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Silken Tofu in depth

July 21, 2022nutritionpetersan

Yoga Kitchen – Simple, healthy, and plant-based

Three tofus, yet so different

I cannot repeat it enough. The food industry does not have the slightest interest in or commitment to our health or well-being. It is a big >
machine whose motto is to make as much money as possible. Give as little quality as possible, and make the consumer pay for it as much as possible. You may think that I am exaggerating, but the reality is often much more shocking. Sometimes I feel that words are inadequate.

The yoga of nutrition

Yoga is, among other things, about developing consciousness. And you can’t have enough consciousness. Certainly not when it comes to food.
In a recent press article, plant-based milk substitutes were pretty much destroyed because, with only a few exceptions, they were judged to be of very poor nutritional value.
What is true in that story is that there are indeed many manufacturers who shamelessly put watery concoctions in tetra packs on sale for far too much money. In those cases, you can just as well drink ordinary tap water for a fraction of the price.
What is wrong with that story is that plant-based milk substitutes are by definition poor in nutritional value. Good soya, almond or oat milk, preferably homemade from beans, grains or nuts of organic origin, can easily withstand the comparison with animal milk. At least, if you take all the health parameters into account.

A matter of business ethics

And there are indeed a handful of manufacturers in the food sector who still do efforts to offer you quality. In the context of plant-based milk substitutes, the percentage of protein is a good measure of quality. This is directly proportional to the amount of nuts, beans or grains added in the production process.
Just compare the different brands. Compare, for example, the percentage of protein in the organic almond milk of the Italian brand Valdibella, with that of the almond milk of the market leader Alpro, which is more often than not in the doldrums. Then price differences suddenly appear in a completely different light, and a low price is often synonymous with total delusion.

Read the labels and learn how to interpret them

We have little or no means of really checking what is added to pre-packaged food. Yes, there are the labels. But even there we are never sure if the legal minimums of average composition stated on them correspond to reality.
The differences in composition between manufacturers sometimes affect the recipes for home made preparations.
For example, take the product known as “silken tofu” An example of such a recipe with silken tofu can be found here on this blog.

What exactly is silken tofu?

Tofu is essentially a type of vegetable cheese, which, like cheese of animal origin, is made after a process of curdling soy milk. Silken tofu is a creamier, softer and more liquid version of classic tofu. It can be used to prepare dishes with a cream or cream cheese-like texture.
Let us have a look at what three very respectable manufacturers of soy products are offering.
All three manufacturers De Hobbit from Belgium, manufacturer Taifun from Germany, and Clearspring from the UK certainly belong to the world top when it comes to organic soy products that are in principle (*) free of genetically modified soy.
All kinds of silken tofu are sold under the same name (silken & smooth tofu).
See below for the composition as stated on the labels:

Silken tofu from Clearspring, per 100 g product

Energy	Carbohydrates	Sugars	Fat	Sat. fat	Protein	Fibre	Salt
257 kJ/61 kcal	2,8 g	1,1 g	2,7 g	0,5 g	6,5 g	No info	0 g

Silken tofu from De Hobbit, per 100 g product

Energy	Carbohydrates	Sugars	Fat	Sat. fat	Protein	Fibre	Salt
353 kJ/85 kcal	2,1 g	0,8 g	4,0 g	0,7 g	7,8 g	No info	0 g

Taifun’s silken tofu, per 100 g product

Energy	Carbohydrates	Sugars	Fat	Sat. fat	Protein	Fibre	Salt
202 kJ/48 kcal	1,8 g	<0,5 g	2,1 g	0,5 g	5,3 g	No info	<0,01 g

The rather huge difference in protein and fat content explains why the Hobbit’s silken tofu has a much thicker texture than Taifun’s silken tofu. The one made by Taifun contains more water. You sometimes have to take this into account in recipes, because the creaminess and the end result can be quite different.

Calcium or magnesium?

And there is another important distinction between the two. In order to make soy milk curdle, salts are usually used in the industry. These are either:

Calcium salts
Magnesium salts

According to its label, De Hobbit uses calcium sulphate
On the other hand, Taifun and Clearspring use, according to their label, magnesium chloride
This means that you cannot make a general statement about the high calcium content of tofu. There is simply not a general rule. Everything depends on which salt is used. And that tends to differ from one manufacturer to another.
For vegans, this does have important consequences. After all, they do not consume calcium from animal dairy products, something that vegetarians or omnivores do.
For vegetarians, the distinction is less important.

Conclusion:In case of doubt between product A and product B, always rely on the facts that are mentioned on the labels. A warned consumer is worth two!

Genetically modified soy

(*) When we say that both manufacturers’ soy products are in principle free from GMO soy, we mean that both use cultivation methods that are in line with the organic cultivation methods in Europe, which starts with natural, unmanipulated seed. However, GMO-soy contamination can of course never be ruled out completely. That is one of the unpredictable consequences of the fact that genetically modified soya is allowed to be used elsewhere in the world, and also reaches our regions in animal feed.

Why are soybeans being genetically manipulated?

The phytopharmaceutical industry has placed on the market artificially genetically manipulated variants of various plant species, including soy, which have mainly been made resistant to pesticides. These seeds, together with the accompanying, often dangerous pesticides (think of Monsanto’s RoundUp) are sold to farmers with the promise of much higher crop yields. The consequence is that it is in fact an incentive to use even more pesticides.

Embrace life with wheel posture

July 17, 2022yogapetersan

Our favourite posture for the month of July is the wheel posture. The technical or Sanskrit name of this wheel posture is Chakrasana or Urdhva Dhanurasana (Bow upwards). I deliberately do not use sanskrit terminology during the yoga classes I guide, because that feels like giving a Catholic mass in Latin.
Like the fish posture, this is also an opening pose, a variation of the backband. It opens and extends the front side of the body intensely.
Wheel posture is pre-eminently a posture that is somewhat easier to perform in the summer season, and somewhat more difficult in the winter. This is no coincidence. It is a yoga posture with a very “fiery” character, which strongly activates the solar plexus chakra.
It is one of the most intense postures in the Prana Yoga Flow. In our classes you will learn how to work towards it step by step.

Yoga influences and supports our well-being on all possible levels: physical, energetic, emotional, mental, spiritual.
See here how this posture affects all these levels:

Physical benefits

Expanding the breathing capacity and strengthening the heart
More space around and release of tension around the heart
Strengthening of the back, arms, legs and buttocks
Opening and expanding of the abdomen and chest
Relaxation of the head and neck
Improving the flexibility of the shoulders, shoulder blades and upper back
Increased blood circulation in the whole body
Prevention of heart and artery diseases

Energetic effects

Activating and warming
Stretching of the Ren Mai, stomach, heart and spleen meridians
Grounding of the hands and feet
Intense opening of all 7 chakras in the body
Improved energy flow between the solar plexus and heart chakra

Emotional well-being

A stronger will

Opening up fully to life

More confidence and joy of life

Opening up the heart from a strong foundation

Transforming tension in the diaphragm and abdomen into a constructive force

Mental attitude

Improved sense of purpose
More openness
Concern for the positive and constructive

Spiritual growth

Connection
Powerful action with an open heart
Joy of life
Entrepreneurial spirit
Healthy vigour
Strong foundation

Would you like to book one of our classes?

Have a look at our offer in yoga classes and book using the links here below:

Book a yoga class

Chack our yoga classes offer

Prana Yoga Flow

A full description of the basic postures of Prana Yoga Flow can be found in the book: “Prana Yoga Flow – Activate your life force, open your heart and live freely”, by Alberto Paganini. (Available in both dutch and english).
Alberto Paganini was one of my very first yoga teachers. You can find his website (in Dutch) here.

Vegan chocolate brownie

July 10, 2022nutritionbrownie, cake, chocolate, veganpetersan

Yoga Kitchen – Simple, healthy, and plant-based

Brownies without eggs or dairy products

Black beans are the secret protein source of this recipe. If you are working with dried black beans, soak them for 24 hours and then boil them soft. For this recipe, assume about 80 g of dry beans. Put the beans in a pan, cover with water and bring to the boil. Do not add salt to the cooking water.
Even better: use a pressure cooker, then they will be done in 25 minutes. In an ordinary saucepan, they need 45 to 60 minutes to cook. Add water now and again as it evaporates. But if you are a bit on the lazy side, you can also use canned black beans, which are soft, pre-cooked and ready to be eaten.

Why without eggs?

Who needs eggs? Eggs and egg powder are used abundantly in industrial pastry. Modern egg production is harmful and cruel to chickens, even if the eggs are supposedly from organic origin. Unless you care for your own chickens and entitle them to a dignified old age once they have stopped laying eggs, there are plenty of healthier and cheaper alternatives:

Like a simple banana.
Or apple sauce
Or a tablespoon of crushed flaxseed that you soak in two tablespoons of water.

The absence of eggs in this recipe means you can lick the leftover batter off your scraper without feeling guilty. There is no risk of salmonella infection, which can occur when you eat raw eggs.

With or without gluten?

You can also use a gluten-free type of flour in this recipe. Gluten-free flours such as millet, buckwheat, corn or soy are easier to digest for most of us. But you can also use a five-grain mix or whole-wheat spelt flour for a classic version with gluten. Many of today’s nutritionists say that modern, industrial wheat is best avoided. As far as pesticides are concerned, I agree with them. Personally, I think it is best to listen to your body’s reactions. Good wheat or spelt of organic origin (i.e. without pesticides) is OK in itself. Those grains also contain a lot of vegetable protein of good quality.

What you need for a small cake (approx. 350g):

One large, ripe banana. The riper, the better
Aproximately 120g rinsed black beans, soft boiled or canned. Aduki beans are also very good
3 tablespoons of neutral-tasting vegetable oil that can withstand heating, e.g. high oleic sunflower oil
1 teaspoon of ground vanilla (optional)
6 soft mazafati or medjoul dates
4 leveled tablespoons unsweetened pure cocoa
2 teaspoons of baking powder
40 to 45 g flour (buckwheat or millet flour for the gluten-free version of this brownie)
a pinch of sea salt.
1/2 cup (about 40 g) coarsely chopped walnuts (other nuts will do too)
1/2 cup (about 60 g) vegan black chocolate drops (optional)

It is always a good idea to soak the nuts in water overnight. The nuts revive, the bitterness disappears and they taste like they have just been picked fresh from the tree. They are also much more digestible. Discard the soaking water and rinse the nuts well.

It is done in a jiffy, really:

Preheat the oven to 180°C/340°F.

Place the beans, oil, dates and banana in a food processor and mix well, first slowly and then at higher speed.
Add the vanilla and then the cocoa. Puree everything well. The result is a rather liquid, moist glossy dark brown mixture.
Mix together the dry ingredients: the flour, the baking powder and the pinch of salt.
In the food processor, gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until the mixture becomes a little drier, but still creamy and moist.
Spoon the contents of your food processor into a mixing bowl.
Then add the chopped nuts and chocolate drops. Mix roughly.
Finally, transfer everything to a low rectangular, square or round cake tin or baking tray covered with kitchen paper.

Bake for about 25 to 30 minutes. The brownie tastes best when it is still slightly moist inside. (A larger cake needs to bake a little longer).
Enjoy! With healthy and respectful ingredients like these, chocolate cake becomes healthy food full of love for the whole planet!

Black Bean brownies / Approximate nutritional value per 100 g of product:

Energy	Carbohydrates	Sugars	Fat	Sat. fat	Protein	Fibre	Salt
1098,40 kJ/262,35 kcal	34,12 g	14,56 g	13,55 g	2,60 g	7,21 g	7,44	0,09 g

Silken tofu delights

June 8, 2022nutritionpetersan

Yoga Kitchen – Simple, healthy, plant-based and compassionate.

Silken tofu as a basis for vegetable desserts.

When you eat healthy and plant-based, you leave out animal dairy products.
Sometimes that can seem like a daunting task.

That’s why it’s good to guard against the temptation of the gigantic and excessively large dairy departments in supermarkets, with all their overpackaged sweet cream and milk desserts.

Sadly, there is still relatively little plant-based dairy products and desserts in the trade. In the strategy to protect yourself, it is a good idea to make superior home-made versions yourself that you just have ready in your fridge. Things that are just as tasty and a lot healthier and which you can enjoy every day in moderation. By making them yourself, you know exactly what goes into them and you also save money and a huge mountain of packaging waste.
Here is an example of a very flexible basic recipe that you can vary in different flavour versions.

What do you need?

The basics

For the sweet silk tofu base you only need 2 to 3 ingredients:

400 gr silken tofu
6 to 7 large soft organic medjool or mazafati dates

And then there are the following options:

If you are an intensive athlete or if you want your dessert to be a bit more solid, then you may want to add 20 grams of pea protein.
If you just want it to be a bit firmer, without an extra protein boost, you can either let the silken tofu drain for approximately 20 minutes in a fine meshed strainer, or simply add a teaspoon of psyllium fibre.

The tastes

As for flavour, here are four different versions, each with its own flavour. But actually, there is no need to put a brake on your creativity.

For a chocolate version:

2 tablespoons (raw) unsweetened cocoa

For a speculaas/allspice version:

1 to 2 teaspoons of speculaas spices (or allspice mixture)
1 extra teaspoon of cinnamon

For a hazelnut version (my favourite!):

3 tablespoons organic unsweetened whole hazelnut butter

For a fruity version:

30 g fruit such as mango (fresh or rehydrated dried mango) or fresh red fruit
some extra fruit to decorate

The toppings

To finish off, you can decorate the desserts with all kinds of tasty and healthy things such as:

walnuts or pecans
coarsely chopped raw cocoa beans
cinnamon powder
Some extra cocoa powder
Grated coconut
Extra fruit

Procedure:

This is really super easy.

Remove the seeds from the dates and cut them into pieces.
Do the silken tofu, dates, flavoring ingredients and possibly the pea protein in a food processor. Then grind everything until you have an even, fairly firm creamy texture.
Divide the result over 4 bowls.
Decorate with the elements of your choice.
Put in the refrigerator for a few hours to become firmer.

Bon appetit!

This dessert has deliberately been kept moderately sweet. We eat too much sugar anyway.
Do you find it not sweet enough? Then add 2 more dates, or a tablespoon of agave or maple syrup.

How is silken tofu made?

Silken tofu, like the firmer tofu, is made from soya beans. Its texture is a bit like a firm cottage cheese. Silken tofu is usually sold in 300 to 400 gram cartons.
Silken tofu consists of a large proportion of water and soya beans (approx. 20% – can vary somewhat from manufacturer to manufacturer) and contains around 5 up to 7 g of high-quality protein per 100 g of product.
You can read a full article dedicated to silken tofu here.
It also contains fat and carbohydrates in roughly equal proportions (approx. 2 g each). Silken tofu contains virtually neither sugars, nor salt.
It is very suitable for making desserts with a creamy texture.

Is silken tofu a good source of calcium?

.
Tofu can also be quite rich in calcium. It can … but not necessarily. It all depends on how the soya proteins are curdled. In order to curdle the proteins, one of the options is to use a simple salt, which does not affect the taste. This salt is sold under the name of Nigari. It consists of:

either calcium chloride
or magnesium chloride

In the first case the end product (the silken tofu) will be rich in calcium, in the other case rich in magnesium.

Organic silken tofu / Nutritional value per 100 g product:

Chosen brand: Taifun.

Energy	Carbs	Sugars	Fat	Sat. Fat	Protein	Fibre	Salt
202 kJ/48 kcal	1.8 g	<0.5 g	2.1 g	0.5 g	5.3 g	–	<0,01 g

Pamper your gut bacteria

May 7, 2022health, nutritionaquakefir, fermentation, waterkefirpetersan

Yoga Kitchen – Simple, healthy, plant-based, with compassion

Homemade aquakefir

Speaking of “influencers”: Your gut bacteria are undoubtedly the biggest influencers of your health.
Water kefir is a fermented drink with a pleasant tangy flavour. If you drink it in moderation, you’ll be supporting your gut bacteria. You can easily make it yourself. It’s very thirst-quenching and refreshing during the warmer months.

How do you make water kefir?

You make the drink by allowing sugar to ferment in water together with some dried fruit, slices of lemon and, most importantly: kefir grains.
These kefir grains are, in fact, microorganisms – a symbiosis between yeasts and beneficial bacteria. They look like small, white, semi-transparent, irregular little balls, a bit like tiny cauliflowers.
The fermentation process takes place in two stages:

The first fermentation is essential. In a glass bottle or container, the kefir cultures are combined with water, cane sugar, a few slices of lemon and a piece of dried fruit. After about 48 hours, the kefir is ready.
However, the second fermentation is optional. If you want to add colour and a fruity aroma to your kefir, leave it to ferment for a further 48 hours or so without the kefir cultures, adding pieces of fresh fruit of your choice.

Here are the practical steps to making your own aquakefir:

The ingredients

For 1 litre of water kefir:

1 litre of water
70 g light or dark cane sugar (avoid refined white sugar; whole sugar is better as it still contains numerous minerals)
70 g aqua kefir cultures
Some dried fruit of your choice, such as apricots, figs, raisins or prunes …
A few slices of lemon, cut into pieces
An empty one-litre bottle with a screw-top lid or a sufficiently large preserving jar

If you use recycled 750 ml bottles, such as some commercially available organic fruit juice bottles, the amount of water becomes 750 ml and the corresponding amounts of sugar and cultures are 50 g each.
Choose organic-quality dried fruit, and in any case unsulphured. The same applies to the fresh lemon.

Preparation

First stage: fermentation

Fill the one-litre bottle three-quarters full with water.
Add the sugar to the water.
Seal the bottle and shake to dissolve the sugar completely.
Then weigh out the correct amount of kefir grains and add them to the bottle.
Next, add dried fruit and half-slices of lemon. Squeeze the lemon gently to release the juice.
Top up the bottle with water until it is almost full.
Place the lid on the bottle, but do not screw it on tightly.
Leave the bottle in a dark place at room temperature for 24 to 48 hours.
Separate the drink from the cultures and fruit residues using a nylon sieve.

Your water kefir is now ready to use.

Second stage: adding flavour with fresh fruit (optional)
Would you like a fruitier flavour?

Chop some fresh fruit of your choice into pieces.
Add them to your bottle of finished aquakefir, leaving out the kefir grains.
Leave the bottle to stand for a further 24 to 48 hours at room temperature. Taste it from time to time
Finally, strain through a sieve to remove the fruit bits.

Be creative with your choice of fruit. Cherries, strawberries, other red fruits, citrus fruits or fresh plums and apricots give excellent results.
Aquakefir keeps for a very long time in the fridge when stored in tightly sealed bottles with screw-top lids.

Important tips and instructions for the first fermentation:

It is strongly advised against handling or storing kefir grains with metal kitchen utensils. This would damage the kefir cultures. To be on the safe side, use fine-mesh nylon sieves and plastic, glass, ceramic or wooden spoons instead.
Use bottles with a wide opening of approx. 5 cm. These are easier to clean and maintain than bottles with a narrow neck.
Do not screw the lid on tightly as fermentation involves the formation of CO₂ bubbles which need to be able to escape. Otherwise, the bottle could theoretically explode due to the build-up of pressure.
The fermentation process gets underway quite quickly. Bubbles form and rise to the surface, the sugar content drops (after all, that is the ‘fuel’ for the cultures), the flavour becomes more acidic and the microorganisms grow.
If you ‘harvest’ the drink after just 24 hours, it may have mild laxative properties.
Harvest after 48 hours for the best results.
If in doubt, taste it and stop the fermentation when you think the flavour is just right. The duration is also affected by the ambient temperature.
The citrus oil in the lemon peel contributes to the slightly sour-bitter flavour.

Where can I get the cultures?

I often get the kefir grains from other fermenters. You can also buy dried starter cultures in powder form from organic shops. In that case, follow the instructions on the sachets.

How do I maintain my kefir cultures if I don’t want to make kefir?

You can repeat the fermentation cycle as often and for as long as you like. You can give any surplus cultures to other people looking for aqua-kefir cultures, or simply dispose of them with your organic waste (in the orange bag or bin in Brussels, for example) or add them to your compost heap.
And if you’ve had enough for a while and need a break, you can store the cultures in a jar of water in the fridge with a teaspoon of sugar to keep them alive. This way, the cultures will remain in good condition in the fridge for three weeks. After three weeks, discard the water and rinse the cultures under running water. Add fresh water and a coffee spoonful of sugar, and you can store them in the same way for another three weeks.
Always rinse your kitchen utensils and cultures under running water after each use. Avoid harsh cleaning products or dishwasher detergents.

Does water kefir contain vitamin B12 or not?

According to certain sources, this drink contains vitamin B12. That seems quite possible to me, as there are other micro-organisms capable of producing vitamin B12. However, I have not yet seen any scientific confirmation for water kefir. So do not rely on this assumption to meet your vitamin B12 requirements.
If you’re vegan, or over 55, it’s definitely advisable to take a vitamin B12 supplement. After all, the body’s ability to absorb vitamin B12 decreases as we get older. By taking a well-dosed supplement regularly, you can be sure of a consistent, reliable and sufficiently high intake.

What’s the difference with kombucha?

Kombucha is related to water kefir. However, kombucha uses tea with sugar for fermentation. It also involves different microorganisms responsible for the fermentation. Read the article about kombucha here:

Homemade kombucha

How can I support my gut flora?

When your gut bacteria are thriving, you’ll be glowing with health. So they can do with all the support they can get. Fibre is essential for healthy gut flora.
A healthy, varied, unprocessed and predominantly plant-based diet with sufficient fibre is the most important thing. In addition, you can occasionally give the diversity of your gut flora a boost with probiotics. These are substances that provide extra beneficial bacteria and all sorts of secondary compounds that promote health. But probiotics are by no means a substitute for a healthy, balanced diet!

How much fermented food can I eat?

Fermented products such as sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha and this aqua kefir are not staple foods. Include them as a tasty and healthy treat for your gut flora as part of an otherwise balanced diet.
Fermented foods such as yoghurts and fermented vegetables are most beneficial provided they are still ‘living’. This means they must not be pasteurised or sterilised.
Enjoy fermented products regularly, but in moderation.

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Open your heart with Fish posture

April 29, 2022yogapetersan

Our posture for the month of May is Fish Posture, or Matsyasana.
Excellent to practice right after candle and/or plough posture, as it helps to rebalance the neck.

See how this posture supports us on so many different levels:

Physical

Deepening of the breath
More space and release of tension around the heart
Strengthening of the upper back
Stimulation of the thyroid and thymus glands
Deep stretch of the neck and jaw muscles as well as the throat

Energetical

It improves the energy flow between solar plexus, heart- and throatchakra.
Stretching of the Ren Mai and Bladder meridian on the trunc
Stretching of the Stomach and Liver meridians in the legs (when performed with legs in tailor posture or lotus posture)

Emotional

Cultivation of Joy and Hope.
Counteracts depression and fearful reticence

Mental

Helps to bring on and keep a positive, optimistic and inspiring attitude to life

Spiritual

To engage with life with an open and trustful attitude
Courage
Hope
Love of Freedom
Selfless Love
Compassion
Kindness
Purity
Helps to develop the Heart chakra awareness.

Prana Yoga Flow and Prana Yoga on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.
Want to book one of our classes? Check out the calendar via the button below:

Book your class

Fresh fruit in moderation

April 28, 2022nutritionfresh, fruits, raw, sugarpetersan

Optimize your fruit consumption

There was a time when I ate fresh fruit almost non-stop, all day long, whenever I felt “hungry” for something.
Not coincidentally, this was also the period when I suffered from very irregular digestion and bowel movements.
Is fruit healthy? Yes, undeniably. It is rich in vitamins, minerals, fibre and antioxidants.
The average western citizen probably doesn’t eat enough fresh fruit in general.
But there are a number of conditions for fully enjoying those gifts of fruit.
Fruit is not a miracle cure for weight or health problems.

What are the best moments to enjoy fruit?

Fruit is rich in sugars and also contains fructose, a sugar molecule the body has a hard time digesting as it seems.

Fruit is relatively rare in nature compared to vegetables, so it is best to eat in moderation. It is mainly available in nature at the end of summer and the beginning of autumn. In Mediterranean, subtropical and tropical areas, fruit is more abundantly available, but still always seasonal.

Here are three golden rules and a few more tips:

Eat fruit separately from other meals. Allow at least 30 minutes or an hour break. If you do eat fruit with other food, or immediately afterwards, it can lead to all sorts of nasty fermentation processes and gas.
The best times: at breakfast and in the late afternoon as a snack. Do not eat fruit late at night before bedtime.
Preferably eat fresh, local, organic and seasonal fruit.

How can I improve my digestion of fruit?

Do you have difficulty digesting raw fruit? Boil or fry it gently and add some spices, such as cinnamon, aniseed, nutmeg or even a pinch of black pepper. Warm apple, pear, banana or berries are delicious!
Drink (fresh) fruit juice sparsely. It is better to consume the whole fruit, including the fibres. Industrial “fruit juice” and fruit drinks or so-called nectars have a very low nutritional value and the cheaper types often have loads of extra sugar added.
The combination of fruit with milk products is absolutely not done. It is also better not to eat fruit with cereals (for example: avoid mixing fresh fruit in muesli).
Melons are best eaten separately, not even in combination with other fruit.

In mainstream health belief, fruit enjoys an exaggerated status. It is wrongly regarded as an easy way to lose weight. But in reality, you can easily get fat on fruit.
It contains very little protein and very little fat. So fruit is absolutely not a full-fledged nutrition source in itself.
Ceramics: @iittala

Vegan omelette with onions

March 6, 2022nutrition, recipespetersan

Yoga Kitchen – Simple, healthy and vegan

Twenty-one grams of protein. That’s what one portion of this Italian-inspired vegetable omelette represents. Super easy to make and oh so tasty.

And there is not one egg involved. Why I don’t use eggs anymore you can read at the bottom of this article. By the way, it is so easy to either omit eggs or to substitute them in a natural and very qualitative way in culinary preparations.

For a rich omelette for two people:

For the filling:

3 red (or yellow) onions
equally 3 shallots
and 3 large cloves of garlic
2 tablespoons of olive oil
¼ teaspoon of nutmeg
Some black pepper and sea or himalayan pink salt
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

For the vegan “egg batter”:

140 gram chickpea flour
approximately 350 ml water
3 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
1 teaspoon of sea salt or himalayan pink salt

A large frying pan, preferably with a non-stick coating, and a lid that fits.

How to proceed:

Preparing the filling

Place the 4 ingredients for the batter in a large bowl and batter with a garden.
Make sure that the mixture has the consistency of pancake batter.
Heat the olive oil in the frying pan.
Fry the onions, shallots, garlic and nutmeg in the olive oil until they turn glassy and light brown. In culinary terms, this is called “caramelisation”.
Stir regularly.
At the end, add the balsamic vinegar, mix and remove the vegetables from the pan.

Finishing the omelette

Rinse the pan briefly, add another splash of olive oil.
Return the pre-fried onions to the pan, spread them evenly.
Pour the batter over the top, turn the heat down low and continue cooking for about 10 minutes. The top side of the omelette should have dried.
Turn the omelette (like a pancake, with a virtuoso somersault!) and bake for about 5 minutes more.

Tips and sources

All over the world, the so-called “poor man’s kitchens”, the traditional recipes of the simple folk, are real treasure chests of vegan recipes and common sense. Meat and fish were only for rich people. Another example from the Italian vegetable folk cuisine is polenta.

In traditional recipes, the technique of caramelisation is often used. I really recommend doing this gently and not go beyond light brown. Although extra virgin olive oil is considered one of the healthiest cooking oils, it should not be heated above 160 °C. In general, the best cooking techniques for our health are the gentle ones.

The recipe is one of the many delicious and easy recipes from the book “Veganista”, by Antwerp-based Luna Trapani, written in dutch language. She masterfully demonstrates how easily Italian cuisine can be “veganised”. Highly recommended, just like her second book: “Vegetalia”.

Born as a chicken in the 21st century

At the beginning of the twentieth century, a chicken laid an average of 20 eggs a year. Apart from that, she could happily scavenge through life, in the open air.
Today, the twenty-first century offspring of those belle époque chickens are locked up together by the tens of thousands in the unhealthy, stressful environment of closed hangars where the lights never go out. And A suffocating ammonia smell takes your breath away … they are now so genetically manipulated that their frail little bodies have to squeeze out an egg full of precious minerals and proteins every single day … not to mention the permanent doses of antibiotics they are being administered to prevent them from succumbing prematurely to infectious diseases, bacterial or viral. Why do people do this? Do we not learn from the pandemic of the coronavirus SARS-COVID ?

It is no longer possible to turn a blind eye or look away from these sad, immoral and violent practices. It borders on criminal neglect. That is what I think, at least.
Maybe you have a different opinion. So be it.

Good care for your back

November 13, 2021health, yogapetersan

Our back, and more specifically our spine, is the central structure of our body that literally supports and sustains our entire body. If at some point the well-being of our back gets lost, it immediately has a major impact on the structure and coherence of our entire life. So it definitely pays off to give your back permanent attention. And this can be done on various levels.

Attention

First of all there is the attention. Bring your attention to your back regularly. Whether you do mental work in a predominantly sedentary job or mainly physical work, you will benefit from allowing your attention to "commute", to go back and forth between the object of your activities and your body, and more specifically your back. How does your back feel? How is your pelvis? What position is your lower back in? Do you have a slight hollow there or do the points of your lumbar vertebrae stick out because your lower back has sagged? And also: where does your head stand in relation to your torso? Is it nicely on top and in balance? Or does your head protrude systematically?

Breathing

Our breathing supports our back more than we might suspect. How is your breathing? Deep or very shallow and restricted? Do you breathe mainly upwards (thoracic breathing) or downwards (belly or abdominal breathing)? It is good to use your whole breathing space, your whole breathing capacity, and to breathe sufficiently upwards, towards the upper chest, shoulders and collarbones. This causes your chest to expand, the expansion and contraction in the rhythm of the breath brings life and movement to the body’s tissues. And this makes it less likely that energy will be trapped and the muscles will have less chance to cramp up and create “knots”. The expansion of the chest opens the body and gives full support to the whole back.

Sitting position

Especially for the large number of people who spend most of their days sitting, it is good to consider your sitting position on a chair. Prolonged sitting on chairs or sofas keeps the muscles in the back of the thigh short, whereas we would benefit from long, supple hamstrings. Moreover, the flow of blood is also slowed down. Sitting on a chair is also fatal for our pelvis. We gradually lose freedom of movement in our hip joint. In fact, sitting and living on the floor is one of the healthiest decisions you can make for your back and hips! Not evident in our Western culture, which collectively rejects contact with the earth.

Micro pauses

Going back and forth with your attention between activity and body can be combined well with micro-movements. These are all kinds of short movements, such as raising and lowering the shoulders, rolling the shoulders, twisting the upper body to the left and right from the waist, stretching the arms and laterally stretching the torso, which break the long, static sitting posture. You should also get up for a few minutes every half hour and take a walk.

Back strengthening

Finally, it is important to keep your back in top condition by regularly doing appropriate stretching and strengthening exercises. Our yoga for the back class is perfect for this. In yoga for the back, we combine attention, breathing and appropriate exertion and relaxation to leave back problems behind us for good. Whatever your condition or body type, our yoga for the back class will provide you with the keys to a full, conscious experience of the wonderful structure that is our back and to restoring and maintaining the wellbeing of your back. Yoga for the back on Friday evening from 19.00 to 20.00 in a small group of maximum 7 persons, the ideal preparation after a busy week to go totally relaxed into the weekend.

How Rémi feels about it

August 18, 2021Customerspetersan

1. What is your main reason or your main motivation to take yoga classes?

There’s that sporty side and the fact that you gain flexibility, there’s also the relaxation and the feeling of well-being after your classes.

2. What makes you feel motivated to keep taking the classes for so long?

I like continuity in human relationships and in my activities and your course is one of them.
I like to follow your classes and to meet up with other yoga friends and thus form a nice community.

3. Why do you take classes here at Yoga Kitchen, instead of going to another yoga studio?

Your professionalism, seriousness and gentleness.

4. What do you particularly like about the yoga classes / approach / atmosphere here at Yoga Kitchen?

I really like the atmosphere you create in your classes.

5. Are there perhaps any purely practical elements that make you choose the yoga classes here?

The opportunity to do your classes online which is more convenient since your studio is far from my home? I like the online option.
The fact that the class dates and times are precise and known in advance, it allows you to plan your week.
The flexibility of your card system.

Thank you very much for your answers, Rémi, and see you soon.

Peter

Three tofus, yet so different

The yoga of nutrition

A matter of business ethics

Read the labels and learn how to interpret them

What exactly is silken tofu?

Silken tofu from Clearspring, per 100 g product

Silken tofu from De Hobbit, per 100 g product

Taifun’s silken tofu, per 100 g product

Calcium or magnesium?

Genetically modified soy

Why are soybeans being genetically manipulated?

Read more about plant-based nutrition and health:

Read more about yoga and yoga classes in Schaerbeek:

Physical benefits

Energetic effects

Emotional well-being

Mental attitude

Spiritual growth

Would you like to book one of our classes?

Prana Yoga Flow

Brownies without eggs or dairy products

Why without eggs?

With or without gluten?

What you need for a small cake (approx. 350g):

It is done in a jiffy, really:

Black Bean brownies / Approximate nutritional value per 100 g of product:

Read more about plant-based nutrition and health:

Read more about yoga and yoga classes in Schaerbeek:

Silken tofu as a basis for vegetable desserts.

What do you need?

The basics

The tastes

For a chocolate version:

For a speculaas/allspice version:

For a hazelnut version (my favourite!):

For a fruity version:

The toppings

Procedure:

How is silken tofu made?

Is silken tofu a good source of calcium?

Organic silken tofu / Nutritional value per 100 g product:

Read more about plant-based nutrition and health:

Read more about yoga and yoga classes in Schaerbeek:

Homemade aquakefir

How do you make water kefir?

Here are the practical steps to making your own aquakefir:

The ingredients

Preparation

Important tips and instructions for the first fermentation:

Where can I get the cultures?

How do I maintain my kefir cultures if I don’t want to make kefir?

Does water kefir contain vitamin B12 or not?

What’s the difference with kombucha?

How can I support my gut flora?

How much fermented food can I eat?

Take part in the cooking workshops:

Read more about plant-based nutrition and health:

Read more about yoga and yoga classes in Schaarbeek:

Physical

Energetical

Emotional

Mental

Spiritual

Optimize your fruit consumption

What are the best moments to enjoy fruit?

How can I improve my digestion of fruit?

Read more about plant-based nutrition and health:

Read more about yoga and yoga classes in Schaerbeek:

Yoga Kitchen – Simple, healthy and vegan

For a rich omelette for two people:

How to proceed:

Tips and sources

Born as a chicken in the 21st century

Attention

Breathing

Sitting position

Micro pauses

Back strengthening

1. What is your main reason or your main motivation to take yoga classes?

2. What makes you feel motivated to keep taking the classes for so long?