutralize their potential damage. Increasing the amounts of anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant rich foods you consume can dramatically improve your health. Read More

Super Power Bowl

This Super Power Bowl nourishes your body on many levels. Ever wondered what to eat after a long work-out ? Well, this is it. Recently, I have gotten into the habit of doing endurance work-outs on a rowing machine. I have noticed that I need to feed myself differently than after my usual yoga practice. Right after my work-out I drink some coconut juice to rehydrate. And then about 1 hour after my work-out I have what I call my Super Power Bowl. It contains everything you need to boost your recovery and your performance as an athlete. Read More

Gluten free Nut and Seed Bread

This Nut and Seed Bread beats any energy drink or power bar. It gets you going and keeps you going. It is packed with whole grains and dietary fiber that provide energy and a sense of satiety to last you through your day. The nuts and seeds are a great source of protein which helps the body to build muscle. It’s great to take with you on a long hike or if you are a busy person who is always on the go. Read More

Going Gluten-free Can Change Your Life

Could going gluten-free change your life? Many people are unknowingly gluten intolerant or sensitive. Gluten is the protein found in wheat, rye, spelt and barley. Lots of common foods contain gluten, such as breakfast cereals, bread, pastries and pastas, but also many unexpected foods like soy sauce, ketchup, stock cubes and other processed foods contain gluten. Symptoms of gluten intolerance can be vague and therefore often go unnoticed. Read More

Free Christmas E-book For You!

I have created an e-book with delicious and healthy Christmas recipes. The holidays are a typical time of the year where we tend to 
overindulge at our meals. If you are anything like me, you love to eat 
delicious food. Food to drool over, to enjoy and share with family and friends. I have come up with seven different holiday recipes with tantalizing flavors that are high in nutrients and insanely delicous. All recipes in this menu are gluten-free, vegetarian and dairy-free (optional).Read More

Eight Ways to Nourish Yourself

Here are 8 ways to nourish yourself at your deepest level. What we put into our bodies affects our quality of life. But food isn’t our only form of nourishment. You can eat the healthiest diet for your body and still feel like crap in if you do not nourish yourself in other areas of your life. How do you take care of yourself? Read More