Warm apple with almond butter
Here's an easy and very morish apple dish with only 4 ingredients that can serve as breakfast and as a snack. It's a firm favourite in my house, especially in these dark and cold months. It's very comforting! So why not give this warm apple with almond butter recipe a...
Ketogenic diet: good or fad?
The ketogenic diet is popular at the moment for weight loss, diabetes management and mental health. So in my Facebook group, one of the members asked if the ketogenic diet is a good idea for mental health. The diet has fans and also people who consider it a fad diet....
Sweet and sour chicken recipe
This sweet and sour chicken recipe is a straightforward and quick one to make. It combines well with rice and summer vegetables - like green beans, courgette or a big green salad. What's not to like? Sweet and sour chicken is a popular takeaway option. But this...
Is food the only culprit causing my IBS?
If you have been diagnosed with IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) the first thing you've probably been looking towards is what you eat. Is it the coffee? The onions? The curry? Truth be told, banning certain foods can be very helpful in managing your symptoms. But what...
Easiest home-made soup in the world
On a warm and sunny day you probably want an easy meal that nourishes and can be wipped up in ten minutes. And that you can eat chilled or heated... Voilá the easiest home-made soup in the world! Just open a few tins, add some stuff and blend! Beans are great White...
A refreshing summer salad
We've had a few warm days here in Scotland and it looks like there will be more! Time for a refreshing summer salad. One you can quickly whip up and take outside to eat in the garden. It might sound a bit strange to add fruit to a green salad but why not? It's perfect...
Make your own wraps! Cheap and quick
Wraps are popular and are a nice way to make yourself a healthy lunch or snack. Now I know you can buy wraps in the supermarket - even gluten free ones - but they can be a bit pricey and cardboard-like. So why not make your own wraps! It's cheap and quick, especially...
Easy dairy and gluten free gravy
We sometimes want a nice gravy, right? But then the commercial brands have some questionnable ingredients in them - see below. Well, making some yourself is actually super simple. Here's how to make and easy dairy free, gluten free and vegan gravy! I had a look at the...
How to make jam without a lot of sugar
I used to make tons of jam from the berries in my garden. I had a recipe that used only half the sugar of a normal recipe. But that's still a lot of sugar. So I stopped doing that. And was looking for a way to make jam without a lot of sugar. And without cooking the...
How your gut health affects your skin
Do you have skin problems like acne, eczema, rosacea or psoriasis? And is using creams - like steroid creams - not the long term solution you're looking for? There's a good chance your gut health affects your skin. And that's good news! Because improved digestion will...
Coconut and mango ice lollies
It's summer! So let's bring on the icecream. And let's keep it simple: this recipe only has two ingredients. You can buy ice lolly moulds but you don't have to. How about using to-go coffee cups or yoghurt containers? And use a teasoon as a stick. So here's the recipe...
A grain-free snack or lunch recipe
This is an easy and quick recipe if you are on an autoimmune diet and have reintroduced dairy. Or if you just want a healthy lunch! The crunchy lettuce leaf works well as a wrap and I like the different tastes and textures in this recipe: crunch and smooth! So do give...
What is leaky gut?
Do you have gut issues, do you keep getting sick, have skin issues, fatigue, pain or autoimmunity? Then you might have heard about leaky gut. You maybe even asked your doctor about it and it's possible that they told you it doesn't exist! Well, it does and here's an...
Gluten free yoghurt flatbread recipe
This gluten free yoghurt flatbread recipe takes only 4 ingredients and 15 minutes to make! You can eat them as-is or get creative with toppings... Some ideas: Have them with hummus and some cherry tomatoes and rocketWith a poached egg and some avocado for breakfastHow...
Loose stools – what could that mean?
If your stools are loose often, what could that mean? And what can you do about it? Loose stools can be mushy, shapeless or even watery, like diarrhea. They can come with - but not always do - with urgency, cramps and pain. If you experience this regularly, it's a...
Hummus recipe with peas
Hummus is such a great one to have in your fridge. It works well as a snack, adds protein and fiber to your meals and is a breeze to make. Easy peasy! If you want to want to make a summery version, try this hummus recipe with peas! Get creative! Now why would you make...
A simple bone broth recipe
Making bone broth is very simple and still many tell me they think it's complicated. So I've brought the recipe down to the bare bones (pun intended!). Because you can actually skip the roasting, extra veg, spices etc and just simmer the bones. And add flavour later....
Drinking more water can improve your digestion
Did you know that drinking more water can improve your digestion? Here are some suprising reason why! Making sure you're well hydrated is actually a simple way to take care of your gut health. Saliva and stomach acid When you're dehydrated you make less saliva. That's...
Mashed cauliflower: surprisingly nice!
For a long time the only way I used cauliflower was to cook the florets. Okay but a bit boring. Then I found out you can make cauliflower rice! Next one was roasted cauliflower - so much nicer than the cooked stuff. More flavour and more texture. And last week I made...
Tired all the time…
It seems that fatigue is the complaint that our GP's hear the most. They even have an acronym for it: tatt - tired all the time. Fatigue can have many causes and I'll mention three here: blood sugar imbalance, low iron and a lack of protein in the diet. Blood sugar...
Is my stomach acid is too low?
In my practice I often see clients who's stomach doesn't produce enough stomach acid. They come in with symptoms of acid reflux, IBS or fatigue. In this blog about the importance of stomach acid I explain why low stomach acid is not a good situation. You might ask...
Gluten and dairy free chickpea crackers
These gluten and dairy free chickpea crackers are a lovely snack or addition to your meal. They are made with chickpea flour - depending on where you live that could also be called gram flour, garbanzo bean flower or besan. Roll out the dough thinly and you end up...
Stomach acid: why is it important?
Do you have acid reflux? Does it feel like food is sitting in your stomach a long time? Do your blood tests show you have low iron and/or low B12? Then your stomach acid might not be acidic enough. I want to help you understand why that's not a good thing and why it’s...
Eat your weeds and make chickweed pakoras!
At the moment you can find an abundance of chickweed outside in nature! There is no part of the world where you can't find chickweed so have a look around. It’s one of the first greens that starts growing in winter and one of the tenderest of wild greens. It’s...
What can I eat for my hormonal symptoms?
Many women, especially when they get into perimenopause, get symptoms like hot flushes, night sweats, mood swings, disturbed sleep, vaginal dryness... not fun! So one of the questions I got in my Facebook group was: 'What can I eat for my hormonal symptoms to...
Beetroot and apple salad with walnut
This is the time of year when it's not so easy to find salad greens that are local. I mean greens that do not come from far away in an airplane. Luckily here in the UK we can still find other vegetables that can make a nice colourful and raw addition to your meal....
What is a normal transit time?
Transit time is the time it takes for your food to move through your digestive system, from start to finish. When you have diarrhea it's very fast and with constipation it takes a loooong time. Neither are good, as we know. But what is a normal transit time? And what...
Blueberry almond pancakes for Shrove day
It's Shrove day today - also known as pancake day! And of course you don't need to miss out on the pancakes when you follow an anti-inflammatory diet. Did you know you can make pancakes from many fruits and vegetables, without using gluten otr dairy? Like the recipe...
Foods that support gut healing
Someone asked me this question in my lovely Facebook group: "Which foods support gut healing?" So I'll try to give some answers! But I'm not going into a 'These 5 foods will heal your gut!' talk. Because healing your gut is not a quick fix - it's about changing the...
Easy kale chips recipe
I'm Dutch and in The Netherlands we mainly use curly kale in ‘Boerenkool Stamppot’ – this is potato mashed with cooked kale. Very delicious with gravy and smoked sausage. But most people I know don’t like it! It must be a Dutch thing… This winter I started making kale...
How do I get enough calcium when I go dairy free?
A question clients ask me often when I advise them to eliminate dairy for a while is: "How do I get enough calcium when I go dairy free?" We all know (school milk!) milk has a good amount of calcium and calcium is essential for our teeth and bones. But it's not the...
Recipe: chickpeas with sweet and spicy peanut sauce
Hey! It's Wednesday recipe day again! I love love love peanut butter in hearty dishes. Especially when combined with some spicyness, sweetness and lemon so you get that yummy satay taste. Make it work for you I do okay with peanuts but I know they don't work for...
Motivation – You Need to Know Your WHY
When it comes to motivation, whether it be to cut down on sugar, be more organised in the kitchen or stick to healthy eating habits, the first question I ask my clients is this; ‘What is your why?’ Why do you want to be healthier? And although it seems quite obvious,...
A slowcooker can be a life saver
Put your hand up if you recognise this: you come home. It's dinner time. You're tired and hungry. There's food in the fridge but you just want to eat, not cook. So you order a take-away. You eat it, it tastes okay but you can feel it doesn't sit well...
Is your joint pain related to your gut?
All disease - and all healing! - begins in the gut. That's what Hippocrates already found out centuries ago and that's what we see confirmed all the time by modern research. But what if you have no digestive symptoms? And you have pain in your knees, shoulders, wrists...
Dairy free ranch dressing recipe
If you look at the 'white' dressings in the supermarket you will see they often contain cheap oils (that are inflammatory) and dairy. It's not so difficult to make your own that doesn't have dairy, tastes great and is easy to make with whole foods. So here's a recipe...
Which foods to eat organically in the UK?
Eating organically is better for your health and for the planet. Period. I think most of us understand it's not healthy to ingest pesticides and herbicides! But what are the choices when your budget doesn't allow eating organically? I have so far relied on the Dirty...
CCF tea for bloating, gas and indigestion
Do you suffer from gas, bloating and stomach cramps? So many people do... These are issues that need to be addressed at the root - and that's the work I do as a Functional Nutrition and Lifestyle Practitioner. In the mean time there are things you can do to ease the...
Is vegan the same as plant based?
I'm seeing more and more people coming into my practice who decided to become vegan. I think the penny is dropping about the way we produce meat and the effects on climate. Health wise it's a great thing to eat more plants. There's a ton of research out there that...
Make your own dark chocolate
Shht, don't tell anyone! People think making your own chocolate is a very complicated process but it's actually dead easy! When you make your own dark chocolate you'll 1. get many compliments when you bring it to a party 2. have a healthy and very delicious treat 3....
Delicous! Sweet potato soup recipe
I always have some sweet potatoes in my fridge - they are so versatile! I often roast them, but also use them in smoothies and soups. Here's a delicious sweet potato soup recipe that also has other vegetables plus two anti-inflammatory spices: ginger and turmeric!...
Recipe: sugar & dairy free cashew chocolate milk
Brrr! It's cold and dark up here in Scotland... If you want to have something warm and comforting to drink, here's a sugar & dairy free cashew chocolate milk recipe! You can download the recipe here PS: Group course starting soon! Would like to learn how you can...
Frozen fruit and veg – when you’re short on time
I spoke with a friend yesterday who had an operation and wasn't able to stand in the kitchen and cook a meal. Her partner - not a very skilled cook - found meals he could just heat up. But when you're recovering from an operation - especially when you've had to take a...
An easy nourishing lunch recipe
Lunch is a meal where you can add a good amount of nutrients to your day. Much more than the usual cheese sandwich! So here's an easy nourishing and colourful lunch recipe - that could easily serve as a breakfast too! I spoke with a client yesterday who was struggling...
Check your vitamin D now!
Here in Scotland the darker season is definitely upon us. So it's time to check your vitamin D now! My experience is that GP's don't do the test often. But you can do an at-home test. I'll tell you where and how below. I just ordered our own tests - we take them every...
Easy coconut banana ice cream recipe
This simple recipe is one we often make. Who would have thought you can make a really nice 'ice cream' from bananas? That's not as banana-y as you would think? You definitely need to give this easy coconut banana ice cream recipe a try. No sugar and dairy Normal ice...
Can my thyroid cause stomach pain and bloating?
Christel started working with me because she experienced bloating, stomach pain and acid reflux. During the intake she shared that her GP told her recently that thyroid was on the borderline of working too slow. "Can my thyroid cause stomach pain and bloating?" she...
An indulgent everything-free holiday treat
Here's an indulgent everything-free holiday treat you can serve or bring along: no gluten, dairy or sugar! If you are like many of my clients you might not be sure how you can navigate these days. Christmas pudding, mince pies, stollen and iced cakes are delicious but...
Recommended Healthy Recipe Books
Eating healthily can feel overwhelming and can leave you with a feeling of deprivation. That's why I advise clients to start with adding in delicious and nutritious meals, so it's only a small step to eliminate things like gluten and dairy. Here's a list of...
Building healthy habits: find out what works for you!
A big question in my practice is how I can support people best in building new and healthier habits. Author Gretchen Rubin wrote about it and identified four types of people when it comes to changing your habits. She also has an online quiz where you can find out...
Make your own coconut yoghurt
Many of my clients with tummy troubles need to avoid dairy. Is that you? Coconut yoghurt can then be a great alternative. It can also be rather pricey though. And have quite a lot of added ingredients. Good to know you can easily make your own coconut yoghurt at home....
How to make a really nice soup
I love making soup. I feel it sustains me and warms me now it's getting colder and darker up here in Scotland - and that snuggly warmth is what I need right now. Over time I've learned how to make a really nice soup from scratch - without a recipe. So let me teach you...
Lemon and olive oil dressing
Let's talk dressings! So simple to make and so much nicer than the stuff you buy in the shops... I mean: who needs inflammatory oils, modified waxy corn starch, thickeners, glucose fructose syrup or flavourings on their salad? Thank you very much... You can make...
What can I eat for stomach pain? 4 important tips
Do you feel confused about what to eat and what you should and what not to eat when you have stomach pain? Maybe you read somewhere that you should follow a ketogenic diet, low sugar, high fiber, vegan and raw veggies... But you also heard low fat, cooked foods,...
Stewed apples for a happy gut!
Something as simple as stewed apple can be super helpful if you need to heal your gut: That is something dr Michael Ash, a UK based osteopath, naturopath and nutritionist found out! He noticed with his patients that if they were eating stewed apples daily...
Support your liver with dandelion root
Using herbs - or weeds - from your garden for your health is actually a lot easier than you think! A good example is using dandelion roots to support your liver. Now is the time to make your own herbal remedy and you can totally do this. We are in autumn and swiftly...
How to get rid of pesky candida?
Oral or vaginal thrush, athlete's foot, jock itch, fatigue, sinus issues, joint pain, constipation, diarrhea, bloating, fatigue... How to you get rid of candida? If this is you, an overgrowth of yeast in your gut might be causing these symptoms. Testing? How can you...
Apple and cinnamon yoghurt bowl
It's fall and it's apple time! Nothing reminds me more of autumn than the scent of apples and cinnamon... I'm always so happy when the local apples are back! There are so many different kinds - much nicer than the always-the-same Gala's that have been shipped all over...
Are cravings making you feel fat, tired and guilty?
Are you someone who wakes up every day promising yourself you will not eat the sugary or fatty foods you crave? Only to break that promise again and again? You're not alone. Cravings can be very strong. Do you want to stop feeling fat, tired and guilty? Here are some...
An easier and quicker falafel receipe
Who likes falafels? I do! These deconstructed ones are much easier and quicker to make than the original ones and don’t need to be deep fried or oven baked. Your beneficial gut microbes will love the chickpeas, onion, garlic and cumin – this recipe has lots of fiber!...
BPA free is good, right? No it isn’t…
A couple of years ago I replaced all plastic bottles by BPA-free ones. I had heard that BPA is estrogenic, can disrupt your hormones and make you gain weight - yikes! So I thought BPA free plastic bottles were a safe option. Right? No they're probably not... BPA...
A simple crunchy snack: tamari roasted almonds
Today's recipe is a simple, gluten and dairy free snack with only 2 ingredients! These tamari roasted almonds are a healthy and delicious snack. They're crunchy and salty and keep your blood sugar balanced. They're also a great addition to your lunch or dinner!...
Building your microbiome is like creating happy soil
Three years ago I started to make a lot of compost to add to my garden. And really started to notice how much better my vegetables were doing. I realised that it's the same for the microbiome in our gut: with the right foods you start growing healthy gut bacteria. And...
A lovely coconut white fish dish
White fish, like cod, haddock or hake, is a great protein that is easy to digest for most people. This looks like a lovely recipe and I'm going to try it out tonight! I think I'll replace the orange juice by a few more tomatoes. I don't like orange in my food! (worst...
Simple things to try first if you have bloating
Do you experience bloating? Do you feel full and heavy after eating? Have people asked you if you were pregnant (and you weren't...) ? Would you love to get rid of the bloat? If you have bloating, don’t immediately jump to medication, testing, supplements or...
What can YOU do about hiatal hernia?
A hiatal hernia – aka hiatus hernia - is when part of your stomach moves up through the diaphragm into your chest. Your diaphragm is the big muscle that separates your chest and your abdominal area. It has a small opening (hiatus) through which your food tube...
Is your tongue on fire?
One of the symptoms I hear about from clients is burning tongue. They describe it as a burning or scalding sensation that affects their tongue, but it can also affect your lips, gums, palate, throat or whole mouth. For some it feels as if their mouth is dry and give...
How to make kefir with nut milk
I've always loved making kefir and yoghurt with cow's milk and really missed it when I decided to go dairy free. I missed the taste as well as the tons of beneficial bacteria that help my gut flora. So I wanted to learn how to make kefir with nut milk. No idea what...
Do you need to supplement with zinc?
Zinc is often mentioned as a good supplement to take when you want to protect yourself from viruses – quite useful at the moment! But do you really need to supplement with zinc? How do you know you need it? And if you do, how do you take it? For me, food always comes...
O no! There’s plastic in my tea!
I make compost from food waste and years ago I started finding small lacy plastic bits in the compost. I found out that they come from teabags. What?! Yes, many teabags look like they're made from paper or silk. But these teabags actually contain plastic to make them...
Green sauce – easy to make and full of goodness
It's the beginning of July now and the greens outside in my garden are thriving! At the moment I have an abundance of coriander, parsley and spring onions and I made them into a green sauce today. There is a lot of goodness in this sauce. Parsley is very high in...
An easy nettle soup recipe
Today I'll go outside to pick the first nettles of the year. Up here in Scotland they're still small but I know nettles are the best spring tonic! So I'm going to use them to make a pot of nettle soup. And share with you my nettle soup recipe! Nettles are one of the...
Are oats gluten free? Yes and no…
I noticed in my practice that there is some confusion about gluten free grains. Many people think that oats are gluten free. And that gluten free oats are more processed than normal oats. So let's look into the question: are oats gluten free? I often advise clients...
Home made beet kvass, a probiotic drink
A few weeks ago my husband Hugo had to rush himself into hospital because a tiny splinter in his thumb had caused an infection that quickly turned into sepsis. That was scary. Hallelujah for antibiotics! They probably saved his life. He was on an antibiotic drip for...
Date and tahini fudge
Here is a recipe for something sweet and delicious and satisfying that doesn't have any refined sugar, gluten or dairy. I found it in one of the great cookbooks by the sisters Hemsley and Hemsley Good and Simple and I often bring it to parties and potlucks - so I know...
How cooking your meals can improve your acid reflux and IBS symptoms
Did you know that something simple like cooking your own meals can actually help your digestion? Imagine this: you decide to make a stew. You start sauteing onions, adding spices, roasting some seeds for your salad, chopping vegetables, washing some greens.... Your...
Stressed? Food can help!
In this day and age, most of us are prone to feeling continuous stress. We worry about our jobs and children; we stress over finances, deadlines and relationships. And unfortunately, we tend to reach for junk food. But high-calorie or sugary foods only trick us into...
Turmeric milk made my way
Golden or turmeric milk is a cow's, nut or coconut milk, heated with a good amount of turmeric in it. I shouldn't be saying this as a nutrition and herb expert because of it's great properties, but... I didn't like to drink it! The reason was that I used turmeric...
What is functional nutrition?
Functional nutrition wants to restore the well-functioning of the body through food, lifestyle and supplement interventions. Sounds common sense, right? So how do I do that? Root cause To start with I want to find the root cause(s) of your health conditions rather...
A nice day for a warming lentil soup
Today is a really dark and rainy day. Perfect one for a warming and nourishing lentil soup! I created this recipe for a class I was doing about spices; that's why there are quite a few of them in this soup. Often people put in a pinch here and a dash there. But if you...
A basic hummus recipe: easy, delicious and versatile
Hummus is such a versatile and easy to make dish! I make this hummus recipe nearly every week because it's a great one to have in my fridge in case of a snack attack. Or when the lunch of dinner I made is a bit bland or low in protein and healthy fats. This one is...
Healthy hot chocolate recipe
During the cold and dark winter months I have been enjoying a warming and nourishing drink: my healthy hot chocolate! And I'm happy to share my recipe. The inspiration came around at a time where I decided to stop drinking caffeinated coffee because I wasn't sleeping...
Recipe: Oat and banana (or pumpkin. or sweet potato) bars
Going gluten free meant we had to re-think our snacks. My husband Hugo works as a handyman and gets hungry very easily. If he doesn't take a good snack with him he will grab something that doesn't work for him and suffer later. These bars are free from gluten, dairy...
Turmeric for depression and anxiety
Depression and anxiety are on the rise. In the UK we experience them ten times as often as in 1945. And many people use antidepressants like Prozac - antidepressants are high in the top ten most prescribed medications. Where is seems easy to solve the problem by...
9 tips for gluten-free shopping
Have you seen the gluten-free shelves in the supermarket expanding? Many people are aware of their gluten sensitivity or even have coeliac disease. And the gluten-free food industry is eagerly stepping in. This doesn't mean that gluten-free products are necessarily...
Recipes without refined sugar, dairy and gluten
I'm collecting healthy recipes without refined sugar, dairy and gluten to help you get inspired about cooking your own delicious food from scratch. I also post a weekly recipe on my blog that you can download and print out. Breakfasts: What will I have for breakfast...
Back to the dining table!
We eat 60% of our meals in front of the TV, according to a survey in 2013. And it's probably more by now... The telly - or Netflix - has become a daily companion at our meal times! Here are some reasons why you want to go back to the dining table! But how does that...