Category: Blog EN

  • Dunstan Baby Language: it works

    Dunstan Baby Language: it works

    According to Priscilla Dunstan and a group of researchers who back her personal findings, babies all over the world make a select group of sounds for certain situations such as discomfort, needing to burp and being hungry. Our conclusion after seeing it work with us and some other parents/babies: this is real and it’s great!

    When you know about the five sounds, it becomes so much more clear what your baby needs in any moment. This brings relaxation, fulfillment, understanding, it saves time and energy and crying and it just brings such tremendous joy to be able to provide what is needed.

    All we did was watch the video below, print a little flyer with the sounds and their meaning and practice together, for fun, before Lua was born. We’d say Neeeeeh and the other would shout: food!, or Eh, eh, and the other would say: burp :). It was a fun time preparing for our first months as parents, which is when babies utter these sounds based on their natural (and universal) reflexes such as sucking when they are hungry.

    It really works and it made life so much easier. Understanding what your little loved one wants, makes all the difference in the world.

    Watching this video teaches you all you need to know:

    <iframe width=”50%” height=”auto” src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/PgkZf6jVdVg” frameborder=”0″ allow=”accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture” allowfullscreen></iframe>

  • Diaper free (Dutch: BZC)

    Diaper free (Dutch: BZC)

    Most baby’s around the world don’t wear diapers and while many people don’t know it yet, a baby of around 1-2 years with full control over their pelvic floor muscles is very normal in many cultures.

    Actually, it is natural for a baby to want to be clean and dry and all the musculature and control thereof is in place for them to hold it up for at least a bit of time.

    At 9-10 months old, our Lua has only had one poo diaper in the past two weeks and she uses only about three to four diapers per day (24 hours). Whenever she can, she will pee and poo on the potty. For us and the people around us who have used the same approach it’s really normal, but for some others it is a weird sight at first to see a baby this small using the toilet.

    The approach is called diaper free in English or luiervrij or babyzindelijkheidscommunicatie in Dutch. I’m writing this so you can look it up on YouTube :).

    Basically what we did was very simple: every time we would notice Lua pooing (or peeing, but that’s harder to notice), we would make a sound and a gesture. For us, the sound is psss and the gesture is like waving but with closed hand (fist). That’s all we did.

    When she was five months old, I placed her on the potty for the first time, made the sound and gesture and to my joyful surprise… she peed! And it wasn’t a coincidence; since then, whenever she is on the potty and she has pee in her belly, she will pee.

    Pooing took a while longer, but at nine months old she now has a belly rhythm and we haven’t had to change a poo diaper in weeks now :).

    We are now waiting for her to start using the sound and/or gesture to intentionally signal to us that she wants to go.

    For us, the approach has been joyful and effortless. It has already saved us a lot of money, laundry and dirty diaper changes as well.

  • Conscious activism

    Conscious activism

    An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind.
    – Gandhi

    Conscious activism is enlightened activism. It is acting from love. As long as I sense hatred in my heart towards the people or system I am fighting, I need to heal myself first.

    What always helps me is The Work by Bryon Katie:

    First, list your thoughts about the issue (who do you resent and why, how do you suggest they should change).

    Then, for each thought, answer the following four questions:

    1. Is it true? Yes or no.
    2. Can you absolutely know that it’s true? Yes or no.
    3. How do you react, what happens, when you believe that thought?
    4. Who would you be without this that thought?

    Now, find three turnarounds for each of the thoughts. For example, state the opposite or state “I” in stead of “them”.

    What we see in the world is actually what is (unconsciously) alive in us. This is called projection. In order to really bring wholesome change, we need to first embody it. This is what is meant when we say ‘be the change you wish to see in the world’.

    I may find that some of my convictions could use some nuance, stem from a deeper pain within myself which needs to be addressed first, or that I need to be applying some of my own advice in my own life before judging others.

    And so after having done our own inner work, we are free to act strongly, from love.

    A good person will resist an evil system with his whole soul. Disobedience of the laws of an evil state is therefore a duty.
    – Gandhi

    Conscious activism acts from love. If you are serious about bringing real change, start with The Work. Then act. Or, in the words of Marianne Williamson: “Love hard, pray hard, kick ass.”

  • Raw tomato and bell pepper gazpacho

    Raw tomato and bell pepper gazpacho

    One delicious daily dose of veggies in a cup 🙂

    1 tomato
    1/2 bell pepper
    1 small garlic clove
    4 basil leaves
    1/2 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
    1 sundried tomato
    1 date
    1 tablespoon of sunflower or pine seeds, or nuts
    Salt
    Extra virgin olive oil
    Lemon juice

    Simply blend everything together with about 1/3 the volume of water, add salt, extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice to taste… enjoy!

  • Kale chips

    Kale chips

    If you have never tried these, please do! So simple and delicious. And healthy! Great for iron. Just go easy on the salt.

    Massage the kale with a few drops of vegetable oil, then spread the kale out in one layer on your oven rack lined with parchment paper.

    (It is very tempting to make loads of this healthy snack but you need to be sure not to ‘heap’ the kale; the water inside the leaf needs space to evaporate or it will only steam/cook.)

    Sprinkle with salt and bake for about 10 minutes at 180 degrees or until the sides start to brown. Be careful not to let them burn.

    You may choose to only use salt or play around with special flavorings like curry powder, garlic or pimento.

    I used pre-cut kale from a bag, which makes for really small chips. Better even would be to use fresh leaves and cut along the stem (or mid section) of the leaf to get bigger chips.

  • Simple vegetarian broccoli lasagne

    Simple vegetarian broccoli lasagne

    Honestly, when preparing this I forgot to add the vegetarian ‘minced meat’ and it was still delicious. Would also be great with mushrooms! Find your own, buy fresh or soak dried mushrooms from your stock.

    First, mix together ingredients for the sauce. I used tomato sauce, tomato paste, water, sambal (chili paste) and bruschetta mix (dried tomato, garlic and oregano). You might use a ready made tomato sauce (there are really good ones without additives, check the label) or make your own.

    Grease the bottom and sides of your oven dish with olive oil. Now add a first thin layer of tomato sauce at the bottom, then break small broccoli florets (no bigger than would fit a teaspoon) and distribute evenly in the sauce. Now add a layer of minced veg meat and cover with thinly sliced onion rings. Cover with a layer of sauce.

    Now take a sheet of lasagne pasta (I used whole-wheat), break it if necessary and use as much/many as you need to cover a full layer in the oven dish.

    Repeat the layering steps with a bit of sauce, broccoli, minced veg meat, onions, more sauce. Add another layer of pasta.

    Make the last layer with broccoli, onion and sauce. Top with grated cheese (I used Gouda).

    Put in the oven at 200 degrees for 40 minutes. Serve with (rocket) salad, extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper.

  • Tortellini carbonara with fresh parasol mushroom and zucchini

    Tortellini carbonara with fresh parasol mushroom and zucchini

    We found a beautiful bunch of parasol mushrooms (in Dutch: grote parasolzwammen) in a neighbor’s garden. She was super friendly and gave us one, after we explained how delicious they supposedly were – although we hadn’t tried before.

    (Btw: if it’s not the right season or foraging is not your thing: you could substitute the parasol with any other tasty mushroom. Just try to not choose champignons, they’re booooring ;).)

    Of course at home I first double checked that this really was a parasol mushroom, but really you can not really go wrong with this one.

    People have asked me but I will not explain on this blog; you’ll have to do your own research, find a trustworthy field guide and learn from an experienced forager before you can safely find and eat wild mushrooms.

    One tip: start with learning by heart which ones NOT to eat ;). Then proceed with the ones that are unmistakeable, the so called beginner’s mushrooms.

    So. I hope your worries have been addressed ;). This parasol mushroom turned out delicious! One of the best I have ever had, I may even like it over many porcini (eekhoorntjesbrood) I have had.

    Clean the mushroom (I rinsed it because there was a lot of earth/dirt), check that it is fresh and not contaminated by small animals. Cut a shallot or small onion and a garlic clove. Sauté in oil for a few minutes until light golden brown and fragrant, then add the zucchini and mushroom pieces plus pepper and salt (not too much!) to taste.

    Meanwhile, boil the tortellini as long as needed (see packaging).

    For the real carbonara: break an egg in a bowl and remove half of the egg white. Now beat the egg. Grate some cheese, Parmesan would be great but I used ripe (oude) Gouda cheese and that turned out really well, too.

    Drain the pasta as soon as it’s cooked al dente. Put back in the pan, add the egg, stir, then add in the cheese and some black pepper.

    Serve with the vegetables. I put them on top of the pasta. Italians would serve them separately, no doubt.

    Don’t forget the olive oil. Olive oil rocks, especially with mushrooms and pasta.

  • Popped chestnuts

    Popped chestnuts

    Great news! Autumn has come (in my part of the world) and that means it’s time for mushrooms and chestnuts. I love Autumn for its abundance in foods, colors and weather types ?. Plus it means my birthday is coming up. I heard autumn children suffer from winter depression less often and that fits my experience. I really appreciate all seasons equally.

    Now for the chestnuts ?: go find a beautiful spot for foraging, look out for the green spikey bolsters on the ground. Use your foot to roll them open so you can take them out by hand easily. You can easily bring home several kilos but be sure to leave at least as much for the animals and other people!

    At home, use a small, sharp knife to carve a cross in the skin. Then put in the oven at 220 degrees for about 25 minutes or so. It’s now easy to remove the skin and enjoy your yield. Best served warm!

    Pro tips for removing the skin:

    1. Use a teaspoon. Slide it under the skin (convex side up) and gently wiggle. Saves your nails :).

    2. The longer you hear the chestnuts, the dryer they become and the easier it will be to take them out of their skin. Find the middle way that is perfect for you (the above mentioned 25 minutes is a good start!)

  • Bliss balls with walnuts and honey

    Bliss balls with walnuts and honey

    An easy way to serve something special: bliss balls! These are nutrient rich, filling little snacks and they look wonderful.

    You can vary them endlessly. I happened to have pineapple juice and decided to boil that down to a syrup, but you could just as easily use honey, agave, rice syrup, apple juice etc. As long as it’s sweet and sticky it’ll do the job ?.

    Here’s the recipe for the ones I made today:

    Boil one cup of pineapple juice down to a syrup. Turn off the heat when the syrup is light golden; it is starting to caramelize.

    Add nut granola (crunchy muesli with nuts, leave big chunks out) and dried shredded coconut and mix well. Everything should be thickly coated with sticky stuff.

    Now part the whole bunch in halves and to one half add sesame seeds and to the other, add cacao. Bring to taste with salt if needed (I didn’t). Play with the ingredients (add dry or wet) so that you can form balls that stick together easily.

    Now roll the chocolate balls in coconut and the sesame balls in sesame.

    Serve with walnuts and if you have a sweet tooth, drip with honey or agave syrup.