Five minutes ago I've decided I will stop blogging. Done, finito. There are so many other things that are much more important to me right now that this has only become a distraction.
Write me an email, call or send me a line if you want to stay in contact!
Sunday, November 4, 2012
Monday, October 29, 2012
Sunday, October 28, 2012
Boosting immune defense...
We've been through a week of illnesses. And I am proud to say that I managed to take care of my little ones last Friday all by myself although I had also been ill and was quite week. We worked through it together, without any paracetamol this time, only wet cloths and a lot of water. It increased my confidence in myself, and although I became a bit anxious when the high (39) fever didn't seem to want to let go of my little girl. But both she and I were determined to fight it off naturally, and we did. Second day she was already a lot better.
Now I am boosting them with all kinds of foods that hopefully will help them to fight off any other infection present at their daycare. This is what I have come up with so far:
1. Juiced oranges with ginger and cinnamon - made into popsicles in the muffin molds in the freezer. Usually it is hard to get the kids to eat ginger, but this way it worked!
2. Bone broth - soup out of bone broth. I only had fish broth in the freezer so I made fish soup. Added som ginger to it as well, so little that it hardly had any effects.
3. Water - water - water. When the kids were so ill that they didn't want anything at all I used all techniques except for force. I blackmailed and I psyched them. Call me a witch mother but it worked. They drank it all up.
4. My natural chocolate / date / coconut balls, filled with dried c-vitamine rich berry powder, anti-inflammatory coconut oil, and probiotics powder. The kids usually notice when I add the probiotics to yogurt or porridge, or smoothies and then they refuse to drink it. But in these chocolate balls the probiotics went down unnoticed.
5. Coconut icecream , fortified with probiotics, for the same reasons as above.
6. Treat: chickpea/oatmeal bread. New recipe of mine. Worked wonders yesterday when appetite was still low. I guess bread isn't the best thing in the world to give the kids but when the only thing my girl wanted when she was feeling really bad was some bread, I just had to fulfill her wishes. I got a big hug as I served her some fresh bread right from the oven yesterday.
And with this, I hope we are done being ill for now ...
Now I am boosting them with all kinds of foods that hopefully will help them to fight off any other infection present at their daycare. This is what I have come up with so far:
1. Juiced oranges with ginger and cinnamon - made into popsicles in the muffin molds in the freezer. Usually it is hard to get the kids to eat ginger, but this way it worked!
2. Bone broth - soup out of bone broth. I only had fish broth in the freezer so I made fish soup. Added som ginger to it as well, so little that it hardly had any effects.
3. Water - water - water. When the kids were so ill that they didn't want anything at all I used all techniques except for force. I blackmailed and I psyched them. Call me a witch mother but it worked. They drank it all up.
4. My natural chocolate / date / coconut balls, filled with dried c-vitamine rich berry powder, anti-inflammatory coconut oil, and probiotics powder. The kids usually notice when I add the probiotics to yogurt or porridge, or smoothies and then they refuse to drink it. But in these chocolate balls the probiotics went down unnoticed.
5. Coconut icecream , fortified with probiotics, for the same reasons as above.
6. Treat: chickpea/oatmeal bread. New recipe of mine. Worked wonders yesterday when appetite was still low. I guess bread isn't the best thing in the world to give the kids but when the only thing my girl wanted when she was feeling really bad was some bread, I just had to fulfill her wishes. I got a big hug as I served her some fresh bread right from the oven yesterday.
And with this, I hope we are done being ill for now ...
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Sugar statistics
Thought I should share with you this statistic:
Year Kg/sugar consumed per capita, UK
1700 1.8
1725 3.5
1750 3.5
1775 4.9
1800 8.5
1825 8.0
1850 13.0
1875 26.6
1900 40.0
1925 39.0
1950 44.2
1965 48.5
1983 44.5*
2010 53.0
*Of which 13.5 kg was sugar added by the consumer, and 31 kg was sugar ‘hidden’in foodstuffs (Cannon, 1987: 111), e.g. tomato soup. cereal bars, biscuits, soft drinks. Adaptedfrom, (Ferguson 1971: 66) (Mathias, 1976: 453) (Johnstone, 1976: 60) (Ponting,1991:.237)
Now, what kind of thoughts come to my mind looking at these figures?
Well, first of all: increased sugar consumption is directly related with the availability of large sugar plantations in Americas. No doubt.
Second, how can these figures have gone unnoticed in the cholesterol-heart attack debate? Wouldn't it be logical to link the rapid increase in sugar consumption with the increase in cronic deseases? Particurlarly as our consumption of fat probably (should be checked) was quite stable until 1950.
The UK is almost consuming the same amount in a week that they used to consume in one year in 1700, per capita that is, average in common English. This means some consume a whole lot more.
Can someone tell me why we are debating fat when all statistics points towards another villain???
Year Kg/sugar consumed per capita, UK
1700 1.8
1725 3.5
1750 3.5
1775 4.9
1800 8.5
1825 8.0
1850 13.0
1875 26.6
1900 40.0
1925 39.0
1950 44.2
1965 48.5
1983 44.5*
2010 53.0
*Of which 13.5 kg was sugar added by the consumer, and 31 kg was sugar ‘hidden’in foodstuffs (Cannon, 1987: 111), e.g. tomato soup. cereal bars, biscuits, soft drinks. Adaptedfrom, (Ferguson 1971: 66) (Mathias, 1976: 453) (Johnstone, 1976: 60) (Ponting,1991:.237)
Now, what kind of thoughts come to my mind looking at these figures?
Well, first of all: increased sugar consumption is directly related with the availability of large sugar plantations in Americas. No doubt.
Second, how can these figures have gone unnoticed in the cholesterol-heart attack debate? Wouldn't it be logical to link the rapid increase in sugar consumption with the increase in cronic deseases? Particurlarly as our consumption of fat probably (should be checked) was quite stable until 1950.
The UK is almost consuming the same amount in a week that they used to consume in one year in 1700, per capita that is, average in common English. This means some consume a whole lot more.
Can someone tell me why we are debating fat when all statistics points towards another villain???
Saturday, October 20, 2012
Some new selected pics!
Lemon tree on a friend's back yard. Pick and choose!
Huevos de campo = REAL EGGS (check out the Chilean colors, even blue!)
HAHAHA!!!!
My best lunch place, Naturista, here with an algue soup (cochayuyo)
Naturista, peak lunch hour. Check out those men in black! haha!
Yet another morning at yet another market. Lovely!
This one even sold chicken. Didn't manage to convey mother-in-law that she should have one in her backyard...
Stroller is almost full.
Half a rabbit, at a new typical Chilean food restaurant in Viña del Mar. The waitrer told us that the dishes would be big...well, yes, humangously big! Pottery from pottery village Pomaire.
Borgoña vine = redwine with strawberries... a little bit too sweet but oh so good!
Peruvian lunch in Viña del Mar: Ceviche... oh how I have missed this dish!
Snack at the road toll stop, handy way to shop... if you eat alfajores or bread that is!
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
From burned out to hunting witches!
Last year was intense (last year as in school year Sept 2011-Aug 2012). I allowed myself to open my eyes, or actually open my links to alternative blogs and Facebook pages regarding food, and to new (to me) streams of thoughts within economic sciences. Heavy.
Since long, my private email is filled daily with new information on food and health related issues and my work mail is filled with other alarming studies on society, environment, and sustainability. I am totally aware of the problems of the world, both inside our bodies and outside. Living currently in a place where these things are not even dicussed makes me feel that there is really not much left to do. Here, ALL kids drink some sort of sugary drink every day (many times even). And it doesnt end there, it is completely normal to eat white wheat based breads for breakfast (if not chocopics or some other sugarfilled cereals), before lunch and as evening snack. Kids have sugar yogurts for breakfast and snack. People think you are crazy if you do not want sugar in your coffee or tea... Kids meal at the restaurants always include "papas fritas", and asking for something else causes eye browse to rise (also asking for water for the kids instead of the juice that otherwise would be included).
Then in my work inbox: rising sea levels threathen US coast line, Loss of the hope of Utopia etc... And not surprisingly the major newspaper over here is prentending that it is a good thing that China is hungry for the country´s natural resources (now also turning its interest towards food, not only minerals and pulp...). The same newspaper reports the alarming tendency that the country is loosing its position as the most important cupper exporter... I mean, hello, earth calling!!! Reality check, anyone?
I think it has been great the the new social media have opened new venues for concious people to exchange information and also pass on information to others interested. But really, who are we kidding? And really, is it really worth it? Could it be that more happiness is hidden is just relaxing, instead of walking around and thinking of the end of the world. Because right now reading my inbox it really feels like "its the end of the world" but after a couple of days at the beach I can also tell you that "I feel fine..."(thanks vitamine D!). I even had a pisco sour today, and an ice cream ( the kids too...and how they smiled afterwards!)!
Anyways, for me it is time to turn the page and start focusing on the good stuff. That is why I am planning to learn more about indigenous culture and medicine. I am really intrigued about the whole cosmovision of Chilean indigenous tribes. This is my second year of eyes wide open, and instead of walking around being alarmed about the state of the world I am going to concentrate on the good stuff. Because it still exists out there, we just have to go and find it! And pass it on and defend it, as if it was the most precious gift of all!!!
I´ll tell you more once I have found my machi maestra!
Since long, my private email is filled daily with new information on food and health related issues and my work mail is filled with other alarming studies on society, environment, and sustainability. I am totally aware of the problems of the world, both inside our bodies and outside. Living currently in a place where these things are not even dicussed makes me feel that there is really not much left to do. Here, ALL kids drink some sort of sugary drink every day (many times even). And it doesnt end there, it is completely normal to eat white wheat based breads for breakfast (if not chocopics or some other sugarfilled cereals), before lunch and as evening snack. Kids have sugar yogurts for breakfast and snack. People think you are crazy if you do not want sugar in your coffee or tea... Kids meal at the restaurants always include "papas fritas", and asking for something else causes eye browse to rise (also asking for water for the kids instead of the juice that otherwise would be included).
Then in my work inbox: rising sea levels threathen US coast line, Loss of the hope of Utopia etc... And not surprisingly the major newspaper over here is prentending that it is a good thing that China is hungry for the country´s natural resources (now also turning its interest towards food, not only minerals and pulp...). The same newspaper reports the alarming tendency that the country is loosing its position as the most important cupper exporter... I mean, hello, earth calling!!! Reality check, anyone?
I think it has been great the the new social media have opened new venues for concious people to exchange information and also pass on information to others interested. But really, who are we kidding? And really, is it really worth it? Could it be that more happiness is hidden is just relaxing, instead of walking around and thinking of the end of the world. Because right now reading my inbox it really feels like "its the end of the world" but after a couple of days at the beach I can also tell you that "I feel fine..."(thanks vitamine D!). I even had a pisco sour today, and an ice cream ( the kids too...and how they smiled afterwards!)!
Anyways, for me it is time to turn the page and start focusing on the good stuff. That is why I am planning to learn more about indigenous culture and medicine. I am really intrigued about the whole cosmovision of Chilean indigenous tribes. This is my second year of eyes wide open, and instead of walking around being alarmed about the state of the world I am going to concentrate on the good stuff. Because it still exists out there, we just have to go and find it! And pass it on and defend it, as if it was the most precious gift of all!!!
I´ll tell you more once I have found my machi maestra!
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Vegetarian "con piernas"
I have found my favourite lunch restaurant. Fast food. Fast vegetarian food. Its called "Naturista" and it is only one block away from the National Library.
Decorated like a "café con piernas" but the servants and male (not beautiful young light dressed women), the servings are delicious vegetarian plates (not coffee), and the clientel is mostly health concious busy people (not old and grumpy men). Loooove!
Yesterday I had a soup of "cochayuyo" (Chilean brown algues). I have never been a fan of chocayuyo, but this soup got me hooked. I went back today for a plate of lentils with rice, topped with ají and pebre! Yam, yam, yam.
I have also made a deal with the chef that he will prepare a "torta de ensalada" for a me to take with me home. It looks so delicious and I want to check if my kids like the concept. The problem is that they make it with pancakes but he promised he could make one with ham instead of the wheat pancakes, if I bring the ham (its a veggie-restaurant, they wouldn´t have such ingredients...).
I am also planning to go and buy a "water based" icecream made out of the fruits of the season. I guess that would be a sorbet. But I am curious to try.
Some day I´ll post the pictures from this lovely place!
Cheers!
Decorated like a "café con piernas" but the servants and male (not beautiful young light dressed women), the servings are delicious vegetarian plates (not coffee), and the clientel is mostly health concious busy people (not old and grumpy men). Loooove!
Yesterday I had a soup of "cochayuyo" (Chilean brown algues). I have never been a fan of chocayuyo, but this soup got me hooked. I went back today for a plate of lentils with rice, topped with ají and pebre! Yam, yam, yam.
I have also made a deal with the chef that he will prepare a "torta de ensalada" for a me to take with me home. It looks so delicious and I want to check if my kids like the concept. The problem is that they make it with pancakes but he promised he could make one with ham instead of the wheat pancakes, if I bring the ham (its a veggie-restaurant, they wouldn´t have such ingredients...).
I am also planning to go and buy a "water based" icecream made out of the fruits of the season. I guess that would be a sorbet. But I am curious to try.
Some day I´ll post the pictures from this lovely place!
Cheers!
Saturday, October 6, 2012
Metro observation
I am right now baking a "tiger cake". It is so nice that there are frozen beans in the deep frozen section at the supermarket. You do not need to plan ahead two days to get this bean cake done. It is realy nice to get the hands into the dough again. There is not much time over for that kind of stuff right now. Mostly it is the head that is in the middle of a very messy (but oh so interesting!) dough of field research.
Thought I should plot down some food observations while the cake is baking (and the kids watching tv). Like yesterday, when I took the metro at 7:20 in the morning, and the two young ladies accompanied by a girl the age of my daughter got on the metro at the same place as me. As the metro started moving they picked up a "alfajor" (cookie with caramel sauce dipped in chocolate frosting) and opened the packed and handed it to the girl. Nice breacky! The girl was happy! I stood right next to them, and watched. Was this close (1 cm) to tell them how bad that is for the girl's long term health. But I kept quiet. None of my business.
My father-in-law explained a better strategy. If I have the chance, I should use the economic arguments (and the weight loss argument) to get people to understand. Usually one of the most misinterpreted issues about eating healthy is that it is more expensive. Really, it isn't. Particualrly not here. How much money isn't poored into all those coke bottles? Cookies? Different types of bread. At the end of the day, you need less when you eat healthy. But I am not really into converting anyone (anymore). If someone asks for advice, I can help, if not, not my business. And that is why am taking a step back and keeping my mouth (and eyes) shut. Not my business.
My business it to get my bean cake out of the oven. Now!
So long!
Thought I should plot down some food observations while the cake is baking (and the kids watching tv). Like yesterday, when I took the metro at 7:20 in the morning, and the two young ladies accompanied by a girl the age of my daughter got on the metro at the same place as me. As the metro started moving they picked up a "alfajor" (cookie with caramel sauce dipped in chocolate frosting) and opened the packed and handed it to the girl. Nice breacky! The girl was happy! I stood right next to them, and watched. Was this close (1 cm) to tell them how bad that is for the girl's long term health. But I kept quiet. None of my business.
My father-in-law explained a better strategy. If I have the chance, I should use the economic arguments (and the weight loss argument) to get people to understand. Usually one of the most misinterpreted issues about eating healthy is that it is more expensive. Really, it isn't. Particualrly not here. How much money isn't poored into all those coke bottles? Cookies? Different types of bread. At the end of the day, you need less when you eat healthy. But I am not really into converting anyone (anymore). If someone asks for advice, I can help, if not, not my business. And that is why am taking a step back and keeping my mouth (and eyes) shut. Not my business.
My business it to get my bean cake out of the oven. Now!
So long!
Monday, October 1, 2012
The dangers of soy - 170 of them - scientifically proven.
With hubby this morning, we just talked about how badly informed people are about the effect of soy. The conversation started from that I had seen one kid bring Ades juice (soy milk sweetened with some flavor of orange or apple) as morning meal drink. His parents probably thought they were choosing the "healthier" option. I was also still affected by the article I read last night on how polluting the GMO soy is in Argentina. The numbers that sticked in my mind was 300 out of 6000 inhabitants next to a soy field, with cancer. I do not want to contribute to such numbers...somewhat ironic that many big consumers of soy are vegetarians, and one of the main purposes of that lifestyle is to defend this earth from harms of the food supply.
So if you are a soy eater, read this and reconsider! 170 scientific reasons to lose the soy in your diet
Extract:
"
"
In sum, soy in almost any form is bad for human health. It is particularly bad for those with thyroid function.
"
For those of you who just sat down because you are so taken aback by the notion that soy is not actually the healthfood you thought it was, here are 170 scientific reasons to back up this assertion.
Please note that fermented soy in small, condimental amounts as practiced in traditional Asian cultures is fine for those who have healthy thyroid function. Only miso, tempeh, natto and soy sauce (IF traditionally brewed) fall under this category. In addition, if you want to sprinkle a few edamame on your salad or have a few small cubes of tofu in your miso soup from time to time, that is fine too. Just don’t make it a regular part of your diet!
If you have any sort of thyroid issues going on, however, it is really the best policy to avoid all soy all the time as soy is a potent goitrogen (thyroid suppressor) even if fermented.
"
In sum, soy in almost any form is bad for human health. It is particularly bad for those with thyroid function.
I think Lindt is the only chocolate I have found which doesn't include soy lecitin. And there are many many many other places where soy hides as lecitin. That is yet another reason to stay away from as much industrial processed foods as possible (and preferably only eat grass fed meat... which is not possible where I am right now).
Friday, September 28, 2012
My Kryptonite
Hello folks! Are you still there?
I am out in the bush right now. Some nice pics coming soon, just forgot the cable at home so I can't transfer them to the computer.
Well, just wanted you to know that I have sinned, or in other words tried my kryptonite. Lessons learned, will try to avoid it in the future.
As I am out in the field right now and get the offer to have an "once" (Chilean evening tea, involving some sort of bread usually) or lunch, I have had no heart to say no thanks. Yesterday the lady of the house was preparing sopaipillas as I arrived, some half an hour later I was faced with the option of being rude or take the risk of falling ill. I chose the second option. And oh my, those sopaipillas were goooood! With some homemade jam. Yam! And I didn't fall ill.
I started thinking that maybe I do not have any problems with wheat. Maybe I have overreacted all this time... maybe it was all in my head. So today when I was invited for lunch at another place, and the lunch was pasta with a nice vegetarian sauce, I thought, what the heck, if my tummy could take care of the sopaipillas it will also fix the pasta. Dead wrong. Dead wrong, my friends. No more experimenting for this lady. My body clearly signaled that it was not happy with my risk taking two days in a row.
Well, good that we got this sorted out. At least I learned that I am not nuts, it's not all in my head. There is something in my tummy as well...
Have a nice weekend you all!
I am out in the bush right now. Some nice pics coming soon, just forgot the cable at home so I can't transfer them to the computer.
Well, just wanted you to know that I have sinned, or in other words tried my kryptonite. Lessons learned, will try to avoid it in the future.
As I am out in the field right now and get the offer to have an "once" (Chilean evening tea, involving some sort of bread usually) or lunch, I have had no heart to say no thanks. Yesterday the lady of the house was preparing sopaipillas as I arrived, some half an hour later I was faced with the option of being rude or take the risk of falling ill. I chose the second option. And oh my, those sopaipillas were goooood! With some homemade jam. Yam! And I didn't fall ill.
I started thinking that maybe I do not have any problems with wheat. Maybe I have overreacted all this time... maybe it was all in my head. So today when I was invited for lunch at another place, and the lunch was pasta with a nice vegetarian sauce, I thought, what the heck, if my tummy could take care of the sopaipillas it will also fix the pasta. Dead wrong. Dead wrong, my friends. No more experimenting for this lady. My body clearly signaled that it was not happy with my risk taking two days in a row.
Well, good that we got this sorted out. At least I learned that I am not nuts, it's not all in my head. There is something in my tummy as well...
Have a nice weekend you all!
Sunday, September 23, 2012
Selected food pictures
Our egg-production facility. Personally certified it as both organic, local, and fair trade!
Typical oven in Cajon de Maipo where they bake a delicious bread (no more of this for me unfortunatelly).
Loose and happy hen = excellent eggs!
Almond tree
Child labor: almond hacker.
No more of this: locally produced manjar & mermalades.
Typical Chilean food: No more of this either....
Chilean fast food.
Pebre and Chimicurri, Chilean and Argentinean combo.
The Parrillada. Paleo dream (if you leave out the potatoes).
Digestion drink after all that food...
Nuts and dried food in San José de Maipo (the seller spoke Swedish)
Natural remedies in San José de Maipo.
LIMONES at the fair in Quilin.
Alcachofas & their seller.
Fresh seafood
So good!
Machas, almejas, congrios, reinetas, corvinas... and much more!
Saturday, September 15, 2012
My first treats in Chile
Muffins based on cacao, bananas, almond meal, coconut oil. vanilla essence, eggs and baking powder.
Our favourite coco balls - now also known in Chile- Success as always. (I illegally imported buckthorn berry and lingon berry powder to roll them in - was not caught at the border control).
Oh, and I just have to add... that last plate -it used to be ours when we lived here. Sweet nostalgy!
Friday, September 14, 2012
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Land of plenty
After getting home with some 10 kilos of fresh fruits and veggies from the veggie market today, I ask myself, why on earth are there so many stands around this city that dedicate their business to sell only cookies, chips and sweets? Why on earth would anyone like to eat that crap when you can have fresh avocado, apples, oranges, chirimoyas, celery....whatever you wish in abundance. And cheap.
Fruits and vegetables are just the best invention ever. And I am happy that I am located in the land of plenty right now. Do not even feel cravings for chocolates! And although I found coconut oil (Tropical Traditions, expensive as h*ll) and dates today, I have a feeling that we will not be rolling too many chocolate balls while we are here.
Instead, today I taught mother and sister-in-law how to make cauliflower-pure based on bonebroth and butter. Yammy.
Here you can read about our trip to the vegetable market: La vega - I´m in love!
Next time I need a double granny-buggy to get all the necessary vegetables with me home!
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Sweet dreams from the South
We have crossed the world and are now for the next four months located in the land of "chilis", the end of the world or better known as Chile. This time we will try to explore local food culture from a new perspective: natural food, free from sugar, wheat and (mostly) milk.
That means no more Bravissimo ice creams (hubby was almost sucked into the icecream stand today when we passed through the mall to go and shop some apple cider vinagre), no marraquetas (white fluffy bread), and no manjar (caramel sauce, dulce de leche). Instead I take on the challenge to find dates and Fiber husk, introduce coconut icecream to our family and friends, make empanadas free from gluten, and make our favourite chocolate balls known in this city of 6 million people...
In return, we have the luxury of an granmother who is an expert in homecooked traditional food. Yesterday she had the bonebroth based cazuela (Chilean soup) ready as we arrived from our 24h flight. Today we have had porotos (white beans with pumpkin and rice). And in between a lot fruits and palta (avocado). Luxury!
I can tell you that the grandparents are impressed by the apetite of Kidone. Our previous trips have always presented a certain degree of challenge regarding food to our picky eater. It started with my special arrangements for breast feeding (heat wave of 38 degrees outside, four month old baby who was not particularly keen on eating), later the stage of closing the mouth at any spoon of "exotic" food approaching the mouth (having to opt for safe bets such as acovados and hard boiled eggs), and then in our third and last trip rendering to whatever would go down (meaning a diet consisting of a lot of spaghetti "cabello de angel" and always emergency cookies at hand when out and about). Needless to say that the mood was a bit more jumpy back then...
I have to admit that the beans were not well received by Kidone, but at least she ate her five spoons and then filled the plate with avocado and vegetables. Kidtwo, in contrast, despite his suspicion at first sight just loved the bean "porridge" (think it was granddad who said that it was a magic porridge...) and ate both his plate as his sister's left overs.
Right now I am searching the web for Psyllium Husk. Chilean National Day approaching and I am planning to have my share of empanadas as well. No Psyllium at the local "green hypermarket" but I am now placing my bets at the Asian stores up at Patronato. I hope to find both dates and coconut oil it the same place. Another challenge is to locate buckwheat flour, but maybe quinoa flour with rice flour will do this time.
That means no more Bravissimo ice creams (hubby was almost sucked into the icecream stand today when we passed through the mall to go and shop some apple cider vinagre), no marraquetas (white fluffy bread), and no manjar (caramel sauce, dulce de leche). Instead I take on the challenge to find dates and Fiber husk, introduce coconut icecream to our family and friends, make empanadas free from gluten, and make our favourite chocolate balls known in this city of 6 million people...
In return, we have the luxury of an granmother who is an expert in homecooked traditional food. Yesterday she had the bonebroth based cazuela (Chilean soup) ready as we arrived from our 24h flight. Today we have had porotos (white beans with pumpkin and rice). And in between a lot fruits and palta (avocado). Luxury!
I can tell you that the grandparents are impressed by the apetite of Kidone. Our previous trips have always presented a certain degree of challenge regarding food to our picky eater. It started with my special arrangements for breast feeding (heat wave of 38 degrees outside, four month old baby who was not particularly keen on eating), later the stage of closing the mouth at any spoon of "exotic" food approaching the mouth (having to opt for safe bets such as acovados and hard boiled eggs), and then in our third and last trip rendering to whatever would go down (meaning a diet consisting of a lot of spaghetti "cabello de angel" and always emergency cookies at hand when out and about). Needless to say that the mood was a bit more jumpy back then...
I have to admit that the beans were not well received by Kidone, but at least she ate her five spoons and then filled the plate with avocado and vegetables. Kidtwo, in contrast, despite his suspicion at first sight just loved the bean "porridge" (think it was granddad who said that it was a magic porridge...) and ate both his plate as his sister's left overs.
Right now I am searching the web for Psyllium Husk. Chilean National Day approaching and I am planning to have my share of empanadas as well. No Psyllium at the local "green hypermarket" but I am now placing my bets at the Asian stores up at Patronato. I hope to find both dates and coconut oil it the same place. Another challenge is to locate buckwheat flour, but maybe quinoa flour with rice flour will do this time.
Friday, September 7, 2012
Dental Check and Energy Drinks
We went to the dentist today. Both Kidone and Kidtwo had their biannual check. Nice teeth. No problems. Kidone used to have some issues with her bite, now gone. Very nice. After having read "How to Cure Tooth Decay" I ask myself whether a healthier diet had something to do with it, or whether it was just due to her cheaks getting bigger, as the official statement says.
Well anyway, now I just have to start brushing the teeth right when we get up (before brecky) and then in the evening also let the teeth rest for 30 minutes before brushing. I didn't discuss flour or no flour... felt I did not have enough energy for that debate... and I truly do not know what to think of it....
But I did discuss sugar with the dental nurse. I asked if she knows how the municipality is sabotaging their work on combating sugar to kids. She said yes, she is well aware of it. But she doesn't understand why. Juice, cookies for birthdays, sweet yogurts etc, way too often. she said.
On the way out I grabbed a brochure on energy drinks. Did you know that we Finns waste 100 (!) million euros on energy drinks every year. There are over 30 different brands of energy drinks on the market. Wish I was the sales person of energy drinks... good bonuses to fetch.... or then not... Energy drinks include coloured (!) water, coffein (!), taurin (!), and sweetners. Coffein together with taurin stimulate the central nervous system. Energy drinks can cause irritation, shaking hands , nausea, tenseness, restlessness and anxiety. Yaks! And this stuff has no age limit in Finland! I guess money talks loud and clear here.
This made me remember something I heard on the news a couple of days ago. The Finnish PTA is currently gathering names to create a law initiative to ban energy drinks to kids under 16. This is a campaign worth supporting. After all, we are only 10 years away from that danger!
So please everyone sign the petition. Here are the links:
Hem och skola: energidrycker
Facebook: energiajuomat
Well anyway, now I just have to start brushing the teeth right when we get up (before brecky) and then in the evening also let the teeth rest for 30 minutes before brushing. I didn't discuss flour or no flour... felt I did not have enough energy for that debate... and I truly do not know what to think of it....
But I did discuss sugar with the dental nurse. I asked if she knows how the municipality is sabotaging their work on combating sugar to kids. She said yes, she is well aware of it. But she doesn't understand why. Juice, cookies for birthdays, sweet yogurts etc, way too often. she said.
On the way out I grabbed a brochure on energy drinks. Did you know that we Finns waste 100 (!) million euros on energy drinks every year. There are over 30 different brands of energy drinks on the market. Wish I was the sales person of energy drinks... good bonuses to fetch.... or then not... Energy drinks include coloured (!) water, coffein (!), taurin (!), and sweetners. Coffein together with taurin stimulate the central nervous system. Energy drinks can cause irritation, shaking hands , nausea, tenseness, restlessness and anxiety. Yaks! And this stuff has no age limit in Finland! I guess money talks loud and clear here.
This made me remember something I heard on the news a couple of days ago. The Finnish PTA is currently gathering names to create a law initiative to ban energy drinks to kids under 16. This is a campaign worth supporting. After all, we are only 10 years away from that danger!
So please everyone sign the petition. Here are the links:
Hem och skola: energidrycker
Facebook: energiajuomat
Thursday, September 6, 2012
The dying soul of my hometown
I am on the train heading South. ´Behind me I have a couple of days of beautiful autumn in my childhood town. As always, my senses are open for anything regarding food, health, and ecological living.
We made it through the week with just a little bit of food from the grocery store. Most stuff was based on leftovers from our now empty freezer. Read: Organic spinach and grassfed meat on the bone. These two ingredients combined with some local roots (carrots, potatoes, celery) and eggs made up our dinner and lunch for almost four days (spinach pancakes, spinach soup, beef risotto boiled in bone broth and fortyfied with tumeric power and meat soup). Most food was well received, maybe because our active days out in the parks of this hometown of mine.
We also went to the market place to buy the vegetables and some fresh local apples. The market place is in the VERY city center. It is the soul of this town. If you haven't seen this place after visiting this town, either you are blind or you missed the most essential part of the city. Really, Vaasa, without the square is not Vaasa, nor Vasa (Swedish spelling for the same city) for that matter. Once this quite big square was filled with farmers selling their produce. Particularly at this time of the year you would have seen the square filled with life and fresh vegetables, apples, lingon berries etc. Today, there is one - yes, let me repeat: ONE - local farmer selling her local produce on the market square. And then there are the guys over at the berry stand (strawberries in September - hellou, don't think so!), who are not local, based on their appearance. Note: nothing against immigrants, but this just shows how sad the situation on the market place is... Local farmers have all given in, people go out to buy their food at the big hypermarkets outside town. The only lady left said she'll give it another four years, then she quits. She is done with complaining customers and a 15 hours day shift.
I get really upset when I hear this. I want to shout and scream at the top of the statue of liberty (yes the square has one of those too, just that it refers to the liberty after the civil war...not anything to do with the NYC ditto). People of my dearest hometown - don't let the square die! Invest a few euros extra in showing your support for locally produced foods! Give incentives to those few vegetable farms around the city to go back to the square and sell their stuff directly to you! Encourage the farmers to start selling local eggs, directly to you! Do whatever you can to maintain the soul of Vasa alive!!!
While farmer's markets are living a booming life in the country where hypermarkets were invented, we here in Finland are giving the farmer's markets its last blow by choosing the hypermarket aisles. Do you really have so little time in life that you can't make it to the square? Do you really feel glad when stressing down the aisle of the green hypermarket, queuing with your cars outside, queuing at the cashier inside. Do you really feel good buying those apples from the other side of the world, without a clue of how and with what chemicals they were produced?
I hope the square life will have its revival! I hope you who can do something about it think so too!!!
We made it through the week with just a little bit of food from the grocery store. Most stuff was based on leftovers from our now empty freezer. Read: Organic spinach and grassfed meat on the bone. These two ingredients combined with some local roots (carrots, potatoes, celery) and eggs made up our dinner and lunch for almost four days (spinach pancakes, spinach soup, beef risotto boiled in bone broth and fortyfied with tumeric power and meat soup). Most food was well received, maybe because our active days out in the parks of this hometown of mine.
We also went to the market place to buy the vegetables and some fresh local apples. The market place is in the VERY city center. It is the soul of this town. If you haven't seen this place after visiting this town, either you are blind or you missed the most essential part of the city. Really, Vaasa, without the square is not Vaasa, nor Vasa (Swedish spelling for the same city) for that matter. Once this quite big square was filled with farmers selling their produce. Particularly at this time of the year you would have seen the square filled with life and fresh vegetables, apples, lingon berries etc. Today, there is one - yes, let me repeat: ONE - local farmer selling her local produce on the market square. And then there are the guys over at the berry stand (strawberries in September - hellou, don't think so!), who are not local, based on their appearance. Note: nothing against immigrants, but this just shows how sad the situation on the market place is... Local farmers have all given in, people go out to buy their food at the big hypermarkets outside town. The only lady left said she'll give it another four years, then she quits. She is done with complaining customers and a 15 hours day shift.
I get really upset when I hear this. I want to shout and scream at the top of the statue of liberty (yes the square has one of those too, just that it refers to the liberty after the civil war...not anything to do with the NYC ditto). People of my dearest hometown - don't let the square die! Invest a few euros extra in showing your support for locally produced foods! Give incentives to those few vegetable farms around the city to go back to the square and sell their stuff directly to you! Encourage the farmers to start selling local eggs, directly to you! Do whatever you can to maintain the soul of Vasa alive!!!
While farmer's markets are living a booming life in the country where hypermarkets were invented, we here in Finland are giving the farmer's markets its last blow by choosing the hypermarket aisles. Do you really have so little time in life that you can't make it to the square? Do you really feel glad when stressing down the aisle of the green hypermarket, queuing with your cars outside, queuing at the cashier inside. Do you really feel good buying those apples from the other side of the world, without a clue of how and with what chemicals they were produced?
I hope the square life will have its revival! I hope you who can do something about it think so too!!!
Saturday, September 1, 2012
On air again, regarding sugar!
Important topic that I participated in today's radioshow:
Familjeliv om socker till barn
Don't have much time for blogging now. But what you can see is that those that have not read up on this stuff have a non-problematic "let go" principle, while those who know a little bit about the effects of sugar are all for restricting as much as possible. I personally liked Bitten Johnson's part. She has the facts. Listen to her!
Saturday, August 25, 2012
Not here nor there
I am thinking of renaming my blog (s). Actually starting a new one and leaving Sweet dreams/Patiperra behind. The new one would be called something like "inbetween2worlds" or "entre2mundos". Because I have come to the conclusion that my blogging, my life in general, my attempts to raise balanced kids, my research is all about having my feet steadily grounded in two different worlds. Exciting and exhausting at the same time.
I will probably not have much time over for blogging in the next few days. I am not here nor there right now. In real life I am living a some sort of floating life in so many dimensions that it isn't even explainable. But once I have landed on either feet I will be back...
Now, back to emptying cupboards... beans and cheackpeas will be donated to friend, one year old candies and wheat sticks are now happily residing in our biodegradable waste, Specialty ingredients in a airtight box... etc etc etc...
Here another friends reflection on not being here, but there, in her thoughts. I think I should also start practicing mindfulness...instead of walking around thinking I must suffer from an undiagnosed ADHD...
I will probably not have much time over for blogging in the next few days. I am not here nor there right now. In real life I am living a some sort of floating life in so many dimensions that it isn't even explainable. But once I have landed on either feet I will be back...
Now, back to emptying cupboards... beans and cheackpeas will be donated to friend, one year old candies and wheat sticks are now happily residing in our biodegradable waste, Specialty ingredients in a airtight box... etc etc etc...
Here another friends reflection on not being here, but there, in her thoughts. I think I should also start practicing mindfulness...instead of walking around thinking I must suffer from an undiagnosed ADHD...
Monday, August 20, 2012
Reflections on Gravity - Part 2.
In June I wrote about my own experience and thoughts of this fixation on women's weight. What it does to us to always want to be thinner and smaller (yoyo dieting, never happy with yourself).
Now Paleo Parent Stacey gives her own story online, including pictures. It should be enough to give all of you out there who are not happy about your looks a second thought.
What losing 135lbs looks like
It is not about your appearance, it it about how you feel! And how you feel is tightly connected to what you eat and how you take care of your body (and soul - stop thinking of your weight and looks and start enjoying life - with good nutrious food!!!).
And by the way, I think the road to a balanced body and soul is by getting rid of bad habits...often related to (food) addiction (read: mostly commonly spelled out sweet-stuff, whatever-bread-you-are-digesting, or hidden-sugar-in-processed-foods).
Have a beautiful day!
Now Paleo Parent Stacey gives her own story online, including pictures. It should be enough to give all of you out there who are not happy about your looks a second thought.
What losing 135lbs looks like
It is not about your appearance, it it about how you feel! And how you feel is tightly connected to what you eat and how you take care of your body (and soul - stop thinking of your weight and looks and start enjoying life - with good nutrious food!!!).
And by the way, I think the road to a balanced body and soul is by getting rid of bad habits...often related to (food) addiction (read: mostly commonly spelled out sweet-stuff, whatever-bread-you-are-digesting, or hidden-sugar-in-processed-foods).
Have a beautiful day!
Friday, August 17, 2012
Candy Day
Nowadays nowbody that remotely knows us questions our weird policy on (some) food. People know that we are the freaks and I am ok with that. Strange because I used to battle a lot with myself when I stepped out of my mainstream shoes.
So here is the thing. We do not have a candy day. Surprised? Shouldn't be, as we do not eat sugary stuff anyway (do not count my 86% chocolate to candies, but yes it is debatable). I've been awaiting for the day when Kidone would realize that she is missing out on something important. But until just a few weeks back she never noticed. Not even some six months ago when we went to the store and met a daycare friend who was there selecting his "Saturday Candy". Not even though the Radio program for kids (BUU-Klubben) persistantly ask EVERY Saturday EVERY kid that calls in whether they will be eating (Saturday) candy today. Jeees, I always think at that point that is it really necessary to force it on them? Like all those one-year olds that during their first week at day care get introduced to juice, buns, and icecreams...I didn't know about the frequent icecreams at daycare when Kidone started as a one year old... foolish me still thought six months later that she got her first icecream with her granparents in Chile...
I thank hubby for opening up my eyes to the amount of candy that Finnish kids eat. I wouldn't have started to reflect on it, if he hadn't years ago commented the absurdity of eating candy every Saturday. In Chile, (when he was young) kids had candy at parties, nowhere else. And I understand that... because the candy section in Chile is lousy in comparison with what we have in Finland...hey come on, all countries without salmiak/lakrits loose in comparison to the Nordic countries! I'd go for cookies rather than sweets to fill up my sugar cravings there.
Anyway, back to my point. Which is: we do not have a candy day. Someone is starting now to understand because her friends have also become so big that they talk about this magic moment... but so far we have managed without. And as you might understand, we do not eat candy any other day either, but we do eat homemade natural sweetened muffins, or coconut-icecream, or even both as tonight. To celebrate the weekend!
Here my recipe for a very special icecream (just made it up today):
10 dates (soaked)
1/3 pineapple (sweet)
1 can coconut milk
vanilla extract
1 tbsp honey
aprox 2 cm of chopped and peeled fresh ginger
2 leaves of gelatin, dissolved in 0,5 dl hot water
(kefir grain/optional)
Mix all ingredients except gelatin, which you add when it has cooled a bit.
Add to icecream machine and let the machine do its job for a good while. Freeze until to be served.
And as always, ENJOY!
So here is the thing. We do not have a candy day. Surprised? Shouldn't be, as we do not eat sugary stuff anyway (do not count my 86% chocolate to candies, but yes it is debatable). I've been awaiting for the day when Kidone would realize that she is missing out on something important. But until just a few weeks back she never noticed. Not even some six months ago when we went to the store and met a daycare friend who was there selecting his "Saturday Candy". Not even though the Radio program for kids (BUU-Klubben) persistantly ask EVERY Saturday EVERY kid that calls in whether they will be eating (Saturday) candy today. Jeees, I always think at that point that is it really necessary to force it on them? Like all those one-year olds that during their first week at day care get introduced to juice, buns, and icecreams...I didn't know about the frequent icecreams at daycare when Kidone started as a one year old... foolish me still thought six months later that she got her first icecream with her granparents in Chile...
I thank hubby for opening up my eyes to the amount of candy that Finnish kids eat. I wouldn't have started to reflect on it, if he hadn't years ago commented the absurdity of eating candy every Saturday. In Chile, (when he was young) kids had candy at parties, nowhere else. And I understand that... because the candy section in Chile is lousy in comparison with what we have in Finland...hey come on, all countries without salmiak/lakrits loose in comparison to the Nordic countries! I'd go for cookies rather than sweets to fill up my sugar cravings there.
Anyway, back to my point. Which is: we do not have a candy day. Someone is starting now to understand because her friends have also become so big that they talk about this magic moment... but so far we have managed without. And as you might understand, we do not eat candy any other day either, but we do eat homemade natural sweetened muffins, or coconut-icecream, or even both as tonight. To celebrate the weekend!
Here my recipe for a very special icecream (just made it up today):
10 dates (soaked)
1/3 pineapple (sweet)
1 can coconut milk
vanilla extract
1 tbsp honey
aprox 2 cm of chopped and peeled fresh ginger
2 leaves of gelatin, dissolved in 0,5 dl hot water
(kefir grain/optional)
Mix all ingredients except gelatin, which you add when it has cooled a bit.
Add to icecream machine and let the machine do its job for a good while. Freeze until to be served.
And as always, ENJOY!
Monday, August 13, 2012
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