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Monday, April 30, 2012

Sunday, April 29, 2012

Spa moments

I don't know what's the deal with me these days... I have not set out to reveal that I am a food fanatic, nor that I am a blogaholic on food related issues - impressive list of blogs I've gathered since September - but still, whenever I come in contact with the outer world, strangers in particular, THEY start referring to their food and health habits, provoking me to reveal some of my accumulated knowledge on the subject.

I already mentioned my visit at the hair dresser the other day. Well, yesterday I paid a visit to the top spa of helsinki at this moment (hubby only gets me the best of the best Christmas gifts). And go figure, I was determined to keep silent about my diet changes and so forth, after all I was there to RELAX! But what do you know, the massage had got no longer than my feet and lower legs when the lady started making points about my health: well first; I need to drink more water (yes, she has a point there!), then I should do stretching twice a day (this is when she got to my shoulders, auch!) and muscle building is also necessary if I am to avoid back problems. She then added that my body seems to be doing ok, no stomach issues and no kidney issues (she can feel that in certain spots under the feet!!). At the point when she started going off on the excellent status of my skin, I had no other option than reveal my secrets: that I attribute my relatively good skin to the exclusion of wheat and sugar.

During our conversation I also found out about her own health concerns and I felt a desperate need to give her advice. By I stayed silent (except for advicing her to quit sugar, obviously) and when I got home and told hubby about the conversation (after giving him a big kiss for the excellent Xmas present) he said that this is where I could have made a difference. That I should start trusting myself on these things already...

As I still find it all so confusing and biased, I have a hard time positioning myself in all these extreme positions: between meat and vegan, between raw and low carb, between fat and vegetables. But one thing is for sure: I am quite convinced that sugar is bad, modern wheat is bad, milk in the quantities consumed up here in the north is bad, and margarine is most definatelly bad.... and vegetables, yes they are good, very good, especially when organic. Anyway, me as a client is in no position to give out advice on nutrition at a spa... particularly not as I have no formal training in it...

Well, the masseur was a true inspiration for me. Her way of confronting life seemed ideal, and I really really liked talking to her. The two hours at the spa was not only relaxation for the body, it also gave food for thought for my overly stressed out mind! Time to start meditation! Maybe yoga, that will combine the stretching with the meditation...

Homemade chocolate

I just made some homemade chocolate. The cacao butter that I bought before Christmas has been taking up space in my overcrowde cupboard and thus it was time to do something about it... I also wanted to show Kidone that living a life without sugar doesn't have to be so bad. Yesterday she was upset seeing so many kds snacking on licorice... SO I made some chocolates.

Raw home made chocolate:

75 g cacao butter
3 tablespoons raw cacao powder
2-3 tbls agave syrup (yes, I am no fan of this, but it was also something I had do get rid of, taking space in the fridge)
spiced with maca powder, "nypon" powder and vanilla powder.

Melt butter, add other ingredients. Poor in ice cube molds and after cool place in freezer for 30 minutes. Ready!



Thursday, April 26, 2012

Little bit of this and that

And so I am done discussing white man's burden for today, and before I am off to bed to get started on an interesting (academic) book (yes I know, I should allow myself a break sometimes.. like endless surfing on the Internet during office hours) I'll just plot down some thoughts.

First, just so that you know, today I bought a box of premade liver-casserole. The ingredient list was too long, it included both sugar and milk powder but I was also tired and knew that the kids would not eat what I had to offer them anyway. In the end we ended up eating dinner at the kids friends place, healthy and all. But in the evening the tummies were not satisfied with what I had to offer (I've also given in to premade gluten-free bread lately) so they got the liver casserole as well. Cold. And Kidone ate two plates. The beauty of industrial made food. The appealing taste, even when served cold!

Second, I hear rumors that Starbucks will enter the Finnish market soon. Wouldn't bother me - not the kind of place I'd visit anyway (when was I last time at Robert's coffee? When was I out for a coffee last time?). Especially not now that I am trying to get rid of coffee (this week I have been having problems to stay away... too tired, too many tempting situations.... And the result? Leg-cramps in the night, tonight so strong that I almost could not get out of bed to get rid of them. Lousy coffee, why do I drink it!?! But what I was going to say was that there is a somewhat amusing moving on starbucks out on youtube. Watch it if your interested in green consumption and the like. Nice animation but really, who are Starbucks fooling here? And did Zizek really sell off his ideas to be used in marketing purposes? I've seen a different clip earlier... it didn't end this way. Brutal.



Now off to bed before the cortisol hits my bellyfat!

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

GMOs in Chile

Got interested in avoiding GMO:s

And found this site where the products genetically modified in the food shelves in Chile are listed.

http://conmigo8.blogspot.com/2010/09/lista-alimentos-transgenicos-chile.html?spref=tw

I'd better spread it to family and friends over there.

Be ware of "organic"

Today I learned that "organic food" from Brazil is actually just another way of Big Agribusiness to wrap their products in attractive packages for the European consumers. The real organic food of Brazil is called agroecologic and that makes up for over 65% of the Brazilian population's food intake (good for them, hope the small scale farming will survive!!!). Well, agroecological if it is free from those toxins spread from all the soy plantations that is. The average Brazilian has 5 liters (!) of pesticides go through their body each year, a by-product of the industrially produced foods - which most of them are shipped to the external markets. But the toxins, they stay at home... well at least most of them. Anyone care for some Brazilian beef? Fed Brazilian GMO soy?

They soy business and everything it aliments is probably the darkest part of food history on this planet. It just makes me so sad that I want to shut my ears and sing "lalalala". And go figure, just yesterday I picked up a piece of tofu from the grocery store. First one in ages. Think I'll leave it be. Soy isn't healthy anyway. And never again. Promise.

I'll do some investigation on this organic-agroecologic at some point. But now I have to focus on postcolonialism - what a suitable topic after a day like today. Exhausted, and yet another paper to write.

And one more thing; this just shows that true organic food is that which has been produced close to your home. Well, for me what does that mean? Cabbage, potatoes, carrots, oatmeal in the winter, blueberries in the summer and apples in the fall. Forget chocolate, coconut, coffee, bananas, mangos, avocados, almonds, cashew etc... maybe we should move somewhere tropical? Caribbean, wouldn't be too bad...

(Note: my source for this information was maybe not the most unbiased you can find in Brazil, but she served these facts, facts that need to be verified, no doubt.)

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Saturday, April 21, 2012

Health and equality

I just wrote a post on where feminism has taken us as far as health goes in Swedish on my other blog. I think it is such an important topic that it is worth repeating in English. Thus, here a brief summary/extension on the topic.

I've been thinking about this now for a while; this thing about how we the women were supposed to conquer the stage out there, in the real world, outside the comfort zone in our cozy little happy family life at home. Well statistics show that although we are far better off now than some 40 years ago, we still have a bit more of climbing to do o become equal in pay and position with our male counterparts. However, what the statistics fail to show is how this climbing of ours has been accompanied by a rise in sales of industrially premade foods, in microwave ovens, and in rates of childhood obesity...  You see, it wasn't an equal equation where one woman out of the kitchen equals one man into the kitchen. No, our professional advancement had no backup plan back home. Especially not in the second generation of liberated women when also their mothers are to be found out in the office space. So instead, intelligently enough, food industry gave us a helping hand in the kitchen with premade foods ready in a second. Easy and fast.

Today, there is a whole generation out there who has not seen their parents cook regularly at home. They have never learned how to make food from scratch, haven't had homemade bread or casserole for that matter. Instead what they learned was to shop for premade dinners and press the microwave button. This is the knowledge they have now when it is time to pass on the food culture to their own children. Scary stuff. Really scary. Well, if we do not start correcting it, soon its not too difficult to understand were this train is heading. Should health be slaughtered in the name of equality?




Here a videoclip that deals partially with this topic:


Thursday, April 5, 2012

Project Manager about to throw in the towel

Some 10 muffins, 1 carrot cake, 40 coconut chocolate balls, 20 chicken nuggets, three carrots, and 4 eggs later, the sweet dreamer was ready for some deep sweet dreams. Only to notice that there are still diapers in the washing machine, the bags are unpacked and the children's rubber boots and woollen socks were left at daycare today.

So much for a relaxing holiday...

I am also bringing " Suicide by Sugar" by Nancy Appleton and "Black Swan" by Nassir Taleb... and maybe I'll throw in some real fiction as well... hmmm... most of my recently acquired books are either the style "self-help" or focused on food...time to get a life already?


Happy Easter to everyone!

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

The consultant

In less than a week I've been contacted by friends and family about recipes. Glad to have this blog to direct them to. Today I also sent a recipe of meatballs to my mother for our Easter holiday. Then I realized I better prepare something myself for our cottage trip. I'll do the carrot cake (without raisins), some muffins and some normal old style chocolate balls dipped in coconut.

Monday, April 2, 2012

Some Easter friendly recipes!

Here comes what I promised.... Some new recipes I tried out on Saturday.

First from Urban Poser:
RAW Carrot Chocolate Balls

I made double batch, about 40 chocolate balls (or more...who had time to count?)

2 large peeled and grated carrots
1 peeled, cored, and grated apple
2 dl shedded coconut
1 dl ecological raisins (I have not bought raisins for almost a year!)
1,5 dl finely chopped pecans (think these are preferrable, softer taste) or walnuts (risk of bitterness)
1,5 tsp cinnamon
0,5 tsp ginger/fresh grated ginger
pinch of nutmeg
pinch of salt
Ecological Honey according to need (I am always restrictive on sweetners, Urban poser suggest 3 Tbls but that is too much for me!)
3 Tbls nut butter (almond, pecan, walnut, cashew suggested... I forgot to add to mine, I would have used hazelnut because that was all I have at home)
Juice from half a lime (optional, I forgot to add this... yes I was in a hurry, yes the kids were interrupting!)

Grate the carrot and apple and press out as much juice as possible, using a sieve. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well in food processor. Roll dough into balls. Place them, eache separated from each other, in freezer for 30 minutes.

Chocolate Dip:
0,5 dl coconut oil
2 tbls honey
0,5 tbls vanilla extract (be careful with this one, I managed to soak the coconot oil and I think that ruined pretty much the taste of the whole chocolate.
5-7 tbls raw cocoa

Heat to liquid the coconut oil and add the other ingredients. Dipp the frozen carrot balls in the chocolate liquid. The topping on the balls will freeze quickly so if you want to add some decorations be quick. Suggestion as decoration; more raw cocoa, coconut shred, or berry powders (for Easter I guess Buckthorn berry powder would be excellent considering the color). Maintain in freezer or fridge until served (if in fridge be prepared that they melt quickly in the hand).

If you want to see a picture, check out Urban Poser's professionally looking carrot balls. Mine were not so nice, first timer and working with time restriction...

Then the cake, the carrot cake

This one was inspired by the Spunky Coconut recipe and I have to say of all the sugar and grainfree cakes I have made, this was by far the best.

Add to bowl:
4 room temperature eggs (cold eggs will harden the coconut oil)
4-5 dl shredded carrots
1 dl coconut milk
1 dl unsweetened applesauce (just happened to have some frozen that my mom had brought over)
3 tbls coconut oil, liquified 
vanilla powder/vanilla extract
1/2 tsp stevia (yes I entered the stevia world, use honey if you do not have this) 
1/4 tsp sea salt
Combine.

Add:
1,5 dl coconut flour
0,5 dl maca powder (the recipe suggested arrowroot, did not have a clue what it is but based on picture the maca seemed similar - and probably more nutrious, for the superfood that it is supposed to be) 1 tsp baking soda
1 tbls cinnamon
1/4 tsp allspice (here I used gingerbread cookie spices)

Mix with electric mixer.

Add:
1,5 dl chopped pecan nuts
1,5 dl raisins


Pour into pan, I melted coconut oil in it first so the dough wouldn't stick. Pack it down and even the surface. Bake in oven for 40-60 minutes on 200 degrees. Let it cool completely in the pan, then go around the edges with a knife to release it (with enough coconut oil it should come off without any problem). Let it cool completely (in refrigerator if needed) and then add coconut cream as topping. Here I am thinking, the coconut cream could actually cover the whole cake, if you want to make a traditional birthday cake. Also making two of these with some sliced bananas and unsweetened applesauce inbetween and then covered with coconut cream would make a perfect b'day cake, nobody would even notice that is is dairy, grain and sugar free!

Strawberry Cashew Parfait

If you want to make it yellow for Easter, try replacing the strawberries with frozen mango cubes (and less dates considering the sugar in mangos).

Soak 5 dl of cashews for half an hour. rinse and poor into food processor. Add 8 dl of semifrozen strawberries and 10-15 dates. Mix well. Add honey if needed. poor into a pan (covered in parchment) or silicone muffin molds. Freeze in freezer for 1-1,5h. Take off the mold and serve cold.


And I know, I should have taken pictures! But I was busy socializing... for once!






Sunday, April 1, 2012

About Food Allergies

Promised a friend of mine today that I would plot down some thoughts I have on Food Allergies, based on the information that I have gathered in the past months.

I am not sure how deep I should go on this subject, I feel like I know quite a lot but since I have no formal education and no miracle medicin, I am not in the position to mess up someones mind on such a sensitive subject! Especially considering the anxiety this information overload has had on myself when planning our weekly dinners at home....But still, just like when I was confronted with a friend diagnozed with gestational diabetes, I feel overwhelmed by the diverging opinions on treatment; traditional medicine vs. holistic medicine...You see, based on my discovery of the GAPS diet, and the work of Natasha Campbell-Mcbride, I would never ever accept that a doctor prescribed antibiotics to my child to treat hives that most probably originate from some kind of reaction to food. Based on this stream of thought, it is precisely antibiotics that cause allergies, intolerances, autoimmune diseases and even behavioral disorders, becasue the antibiotic messes up the balance of good and bad bacteria in the gut. If the bad bacteria get an overhand, these will destroy the villi of the gut, making food digestion (and particularly hard digested foods) much more cumbersome, and that will pave the road for undigested foods into the blood stream. Once we have undigested food in the bloodstream, it will make itself known by either allergic reactions, which, in my opinion, would be the least severe issue, or other nasty symptoms. You see, foreign substances in the blood stream whether undigested foods or chemicals from th environment (read: pesticides on our veggies, mercury in our fish etc) in our blood can also cause other kinds of food intolerances (lactose, gluten etc) or in most severe cases autoimmune deseases (hashimotos, celiac, crohns, etc) and behaviour issues (ADD, ADHD, autism, anxiety, depression etc). According to Campbell-McBride, it's not only antibiotics that can lead to imbalances in the gut bacteria, but it is most certainly among the top reasons...So, I do not exactly undestand the use of antibiotics in case of allergic reactions. But then I am not a doctor either, and I do not need to bear the responsibility of the diagnosis. I guess I might not be so radical in my thoughts if I had a degree. Or would I?

Check out this approach to holistic medicin! I'd like to visit her, she seems to know what she is talking about!


 
And if you want to know more about the leaky gut, I have posted a couple of posts on the subject in March, linking to other blogs with better experts than this home schooled rookie plotting down her toughts on this blog.

Check these out to start with:
http://sweetdreamsfromthenorth.blogspot.com/2012/03/leaky-gut.html
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/leo-galland-md/do-you-have-leaky-gut-syn_b_688951.html
http://www.sweetdreamsfromthenorth.blogspot.com/2012/03/kind-of-like-horror-hollywood-movie.html

Have a nice start of the incoming week! And no, this was not an April-fools joke! ;-)
 

Cooking hangover

So completely without inspiration. Bugger, kids will be without food this week as hubby just set out on a business trip and I am not in the mood of cooking... well, they ate double portions of cooked (frozen) fish and potatoes for lunch. Kind of got me thinking, what on earth am I stressing about with all this home cooking?!?

Sarcastically, this is how I feel today...


Maybe it has something to do with my marathon cooking yesterday. Will do a post on that later, including recipes. But now I guess I have to drag myself over to paradise to prepare some kind of dinner for the small ones....