What is your food philosophy?
I treat food as an extension to my personal selfcare. In my opinion, every meal should be nourishing and functional. Therefore, I rely on a fully plant-based diet, combined with the power of adaptogens, herbs and probiotics. I mix them into my meals daily, because they take me to a place I like.
The past couple of years, I also started to ask the question of “Why?” more often: “Why is this type of food good for you?”; “Why is this type of food bad for the planet?” I shifted from a just plant-based lifestyle to a holistic lifestyle. Physical health, mental health and spiritual health are all interconnected and all need nourishment. I take food as my main starting point, my main guidance for a holistic lifestyle, by creating my own rituals and working them into my daily routines. Food really is medicine!
What are your thoughts on how food relates to beauty?
I think beauty starts with how you feel yourself and how you feel about yourself. If you feel good and feel good about yourself, you will shine bright and be beautiful on the outside. Beauty comes from the inside out, and feeling good inside starts with nourishing and feeding your body and your soul. Living a natural and clean lifestyle is the foundation of a healthy, happy and beautiful body. Eat good, feel good, be pretty!
What do you always keep in your fridge?
In my fridge, you’ll always find condiments like miso, umeboshi, mustard and curry pastes. Other than that it’s mostly fresh veggies, fruits, herbs and homemade products, such as cashew or coconut yogurt, herbal pestos, kraut or kimchi, overnight oats and juices. I also make a fresh batch of almond milk or pumpkin seed milk once a week. I also keep probiotics and certain supplements in the fridge.
Let's take a tour! Can you give us a look around?
Pantry.
Medicinal mushrooms: I love chaga and lion’s mane in the morning and reishi in the evening.
Different dried herbs: I use for extractions and teas like rhodiola, ginger, ashwagandha, chamomile and astragalus.
A variety of grains and supplements, including couscous, quinoa, chia seeds, turmeric, goji powder and coconut charcoal, hemp, nutritional yeast and arame seaweed.
Dried flowers: hibiscus, rose, passion flower and lemongrass.
A kombucha scoby.
The green clay I like to use for face masks.
I love to display my products in the kitchen. I go to the thrift shop about once a week to hunt for kitchen props
Fridge.
Top shelf: Miso, homemade face cream, mustard, date paste and charcoal hummus.
Mid shelf: Umeboshi, homemade dressing, beans, rice, kraut, matcha oats and blood orange juice.
Bottom: Homemade YOSOGREEN cream cheese ready for pick-up. Blueberries, oranges, fresh herbs and greens.
Fridge door.
Supplements like ashwagandha, sunflower lecithin and magnesium.
Probiotics in capsules and liquid form.
Homemade green juice, charcoal lemonade, homemade almond milk and matcha pumpkin seed milk.
Please share a favorite recipe.
Summer Salad with Pumpkin Seed Parmesan, Almond Feta and Dulse Dressing by YOSOGREEN. I'm working on my first cookbook!
Pumpkin Seed Parmesan
1 cup pumpkin seeds (preferably activated)
3 T nutritional yeast
2 T salt
Blend on high speed in a blender until powdered.
Almond Feta
1 cup slivered almonds
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
3 T olive oil
1 teaspoon fine salt
1/2 teaspoon light miso
1/3 cup filtered water, plus extra if needed
Drain the almonds and transfer them to an upright blender. Add lemon juice, olive oil, miso, salt and water. Blend this mixture on high speed until completely smooth and creamy. Scrape the almond cream mixture into a small bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let the cream set up in the refrigerator for at least two hours.
Dulse Dressing
1/2 cup cashews
2 T nutritional yeast
2 T hemp oil
1 tsp date paste
2 T apple cider vinegar
1 clove garlic
1 T dulse powder
1 T coconut aminos
1 T mustard
1 T lemon juice
1/4 cup filtered water
Soak the cashews in water for at least 1 hour. Combine all the ingredients in a high speed blender. Process until very smooth.
The Salad
1/2 iceberg salad, chopped
1/2 romaine salad, chopped
6 strawberries, sliced
1 small cucumber, shaved
1 chioggia beet, sliced
1 avocado, sliced
1 small pomegranate
2 stems of spring onion
A bunch of radishes, sliced
Fresh herbs: basil, cilantro, mint, edible flowers
Wash and slice or chop the vegetables. Combine in a bowl with the dressing. Top with avocado slices and almond feta. Generously sprinkle with homemade pumpkin seed parmesan. Garnish with herbs and edible flowers.
