November 30, 2018
Laurentine ten Bosch, says join the food resolution revolution
As the clock strikes midnight and a new year begins, do you find yourself putting down the red wine and promising to make a green smoothie for breakfast? A healthy lifestyle doesn’t have to mean a war within, Laurentine ten Bosch from Food Matters, shares her secrets to making resolutions more palatable.
Why do people reset at the start of the new year?
With a new year comes the sense of excitement for the unknown of what that year could hold. Maybe you’ve just experienced a really hard year, the new year wipes your slate clean and allows us all to hit the reset button. If you’ve just had a great year, the new year feels like a new door opening to even greater possibilities.
What are the dangers of yo-yo dieting?
The dangers of yo-yo dieting can be both physical and emotional. Diets can easily be that quick fix to lose the unwanted extra kilos, which will often be the case, but as soon as you finish that diet and go back to eating how you always have, the weight tends to come back on, and then some. This is so hard on your body, especially if you are not managing your nutrient intake along the way. It is also very hard on your emotional state, if you haven’t defined your relationship with food. And as soon as those pounds come back on, discouragement sets in which can lead to a slippery slope of more poor diet choices that then drive you back to wanting to diet. It is a vicious cycle.
What are the benefits of creating permanent change?
There are so many. From physical to mental to emotional health, permanent change positively influences it all. Your body will consistently receive the nutrients it needs, which will greatly affect your mood. It will become that much easier to say no to the temptations, in fact they won’t even be temptations anymore. The permanent change, and the consistency of eating whole foods, will change what you crave, and the junk will no longer seem appetising. Your body will thank you and so will your energy.
For people who are serious about making 2019 their year of change, where should they start?
Set small goals and make sure that you can measure them, meaning, you know when you’ve accomplished them. Maybe your goal is to start eating healthy. Don’t just say, ‘New Year’s resolution: start eating healthy’, be more specific, ‘New Year’s resolution: eat gluten free for one week’. When you get to the end of the week, you can check that off. You know you have done it, and you’ll feel an amazing sense of accomplishment that will also motivate you to continue. Remember, all of this goal setting is great, but it will be pointless if you don’t first learn to love yourself, who you are, as you are, and go from there. Your goals must stem from self-love because that leads to self-care, and that leads to health and vitality – not to mention, joy! Here’s to 2019!
What is your favourite go-to dish for Christmas?
I have so many, but my all-time favourite is Hazelnut truffles. They are the perfect combination of sweet with a bit of salty. Delicious, easy to make, and sure to impress your guests, without adding to their waistline.
Hazelnut truffles
Ingredients
150g dark chocolate (at least 70% cacao)
½ cup full-fat coconut milk
¼ cup maple syrup
Pinch of fine sea salt
¾ cup all natural, smooth, nut butter
1 cup roasted hazelnuts
1 tsp hazelnut extract or vanilla extract
Boil a pot of water. Roughly chop the chocolate and place in a glass bowl
over the hot water bath. Once the chocolate has melted, remove the pot
from the heat but keep the bowl over
the hot water.
While you melt the chocolate, place the coconut milk in a small pot and warm it
up a little bit. Add in a generous pinch
of sea salt.
Slowly add warm coconut milk to the melted chocolate while continuously whisking over a low heat.
Whisk in the maple syrup, hazelnut butter and hazelnut or vanilla extract.
Allow the mixture to cool and place in the fridge overnight for it to harden.
Before taking the mixture out of the fridge, put aside at least 20-25 hazelnuts and chop the rest finely.
Spread the chopped hazelnuts on a tray or clean baking sheet.
Scoop portions of the ganache mixture into ‘eyeball’ portions. Flatten ball into your hand, place a hazelnut in the middle and then close over the truffle mixture around the hazelnut.
Roll between the palms of your hands and then roll the truffle in the chopped hazelnuts. Continue until all of the mixture is gone. Store in the fridge (if they last that long!)
