Ramadan & the Benefits of Intermittent Fasting for everyone

I am admittedly a foodie at heart and by profession, being a chef. When food does take center stage of your life and work, it may sound weird talking about fasting in a food related blog. However, the appreciation of something grows with the absence of it, isn’t it? Taking a periodical break from food can be very, very rewarding in many ways: Physical, mental and spiritual.
With Ramadan starting soon, this is a golden opportunity also for non-Muslims to re-think food intake. I often tune in with the spirit of Ramadan and mindfulness, performing an inner cleanse with something we call “Intermittent Fasting” even though I am not following this for religious reasons.

What is Intermittent Fasting?

It is giving your digestive system a break from the (hard) digestive work.
During a fast your body has the chance to clear stored toxins, rejuvenate, lose extra body fat, and heal.

A fast can be performed in many ways:  A full day and a full night,  or just a full day (like in Ramadan, from sunrise until after sunset), you can fast a few full days in a row, or only a few more hours than you usually would not eat (like during the time you sleep). Whatever suits you better, it is worth giving fasting a try.
As it is always hard to break a routine, it will be difficult in the beginning, but after a few days you will adjust to the new pattern. What else is in there for you? And I can assure you your taste buds are super sensitive after they have “rested” for longer than usual. Eating the simplest foods will be a special treat. Having said that – how to break such an intermittent fast the best and healthiest way?

We will talk in more depth about this theme in our next free health talks series:

15th May 9.45 – 10.30 am at Talise Cafe Madinat Jumeirah
16th May 10.45 -11.30 am in Talise Cafe Jumeirah Beach Hotel
18th May 6 – 6.45 pm in Talise Fitness Jumeirah Emirates Towers.

Looking forward to seeing you there!

xx Chef Gabi

p.s. Peonies from my garden at home in beautiful Bavaria 🙂

Health Talk Series at Talise Nutrition

Talise Nutrition offers a new series of health talks! Topic for the month of April is

DETOX

Even if your diet is good, a cleanse can restore your immune system and protect yourself against environmental toxins that pave the way for disease bearing bacteria, viruses and parasites.
According to many healing experts, detoxification through special cleansing programs may be the missing link to disease prevention, especially for immune-deficiency diseases like cancer, arthritis, diabetes, chronic fatigue syndrome and candida.
In the animal kingdom and in traditional cultures, routine fasting which allows the body time to clean itself out has been normal practice. Just think how many showers you take in a year to clean the outside of your body and then how many cleanses you do in a year to clean the inside of your body?

There are excellent cleanses that can be done with food ingredients – learn our top tips to detox building up to a purer, cleaner, leaner and radiant You.

The events are free for everyone and the talks take place in

Madinat Jumeirah Talise Café on Sunday 16^th April 9.45 – 10.30 am
Jumeirah Beach Hotel Talise Café on Tuesday 18^th April 10.45 – 11.30 am
Jumeirah Emirates Towers Talise Fitness on Wednesday 19^th April 6.00 – 6.45 pm

I  am looking forward to seeing you there!

Live healthy, feel good and look great – from the inside out.

Yours in wellness,

xx Gabi

 

Talise Mini Chefs!

At Talise Wellness we believe in the direct effect of lifestyle on human health and wellbeing. We do everything with the intention of making people healthier, fitter and more beautiful.

The food we eat makes up to 50% of our health and wellbeing. The human body builds its cells out of the food we take in – every day. How important is it to teach our kids whilst they are young and help them learn how much fun healthy lifestyle can be? This made us create our latest addition to our popular cooking classes.

Enjoy the Talise Flavors of Fun   

T A L I S E   M I N I  C H E F S

Talise Mini Chefs  cooking Workshops for 6-13 year olds

Including more raw and healthy food in your child’s diet means they get all the beneficial enzymes, vitamins and nutrients of raw living food, making digestion easier and keeping the all-important blood sugar levels stable, as well keeping the little ones healthy. They will be encouraged to smell, touch, cook and taste a wide range of recipes they make themselves. We believe that exposing kids to good eating habits and teaching them to make healthy food choices is essential – they will reap the benefits for the rest of their lives.

What will they Learn…

• how to make easy, healthy and delicious food
• what foods they need to eat to stay smart and strong
• the importance of incorporating healthy food into their little lives
• how to easily get their recommended 5 fruit and vegetables a day in one glass
• how to incorporate more raw/living food into their diets
• how to make healthy snacks and learn their nutritional benefits
• A range of cooking skills
• To try new tastes and textures
• How to avoid foods high in salt, saturated fat and sugar – all while learning how to make better choices.

RECIPES they WILL MAKE 

• How to make Green Juices and Smoothies that they will love
• How to make Raw Breakfasts that will keep their energies going all day
• Healthy Lunch Box meals
• Raw Dinner
• Soups
• Healthy Snack Recipes
• Nearly Raw Banana Bread
• Healthy ice pops and desserts

What is included in the Workshop

• Recipes
• 2 hours fun filled cooking workshop
• Structured nutritional  topics
• Minimum participants 10
• Location: Talise Café Madinat Jumeirah Resort Talise Café Jumeirah Beach Hotel

Price: AED150 

When: Every Tuesday, 10.00 am- 12.00 pm
Where: Talise Café Madinat Jumeirah (within Talise Fitness)
Our first class starts in April on Saturday 29th

To express interest in our fun filled workshop please contact me at gabriele.kurz@jumeirah.com

I am looking forward to seeing you and your little one(s) there soon!

Your ins wellness,

Gabi

 

 

New Health Culinary Masterclasses in March

Whether you are up for a spring clean from the inside out or looking for easy to replicate recipes for everyday healthy eating – our culinary masterclasses will delight your taste buds! We are passionate about healthy food and equally passionate about good taste. Finally we have got our own space to conduct our popular cooking classes here in Dubai: The Talise Cafes.

Please see the schedule for group classes below.

Health Food Master Classes  with Gabriele Kurz  

To Look good on the outside one must feel good on the inside
Our masterclasses are hands on cooking demos conducted by myself,  Gabriele Kurz (also known to many as “Chef Gabi”) sharing my most refined and beyond delicious recipes for a healthy lifestyle – you won’t miss anything. Practical cookery tips and nutritional background information to better understand that food is the most powerful tool to maintain or achieve good health, beauty, and wellbeing. Forget bland tasting diets and restrictions when you start cooking and eating with us. With our great tasting and easy to replicate recipes you will love healthy eating and cooking. 

What is included in the Class

• 5 hours cooking master class
• Recipes & Cooking Demo
• Health & nutrition talk
• Refreshments during the class
• Food Sampling
• Chef’s give away
• Minimum participants 10
• Location:
  Talise Café Madinat Jumeirah Resort

Price: AED 385 per person

To express interest in our master classes or book a seat please contact:

gabriele.kurz@jumeirah.com

Our March Schedule:

Spring Clean Menu (Raw & vegan)
In need for a spring detox and don’t want to compromise on Culinary delights? Great to entertain guests too
2 Tomato Agar Agar | Garden Greens | Basil Dressing
Carrot Fennel Essence | Zaathar Flax Crackers
Quinoa | Butternut | Avocado Citrus Salsa
Sweet Finish: Raw Mango Cocoa Slice

Event Date: Saturday 18^th March 9.30 am – 12 pm
Roots Vegetables – the ideal Brain Food My favorite light food selection for everyday Cooking with friends (vegan)
Caramelized Cumin Carrots | Cauliflower Hummus
Beetroot Essence | Asian perfumes
Almond Mylk poached Parsnips | Pea Avocado crème | Vanilla
Sweet Finish: Strawberry Lavender Agar Agar

Event Date: Friday 24^th March 9.30 am – 12 pm
My Bavarian Favorites with a twist
great to prepare & have guests (vegetarian)
Beetroot Tartar | Cauliflower Remoulade | Cumin Knäcke
Vegetable Essence | Bavarian Semolina Dumplings | Chives
Spinach Knödel | Tomato Ragout | Steamed Kale
Sweet Finish: My Apple Strudel

Event Date: Friday 31^st March 9.30 am – 12 pm

I am looking forward to seeing you there!

xx
Chef Gabi

Free Health & Nutrition Talk

On the occasion of our yearly Wellness Month here in Dubai and the celebration of 10 years Talise Spa Madinat Jumeirah we are offering an array of health and lifestyle activities!
Join us on 21st of February for a free

Health & Nutrition Talk

at Talise Cafe, Madinat Jumeirah.

Time: 10.30 am – 12.00 pm (updated timing)

Tasters included.

I am looking forward to seeing you all there.

To book your seat please call

Talise Spa: 04 366 6818
Talise Fitness: 04 366 6822
DNA Health Centre: 04 366 5111
Or email me at gabriele.kurz@jumeirah.com

Yours in wellness,

Gabi

 

 

Antioxidants & Arctic SuperFoods

With the Dubai weather getting slowly a bit chilly  – this is what we call the 22 degrees Celsius at night and is our actual “winter” – we start thinking of all the winter flavors. My favorite soup comes to my mind – red cabbage cappuccino. Sounds awkward, but please do try the recipe, it is so good! And the purple color is so unusual! The soup comes also with a benefit of low calorie count, great for a little pre Xmas weight loss. Did you know that this color is a sign of the presence of one highly sought after antioxidant? Antioxidants are highly beneficial to enhance the overall well-being, better ageing, health, beauty, and performance – all relates to the food we eat. So all that dark, purple and violet hues  in vegetables, fruits and berries should be part of our kitchen repertoire. The best antioxidative berries are blueberries.  The real  inside and out dark blueberries, the ones that leave your tongue dyed like a Chow Chow 🙂
These gems are unfortunately very seasonal when you want to get them fresh. Unless you have discovered already the powder form …. arctic berries powder. This is the new super food kid on the block. Below link leads you to the product information too. Expect my soon to be revealed new food menu in our Talise Cafes in Madinat Jumeirah and Jumeirah Beach Hotel in Dubai c o l o r f u l. There will be always something purple…

xx Chef Gabi

I hope you enjoy reading my latest interview on Bilberry Blog!

5 Minutes with the Dubai based Raw Food Chef Gabriele Kurz

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http://bilberry.ae/media/js/a8583c9d09ccbd10591d7a9b6020d003.js

Vegan is the new lifestyle

A few years ago vegan guests were an exception in restaurants, special requests once in a while. And now: More and more people prefer vegan food, and they dine out and demand it – a quite interesting change in the culinary landscape. Vegan seems to be the new cool lifestyle everywhere. See what I found recently in a German Magazine:

I love vegan food.  Despite I am not considering myself as a strict vegan person, because I am eating dairy once in a while I have to admit I feel much better without. Vegan often has a lighter and fresher approach to cooking and eating. For example the following recipe “Zucchini Spaghetti & Bean Sprout Roulade” is one of my favourites for summer, when there are great zucchinis, tomatoes and bell peppers. My recipe has been featured recently in Good Health Arabia Magazine, and here is the English version for all who don’t understand Arabic.
The Orange Salt mentioned in below recipe is a staple ingredient in my kitchen. I love to finish dishes with it on the plate. Look here for a detailed description how to make it.
Enjoy and stay healthy this summer!

Zucchini Spaghetti and Bean Sprout Roulade
2 portions

What to buy Zucchini Bean sprouts Fenugreek leaves Flat leave Parsley Silken Tofu Lemon juice Dijon mustard Olive oil Orange Salt: Orange zest Salt

500g 80g 5g 10g 120g 5ml 3g 20ml3g 10g

Tomatoes Shallots Garlic Agave syrup Red pepper Carrot Balsamic vinegar Salt Pepper

200g 50g 5g 5ml 50g 50g 3ml To taste

How to   prepare it Grate some skin off the orange and mix with 2 teaspoons of   salt. Keep this orange salt aside for garnish. Dice the tomato, ½ of the   carrot, ½ of the shallots and simmer in little olive oil with agave syrup and   balsamic to a relish. Crush the garlic. Deseed the red pepper, cut roughly   and roast in the oven at 200 degrees together with garlic, remaining carrots   and shallots, drizzled with olive oil until very soft. Blend with the oil to   a paste and press through a fine sieve. Season both sauces with salt and   pepper and keep aside. Slice half of the zucchini very thin lengthwise and lay a 8×8 square on a   sheet of cling film. Blend tofu with lemon juice, little olive oil, mustard,   salt and pepper. Mix it with the bean sprouts and roll the mix in the   zucchini sheet. Cut the rolls in 3-5 cm pieces. Slice half of the zucchini to   spaghetti. Toss them in a hot pan with a few drops of olive oil for 1 minute.   Season with salt and pepper. Arrange on plate with fenugreek and orange salt   sprinkles.

Chef Gabi’s   Tip Sprouts are so called Living Foods, and very beneficial to our   body system. Living Foods provide the purest energy available through food,   are packed with vitamins and minerals and are naturally high in fiber.