Increasing oxytocin levels (during confinement)

Some of you may already be familiar with oxytocin, also dubbed as the love or bonding hormone. It is produced by the hypothalamus, secreted by the pituitary gland and is often said to be boosted by human touch and positive social interactions. It plays a key role in reproduction, childbirth, recognition, sexual arousal and bonding […]

The scientific benefits of spending time in nature

I’ve always loved walking, from the time I was a little kid. But there have been periods in my life when I barely walked because of my urban lifestyle and environment. Which is quite unnatural considering that we human beings were designed to walk. Luckily, two years ago, we got a dog, and being an […]

Creamy chestnut butternut squash soup

Butternut squash wasn’t so popular when I lived in France 10 years ago. Now, it is EVERYWHERE. And it is grown locally, all the more reason to get some to make comforting autumn recipes. The easiest thing in the world is to just cut it in half lengthwise and roast it with some salt and […]

Just Feel Good.

Today, I want to share a tool I’ve been using for a few months now to help me get to a better feeling place in times of anxiety, fear or just plain “blah-ness”. It is something called the Emotional Guidance Scale. Everything is energy You may remember that in January 2020 – right before the […]

Warming spinach watercress soup

When seasons change, our systems change and our bodies crave different types of food. While summer has me craving salads, peaches, watermelon, ice cream and rose wine, fall and winter call for soups, casseroles and warming stews. This week, we had a soup extravaganza. Especially after having visited the farmers market in Grasse, a town […]

French apple cake

If I had a restaurant, this French apple cake would definitely be a “dessert of the day” throughout the autumn season. I love apples. Growing up in Canada, they were mostly associated with cinnamon to make delicious muffins, cakes, pies, crumbles and all sorts of other baked goods that I adored. Here in France, whilst […]

Sweet potato gratin

This sweet potato gratin is my new favorite cold-weather lunch recipe. I actually use a mix of sweet and regular potato for two reasons: first, I don’t like sweetness overkill in my savory dishes. Second, regular spuds are starchier and when making a gratin, this matters. Because when starch releases itself in the cream or […]

Pear, fig and plum crumble

Nothing beats a good, warm fruit crumble with a scoop of vanilla ice cream to put me in a good mood. I make this dessert often because it’s easy, versatile and everyone likes it. Except for my youngest son. He just likes chocolate and ice cream, but that’s another story. I usually put whatever seasonal […]

Incredible celery pesto

This incredible celery pesto is exactly what you should make the next time you end up with a ton of leftover leaves. I for one used to throw out at least half of a celery’s leaves after cutting it up for crudites, which is a real shame because I love their aroma and they are […]

Spicy pear and honey cake

Make this comforting spicy pear and honey cake on a rainy autumn day while you sip your coffee and listen to jazz. The process itself will be relaxing and make you feel all warm inside. Or at least that’s what it did for me the other morning when I came home from a cold and […]