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Gluten- & guilt-free clementine (mandarin) cake
My birthday is on the 20th of December. Every year since I was a little kid, I’ve been having a party either the weekend before or the one after my birthday (usually before). This year, however, I decided to have my party a couple of weeks earlier, on the 8th of the month. Amongst the finger food and a large selection of mince pies from Waitrose, I also decided to bake my Caribbean-inspired banana and papaya bread. It would perfectly compliment the tropical guava rum punch cocktail I had already prepared. But then I realized that one of my friends was gluten-intolerant, so she wouldn’t enjoy the banana and papaya…
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Açaí smoothie bowl: mood-boosting, healthy eating
2018 has been a bad year for Brazilian politics. The reason? In October, far-right politician Jair Bolsonaro was declared the winner of the Brazilian general election with over 50% of the popular vote. According to the Guardian, Bolsonaro represents a clear and present danger not only to his country(1) but to the planet(2). Soon after the election, the South American country abandoned plans to host crucial UN climate talks in 2019, raising concerns about Brazil’s stance towards the environment. Unfortunately, Brazil is far from the only country where far-right politics are on the rise. Populist and nationalist political parties have been sadly gaining popularity worldwide, culminating in the election of…
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Nutritious & delicious: Caribbean-inspired exotic fruit breads
One of my favorite as well as easiest cakes to bake is the banana bread. Originating from America, this is actually a loaf-shaped cake. I have been baking it for quite a few years now, so I have reached a point that I have tweaked the original recipe quite a lot (in an attempt to make it healthier and guilt-free). Inspired by the delicious desserts and the exotic fruit I had whilst in Martinique (a small French island in the eastern Caribbean Sea), I decided to tweak it once more and make it a bit more exotic. Healthy tweaks The original recipe starts with beating butter and sugar until light…
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10 tips for better mental health & wellbeing (part 2)
In case you haven’t read my post ’10 tips for better mental health & wellbeing (part 1)’ (published on 10 October), it may be better if you read it first. 2. 3. Tips for better mental health & wellbeing The World Health Organisation (WHO) recognizes World Mental Health Day on 10 October every year. The objective is to raise awareness of mental health issues around the world and mobilize efforts in support of mental health. As a Psychiatrist, I have taken this opportunity and started talking about mental health and wellbeing. This is not only in the context of mental (psychiatric) illness, but in a wider context applicable to…
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10 tips for better mental health & wellbeing (part 1)
The World Health Organisation (WHO) recognises World Mental Health Day on 10 October every year. The objective is to raise awareness of mental health issues around the world and mobilize efforts in support of mental health. As a Psychiatrist, I would like to take this opportunity and talk about mental health and wellbeing not only in the context of mental (psychiatric) illness, but in a wider context applicable to most, if not all, of us. I have to admit here that the title of this post is perhaps a bit misleading and rather simplistic. Rather than provide 10 tips, as the title suggests, I am going to look into the…
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Kefir smoothies: easy-to-make, nutritious & delicious
I was first introduced to kefir a few years ago, while on holidays in Greece. This fermented milk drink is not only rich in nutrients, such as protein, calcium and vitamins, but it also contains probiotics. These live micro-organisms (bacteria and yeasts), often described as ‘good’ or ‘friendly’ bacteria, can have various health benefits. For example, they may help sufferers with indigestion, IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) and (rather surprisingly) lactose intolerance. Since kefir has recently become widely available in the UK, I’ve started using it in my recipes as a substitute for yogurt or even milk. Inspired by the fresh fruit I had whilst island-hopping in the Cyclades…