January 19, 2012
Expat Kochen Health Series #2
So, it is mid January. How go the resolutions? I don’t get into them myself, as they feel too restrictive to me. But what does inspire me is learning more and improving on my former self, just a little at a time. If this appeals to you then join us for a unique afternoon of learning about food from the perspective of a Chinese Medicine Practitioner, Acupuncturist Howard Austin. Howard moved to the Basel area from Australia a few years ago and has set up practice in Oberwil. On Saturday, February 4 we invite you to come and see his lovely, peaceful space and talk about our favorite subject, food! Here are a few words about the event from Howard.
Food or Medicine?
With the winter weather blowing in around us it is really a good time to consider how the everyday foods that we consume can function both as food and medicine. In fact, there is no clear line of division between the two. Certian foods carry medicinal benefits and others can be fortified with a variety of herbs to enhance their energetic and medicinal properties, particularly in times of stress, illness or recovery.
Throughout the long history of Chinese medicine the principle properties, flavours and natures of food have been identified and used to help prevent and cure illnesses as part of what is known as Chinese dietry therapy.
Foods come with varying energetic natures that can be classified as warm, hot, cool and cold. These 4 natures and their direct effects on the energy and organ systems of our bodies will be reflected in our overall health. Our individual constitutions also play a important role in how we respond and react to food that we regularly consume in our everyday diet.
I am looking forward to sharing with you all some the the main concepts and ideas that the Chinese have used for centuries to help support vital health and longevity. Some of these are very simple and can be used on a daily basis to keep your energy strong and your body in balance through out the year.
This will be a fun and informative afternoon where we can discuss and sample some of the foods and herbal teas that have been used over centuries in Chinese medicine to both nourish and rejuvinate the body, mind and spirit.
See you there.
Howard Austin
Traditional Chinese Medicine
Spechtstrasse 5
4104 Oberwil
Details are below, and once again if you sign up in advance you can save a bit of moolah, (5 CHF to be exact. Hey, that’s enough for a tasty little bottle of merlot from Chile on sale for half price this week at Denner!). And having your money in advance helps us to better plan for events. THANK YOU!
| Where: |
Spechtstrasse 5
4104 Oberwil BL |
| When: |
Saturday, 4th of February 2012 at 15:00 |
| Cost: |
15 CHF in advance, 20 at the door |
| RSVP: |
By February 1st please. We’ll send payment info and directions via email. expatkochen@gmail.com |
Wishing you joyful, healthy, mindful eating,
Expat Kochen
January 13, 2012
Do you sometimes keep snacking long after you are full?
Have you ever eaten a meal and afterwards realized you hardly tasted it?
Do you want to enjoy your food more, and learn to listen to your body?
Join us for a mindful eating yoga workshop that aims to increase our awareness so that we can tune into what our bodies really need rather than inflict violence through diets or attempt to self-soothe with food. Through yoga we can learn to listen to our bodies and understand them both emotionally and nutritionally. This lecture combined with yoga and meditation practice will help open the doors of awareness to mindful eating.
We are excited to present this class by Dr. Melissa West, from Ajax, Canada. Melissa offers a free yoga class via podcast, which I have long been taking advantage of and has been perfect for my ever changing expat schedule. Can you relate? Yoga for me when I want it! What a gift her yoga for every body style of yoga has been for thousands all over the globe. Now in addition to her free podcasts, Melissa has a membership site with more yoga, webinars, and general support for her students. Check it out here.
Then come and join us and meet her via Skype. Here are the details. Oh, and register in advance. If you sign up by Wednesday of next week you can come for 20 CHF instead of 25 CHF!!
| Where: |
Noa Yoga – Kleinbasel |
| When: |
Sunday, 22nd January 2012 from 13:00 to 15:00 |
| Cost: |
20 CHF in advance, 25 at the door |
| RSVP: |
Please do. We’ll send payment info via email. Our inbox awaits….expatkochen@gmail.com |
Look forward to seeing you there!
***************************************
P.S. This is a great precursor for the couples Romance WorkPlayshop I’ll be doing in February. There you will get a chance to learn about your partner’s favorite seductive meal. Combine that with mindful eating and watch the sparks fly!
December 25, 2011
…tasty turkey! And you? Hope your holidays are all you were dreaming of and then some. I took a quick trip to the poultry farm in France on Friday and came home with a duck, a turkey, and some foie gras. Some cremant (sparkling wine from Alsace), finger radishes and green beans, and oh, what a feast! Duck for dinner last night, turkey for tonight, and foie gras for New Year’s. It was an abundant shopping trip in an abundant universe.
While my counterparts (Vanessa & Erin) celebrate with friends and family in the U.S., I will keep the kitchens warm here in Basel until they return in 2012. Oh, speaking of 2012, for those of you in the Basel area in 2012 please note these dates for upcoming Expat Kochen events:
January 22 – Yoga and Mindful Eating with Dr. Melissa West of Namaste Yoga. Melissa will join us remotely from the Toronto area for a yoga and food class to get us off to a great start in the new year!
February 4 – Food or Medicine? with Howard Austin. Howard is a licensed acupuncturist and will help us learn more about all the food we eat!
And then some other events brought to you by your bloggers when they aren’t doing Expat Kochen stuff…
February 18 – Romance WorkPlayshop. Join Rylla (Relating 2 Each Other) as she leads a day of romance for you and your partner. Take a break from the cold and the daily routine to feel refreshed and reconnected to one another! This day of romance will be held at the Atrium Hotel Blume just outside of Basel, where you can opt to spend the night to continue the fun. Oh, and you can look forward to learning about each other’s favorite seductive foods, because of course Rylla must include some fun with food in this day of romance!
In March, keep an eye out for Art Therapy and Emotional Eating – sometime the week of March 26th. Join Vanessa (Food Changes Everything) to explore the deeper meaning behind your emotional eating.
For questions about these events or anything else, please email us at expatkochen@gmail.com.
Finally and most importantly, we want to thank all of you who follow and attend Expat Kochen events. We began this blog to help expats get over the hump of cooking in a foreign land, and now after great times together and lasting friendships, we are so thankful to you and for you. And we are very much looking forward to more of all of it in 2012!
Warmest wishes and happy cooking,
Expat Kochen
P.S. Here are some pix from the Basel Christmas Markets, 2011. Enjoy!
 
 
November 10, 2011
On the 14th of December we’re hosting a talk about Healthy Gift Giving.
We’ll discuss how to go through the holidays guilt free by giving the gift of health. What ideas do you have for healthy gift giving? Feel free to send me emails with what healthy gifts you have given in the past.
Whole Living is a series of talks about how to live your healthiest life. This is an integrative approach where nourishment comes not only from food, but from our lifestyle, our relationships and our passions.
My name is Vanessa and I’m a certified Health Coach. I believe that Food Changes Everything. When we are eating well and taking really good care of ourselves, our whole life changes. The effects of our choices are so subtle, so powerful and so far-reaching. In each talk, I’ll cover a bit of theory and practical tips that are relevant to the current season.
Whole Living: Healthy Gift Giving
| Where: |
Centrepoint — Im Lohnhof 8, 4051 Basel, Switzerland |
| When: |
Wednesday, 14th December 2011 from 20:00 to 21:00 |
| Cost: |
5CHF Members, 10CHF Non-members |
| RSVP: |
Please do. Only 10 seats available: vanessa@gatelein.com |
SAVE THE DATE!
Upcoming Whole Living Seasonal Event Topics
11. January – New Year, New You
Get the year started with real achievable resolutions that last more than the first two weeks.
See you there.
Warmly,
Vanessa
Vanessa Gatelein
Health Coach at Food Changes Everything
www.foodchangeseverything.ch
November 6, 2011
…and we want to enjoy all the yummy food, festivities, and hospitality. And feel good about it along the way! How to, you may ask? Balance, balance balance. My father used to say “everything in moderation, including moderation!” Sounds to me like practice moderation, and then again, sometimes just relax and enjoy.
The best way we know to do that is to plan fun, healthy activities along with the extra eating and drinking that may accompany the holidays. And so we are happy to introduce our Expat Kochen Health Series. Starting this month look for events that focus on different ways to eat well, exercise, and de-stress. There are so many ways to take care of yourself and reduce stress; the trick is finding the ways that work for you. Then it isn’t a chore to be healthy, just a joyful step toward being the best you can be.
In 2012 we will continue the series, offering various classes/workshops/food discussions and demonstrations. And of course we will continue doing our “regular” Expat Kochen events, including the last minute gatherings to cook together or taste some wine and enjoy appeteezers and good company. We feel fortunate and blessed to share this journey with you. Thank you.
P.S. In January we will be offering a yoga & food class by Melissa West. Keep checking here for updates and we hope to see you soon, maybe even at our November event, which is…
Kieser Training to DE-STRESS and build up for the holidays!
Kieser’s Eduardo Barco and team will be on hand to give us an overview of the Kieser Training Method, a gym tour, plus 60-minute personalized training sessions based on your current situation. Since you will receive a 1-on-1 session with a trainer, registration is required! Why wait for the New Year, let’s get started now!
| Where: |
Kieser Training Basel – Hirschgässlein 30, 4051 Basel |
| When: |
Sunday, 27th November 2011 from 9:30 to 14:00 |
| What: |
Overview, Gym Tour and 60-Minute Personalized Workout |
| Cost: |
FREE |
| RSVP: |
Please do. Only 12 spots available!
Vanessa +41 79 245 74 17 or vanessa@foodchangeseverything.ch |
To learn more about Kieser Training, please check out their website.
http://www.kieser-training.com/kieser-training/concept/
Hope to see you at this event.
Vanessa Gatelein
Certified Health Coach
Food Changes Everything
October 25, 2011
 Cauliflower in beautiful yellow, yes like butter, almost like cheddar cheese! I couldn’t resist. (Found at Hieber’s)
 Then I roasted it about half an hour (around 200˚ C, 400˚ F) for sweet yummness. Threw it on a platter with leftover slices of pork tenderloin. Mixed up some mayonnaise with crème fraîche, chopped garlic, salt, pepper and a dash or two of Sriracha (available at New Asia or Aggarwal) for dipping. Took an plastic table cloth upstairs for picnic dinner in front of a movie with the family, done.
Happy fall cooking,
P.S. They had purple and green (think bright spring green) cauliflower as well. Maybe I’ll try a trio next time! For those concerned about how this happens, check this article for more info. Colorul cauliflower actually has more vitamins. And guess what, your carrots didn’t used to be orange either…
October 21, 2011
It’s finally apple season, and while the farmers markets are packed with different varieties of beautiful apples, going to the farm and picking your own apples is a fun fall activity for adults and child alike. There is nothing better than wandering through an apple orchard, giant apple picker in hand, reaching high up in the trees, and pulling down flawless, delicious apples.
The only problem is coming up with recipes for the 20 pounds of apples that end up in your kitchen afterwards! When you’re tired of eating apple sauce, and can’t think about making another apple pie, this gluten-free, sugar-free apple cinnamon cake from Elana’s Pantry will gladly take a few apples off of your hands and is sure to be a crowd pleaser!
Cinnamon Apple Cake
1 apple, peeled, cored and chopped
tablespoons orange juice, fresh squeezed
1 cup creamy roasted almond butter
¼ cup agave nectar
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons cinnamon
½ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
1. In a food processor combine apple, orange juice, and almond butter and pulse until well blended
2. Pulse in agave, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon (yes, 2 tablespoons!) and salt
3. Pour batter into a greased 8×8 inch Pyrex baking dish
4. Bake at 350° for 32 to 36 minutes
5. Cool and serve with whipped cream
Enjoy!
Vanessa Gatelein, Health Coach
www.foodchangeseverything.ch
October 19, 2011
Ahhhh… the cold yucky weather is here and all I can think about is a cheesy hot melting moité moité cheese fondue with crispy bread served with a nice glass of wine. But you know what? I can remember first arriving in Switzerland in late 2003 and being absolutely intimidated at my first business dinner… not by my new German boss BUT by the cheese cart that came promptly at dessert and coffee time. What the hell? What’s with all this stinky cheese? And what… we don’t get something sweet after dinner with our coffee??
Nope. We’re not in Kansas anymore Toto.
So, yes… Vanessa embarked on a cheese quest, so she wouldn’t have to act sweet and polite about not knowing what kind of cheese she prefers. This took time however and a bit of patience to taste test a lot of cheese matched with lovely wines (poor me, I know… it’s a terrible wine/cheese tasting process.) Anyways, the point of me writing this post, is that there could be a better way to decode Swiss Cheese situation in a shorter amount of time.
Introducing the Sue Style book called: CHEESE: slices of Swiss Culture
 ISBN 978-3-905252-20-0 CHF 49.90. In order to launch the book, Bergli Books and Bider & Tanner are sponsoring an event free-of-charge on Saturday, 5th November, from 6.30 – 8.30 pm at Bider & Tanner Bookshop, Aeschenvorstadt 2, Basel , (at Bankenplatz.) Please let them know as soon as possible if you can join at Tel.: 061 373 27 77, Fax: 061 373 27 78, or info@bergli.ch.
Event Description from Bergli and Bider and Tanner:
Celebrate with the author, the photographer, publisher, some special Swiss cheese makers and many people who made this book possible. Join us for cheese (and wine) tasting and a cheese market.
Thanks to Sue Style’s new book, you’ll never look at a piece of cheese in the same way again. She shows how fine artisan cheeses are made and what makes them so special. You get to know where you can visit lively cheese markets, festivals and museums and where to seek out spectacular speciality cheese shops. Historical works of art and hundreds of photographs show how cheese and Swiss culture are closely related. The book includes twenty of Sue Style’s new, delicious, easy-to-make recipes using these fine Swiss cheeses. At our celebration you’ll be able to sample some luscious Swiss cheeses you most likely haven’t tasted before.
Excellent. What more of an introduction to Swiss cheeses could you want?
If you go, I hope you enjoy it.. AND please let me know if you are going, I’d love to tag along as my Swiss boyfriend isn’t so impressed by these things as I am 
Warm snuggles with wine and cheese,
Vanessa Gatelein
Health Coach
www.foodchangeseverything.ch
P.S. Yes… cheese is healthy!
October 14, 2011
 - Gruenpfahl Mutter’s Kueche
Grünpfahl is a new restaurant in town (at least new for me.) I stumbled across it after a coffee session at the Mitte. I was led outside the Mitte with smells of lovely fresh baked pita breads and tangy vinegar and salads dressed in olive oil. The café restaurant has very cozy outdoor seating in the cobblestone street on Grünpfahlgasse.
What is it exactly?
The tagline on their card says: Grünpfahl – Mother’s Kitchen: mediterranean, homemade, fresh and light.
And that’s just what they have. Pitas stuffed with vegetables, feta and kofta. Pitas slathered with a tangy tomato spread. Gorgeous fresh salads. And Yummy sandwiches with chick pea spread, fresh vegetables, aubergine and feta.
What is included in the Mediterranean Kitchen?
- Only natural and fresh whole ingredients
- It’s made mostly from plants (vegetables, nuts, leaves, beans, seeds.)
- Contains olive oil – a healthy monounsaturated fat that is an anti-inflammatory and fights diseases
The benefits: Protect your heart, prevent diabetes and cancer, plus even contribute to weight loss.
What better reasons to dive in and give it a try?
Grünpfahl: Mutter’s Küche
Grünpfahlgasse 4, CH-4051 Basel
061 261 45 75
Enjoy a sunny day at Grünpfahl and a heart healthy meal.
En guete!
Vanessa Gatelein, Health Coach
Food Changes Everything
October 13, 2011
Whole Living is a series of talks about how to live your healthiest life. This is an integrative approach where nourishment comes not only from food, but from our lifestyle, our relationships and our passions.
My name is Vanessa and I’m a certified Health Coach. I believe that Food Changes Everything. When we are eating well and taking really good care of ourselves, our whole life changes. The effects of our choices are so subtle, so powerful and so far-reaching. In each talk, I’ll cover a bit of theory and practical tips that are relevant to the current season.
On the 9th of November we’ll talk about Preparing for the Holidays.
We’ll discuss how to combat stress, illness and weight gain during the stressful and jam packed holiday time.
So… let’s get ready!
Whole Living: Preparing for the Holidays
| Where: |
Centrepoint — Im Lohnhof 8, 4051 Basel, Switzerland |
| When: |
Wednesday, 9th November 2011 from 20:00 to 21:00 |
| Cost: |
5CHF Members, 10CHF Non-members |
| RSVP: |
Please do. Only 10 seats available: vanessa@gatelein.com |
SAVE THE DATE!
Upcoming Whole Living Seasonal Event Topics
9. November – Preparing for the Holidays
Combat stress, illness and weight gain during the holidays.
14. December – Healthy Gift Giving
Go through the holidays guilt free by giving the gift of health.
11. January – New Year, New You
Get the year started with real achievable resolutions that last more than the first two weeks.
See you there.
Warmly,
Vanessa
Vanessa Gatelein
Health Coach at Food Changes Everything
www.foodchangeseverything.ch
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Merry Christmas Rylla and family!
We’re cooking a turkey too except with rice and beans (Puerto Rican Style.) And a ham… yup, we got lots of family coming over today.
Lots of love
xo
V