Health and Nutrition

Saturday the 13th of February 2021 The forest is filled with animals, plants, grasses, herbs and mushrooms. And that’s why I love every native tree growing exactly where it happens to be. For our forest and winter cuisine, I have chosen three types of mushrooms. Why? Because I know them. Those mushrooms that I don’t really know stay where they are, and I leave them to carry on growing in the forest. They don’t get to see the inside of my kitchen. I’m happy to admit that my knowledge is finite; too many people have paid with their lives for …

Saturday the 6 th February 2021 One of our family’s favourite recipes is “flammkuchen”, or “tarte flambé”, as it is often called, since it is a typical speciality from the south-east of France. There are a thousand and one varieties of this dish to be found in Lorraine, but also in Alsace, Switzerland and the German State of Saarland, and, as it can easily be made without either meat or fish, it’s a great choice for a vegetarian meal. We sometimes opt for a vegan version, but we love it in all its varieties, and, in today’s recipe, we are …

Erika Dux (65), a doctor of medicine from the University of Düsseldorf and trained in a wide range of additional disciplines, such as Chinese-Japanese Bo-Meridian Shiatsu therapy, has been living in Portugal for 35 years and works privately as a doctor. She has three grown–up daughters. Why do people become ill? I’m afraid I really can’t answer that question for you. What are the causes of illness? For different reasons: people get an infection, have a genetic illness or a metabolic disorder, or are affected by exhaustion and intoxication caused by pollution, environmental degradation, or precarious housing. How do you …

Vânia Ribeiro (aged 34) has a degree in Psychology and an interest in alternative medicine. For four years, she took a course in Chinese medicine and massage. During that time, she discovered naturopathy. For health reasons, she felt the need to change her diet. She called the consumption of meat and fish into question and started a blog (and her own Youtube channel), which, some years later, now has 100.000 visitors in Portugal. Vegan life is presented on it every day, with new recipes, articles about health, photos, films and documentaries. It is called “Made by Choices”… Author Vânia Ribeiro …

The search for inner peace is doubtless the origin of hiking and pilgrimage. Many people hike along different Ways of St. James to Santiago de Compostela and along the Caminho Português. Getting around on foot is a matter of topical interest. And so I have put together some basic vegan provisions for autumn and winter days. Walkers depend on compact foodstuffs that are full of energy because it’s good if our backpacks don’t get too big and heavy. As a dedicated walker, I have of course tried out all the recipes myself, and the muesli bars and whole-grain crackers still …

Beetroot and ginger cream soup [gluten free, no milk, suitable for vegans] Starter for 6 People Ingredients: 500 g fresh beetroot 200 g potatoes 1 red onion diced finely 2 cloves garlic 1 green chili pepper 50 g fresh ginger, diced finely 500 ml organic coconut milk, organic 
soya cream or almond milk. 500 ml water Grated peel and juice of two organic 
lemons 4 tbsp. sunflower oil ½ – 1 tsp. fine salt, 1 large pinch ground cloves and caraway, 1 bay leaf, freshly
ground black pepper. Preparation: Peel and chop the beetroot and potatoes. Careful: beetroot stains badly! In …