Cibus (February 2018) by Times of Malta

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the ultimate food platform

FEBRUARY 2018

editorial T

he heart of this issue is the idea of negative space, of what the Japanese would call ma (or so a snazzy video on YouTube would have me believe). In the nascent period of the new year there’s always this weird coughing and spluttering we seem to make as a society. Post-holiday blues, a weird gaping feeling in our social calendars, a heaving sigh of relief from our wallets, stomachs stricken by austerity measures that would give postwar Britain the heebie-jeebies. We here at Cibus take time off in January and elect to not publish, it’s our soft boot into the new year. But here we are, almost at the end of February, and the rhythm is back. That doesn’t mean a senseless grind, not for us and hopefully not for anyone. Any and all people should strive to maintain margins in their life, space to breathe, space to think and leave comments, space to pivot and change tack. Time to not do something. Food is a gift to be enjoyed, rather than fuel to be shoveled down at whatever ten-to-fifteen minutes we deem ‘not that busy’ enough. Eating experiences taken with respect and responsibility as a way to change gears and take a moment to look at the bigger picture sound like an excellent way of improving the way we live our lives. Doing nothing – hearing silence, letting space just be – does not in anyway have to be intimidating, or scary. It should be an opportunity to find graces in our lives, and then be a way to dole them back out. So what else is there to say? We’re here, in your hands. Take a breather, look at our pages, try something new. Executive editor Jamie Iain Genovese (cibus@timesofmalta.com) Publisher Allied Newspapers Ltd. Printing Progress Press Co. Ltd. Production Allied Newspapers Ltd. Design Krista Bugeja

Cover Design Kriss Zammit Endrich

Advertising Sales Marisa Schembri (tel: 2276 4337; marisa.schembri@timesofmalta.com) THIS PUBLICATION IS BEING DISTRIBUTED AS PART OF:

All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole, or in part, is strictly prohibited without written permission. Opinions expressed in Cibus are not necessarily those of the editor-in-chief or publisher. All reasonable care is taken to ensure truth and accuracy, but the editor-in-chief and publisher cannot be held responsible for errors or omissions in articles, advertising, photographs or illustrations. The editor-in-chief is not responsible for material submitted for consideration.

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contents 4.

Termemilano Aperitivo of The Senses By Bailey Lalonde Our designated travel writer shares what the thermal baths in Milan have to offer and how best to take advantage of it all. 7 ½ Days in London – by Alison Cilia Werdmölder A quick and breezy guide to some spots about London if you have an upcoming trip that you haven’t quite planned yet.

18.

The Italian Man who Came to Malta by Jamie Iain Genovese A light and informal part-lunch, partinterview with a (currently) local fashion photographer, DJ, and allaround artist that hits at the core of what this issue is about – food and time to ourselves.

Many Recipes by Bailey Lalonde and Danny Coleiro Both Bailey Lalonde and Danny Coleiro, magazine regulars here at Cibus have worked on recipes to keep you going through this time of the year. Gluten free vegan stuff from Bailey (there are dozens of you!) and a little something called Tiramisu e Piu from Danny – all of it delectable.

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FOREIGN

TERMEMILANO

SENSES WORDS BY

Bailey lalonde

a fusion of health, deep relaxation, nutritious food and quality wines have hit the Milan scene, setting the stage for an entire movement. Since arriving in the italian epicentre of fashion, design, business and food, so many people that i have met have asked me “have you been to the Termemilano? you absolutely must go… it’s amazing!” This repeated question caught my attention. Since the Summertime, i have been eager to go check out what this place is all about, but as my italian friends informed me, i had to try it for the first time in the Winter. Finally, the long-anticipated experience was here. Termemilano is a project carried out by local Milanese native woman. She essentially took an old building, directly adjacent to Porta Romana, and renovated the inside completely, keeping the elegant neoclassical features and adding much more. “The philosophy of imperial Rome is alive today, in all its ancient splendour. Just like the Baths of Caracalla, diocletian or Trajan, [they] heat the groundwater to a temperature of 37°C, offering a more pleasant experience.” The structure is a maze of incredible 4

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rooms and facilities, one after the next. although they offer many packages, from day time entries, to late night visits to the famous italian aperitivo hour, we opted for the latter. any time after 19:30, you pay 38 eU, they give you a robe, towel, slippers, quality natural cosmetics, a locker and freedom to roam, experience and explore the facility until 00:30. Upon walking up the grandiose staircase, into the magnificent doors, the reception smells fresh, with herbal essences permeating the air. Placed around the room you’ll find comfortable and elegant couches, tables with health and wellness related reading materials and quality creams and serums available to try. The environment is quiet and peaceful. after registering and receiving all of the included items for the experience, you walk down a hallway that looks like it could be in a museum or a James Bond movie. Go into the appropriate locker room and change into a swimsuit, robe and slippers. Then, make your way into the dining hall, with high ceilings and large antiquated windows. People all around in their matching white robes, indulging in the

FOREIGN

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FOREIGN glorious smorgasbord of healthy, fresh, clean finger food and beverages. This part is all you can eat, but of course the idea is not to get too full before floating in water. We were very impressed with the quality of the wine and Franciacorta, as well as the plethora of food options. I will start with saying that each and every detail of the terme experience is carefully thought out, beautifully designed and conceptually, very dynamic. The changing rooms are clean and feature a plethora of natural, cruelty free, high quality products free to use, from haircare to skincare. After getting your fill on the delicious spa buffet, it’s time to explore. Straight out of the doors, you are stunned by the ancient Roman ruins which function as the walls, within which the rest of the facility is contained. Gorgeous arches, three or four beautifully constructed thermal pools, with built in comfortable seating and even some built in fireplaces, floating on the water. One of my favourite features: they brought a typical Milanese trolley, parked it in the yard and transformed it into a spectacular sauna. It is the “only biosauna in the world built inside a tram”. One amazing thing about this place is while it can be full of people enjoying the terme while you are there, everyone is so relaxed and completely in their zone, so it doesn’t feel crowded or claustrophobic in the slightest. There is no one way to navigate this place. For us, we were enjoying the thermal baths, under the stars for a few hours until we realized that the complex continued on. Going back inside, we took a little adventure around the building, to check out what else was in store. Many saunas, all with their unique theme and design, are strategically placed around the structure. Walking through a dark corridor leads to a room full of pod like structures, reminiscent of a relaxation or healing centre you would find at a transformational festival. Pod structures with a queen size bed in the middle of each one where you can relax, enjoy some one on one time with a friend or loved one, or even take a nap. Beyond this station, there is a round room like structure with a light dose of ultraviolet frequencies, small beds all around, where you can lay and absorb the healing frequencies into your body. Through another corridor, you find an Olfactory, with “fragrances that envelop the body in aromas, reawakening the senses and stirring the emotions.” Continuing on, up a flight of stairs, there is a sensory experience room, with visual stimulation, gentle 6

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relaxing music and water beds! It was like a flashback to the excitement I felt the first time I experienced a waterbed; somewhat like being embraced in the womb. I could have stayed in this room for the night. Towards the end of the evening, we discovered the basement of the building.

Upon walking up the grandiose staircase, into the magnificent doors, the reception smells fresh, with herbal essences permeating the air. Placed around the room you’ll find comfortable and elegant couches, tables with health and wellness related reading materials and quality creams and serums available to try. *Tip for your visit: do not leave this until the very end! The basement is full of ancient Roman treatments like a bicarbonate body scrub, which leaves the body feeling reborn. Also, a room where you can lay on rock tables and have warm water drizzling onto your body… highly relaxing. There are plunge pools and very hot tubs, saunas and steam rooms. There is a whole other world under the ground. Make sure to leave time to properly experience this therapeutic portion of the termemilano. On the way to the change rooms to get ready to leave, as the place was closing, we found a salt room. A perfect place to sit, relax and breathe deeply. “Salt walls help to drain, tone the skin and clear the respiratory tract.” The cherry on top of an excellent, memorable and deeply relaxing experience. Showering off at the end and pampering yourself in the change room is lovely in itself. Beautiful showers, clean utilities and a wide range of high quality, cruelty free, delicious smelling products are there to use. From shampoo and conditioner, to body cream, to face cream to hair treatments and serums… this is the ultimate pamper room. When you finally change back into your clothes and return to the foyer, be prepared to feel entirely reborn. After this revolutionary experience, I left wanting to make this a part of my daily routine. Depending on your budget, it may be a little much to come here every day, but I would highly recommend it as a weekly or at least monthly activity. Despite what my friends originally advised, I say do as the Romans did and frequent this place all throughout the year, rain or shine.

FOREIGN

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DESIGNER TOP QUALITY AT AFFORDABLE PRICES

Petrolea Showroom, Valley Road, Msida Tel: 21234501 / 21235478 Opening hours: Mon to Fri – 9.30-7.00; Sat – 9.30-1.00 Email: showroom@petroleamalta.com Website: www.petroleamalta.com LIKE US ON FACEBOOK

FOREIGN

7½ Days in

LONDON WORDS AND IMAGES BY

Alison CiliA Werdmölder

PATTY&BUN

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FOREIGN

WASABI

CARAVAN

PATTY&BUN

DAY 1 We arrived, at night DAY 2 Lunch at Wasabi, a japanese sushi & bento fast food restaurant found all over London. I had a spicy chicken noodle soup, Matt’s was noodles with chicken and veg in a mild spicy rich sauce. The triangles are the sushi equivalent of sandwiches with cooked salmon or chicken between two layers of rice in an edible nori wrapper, and we also got a stuffed chocolate pancake for dessert. We were extremely impressed, it did not feel like fast food at all and was filling without being heavy. Our intention was to return as there was a lot that we liked the look of. 10 CIBUS | feBrUary 2018

However, there was too much else to eat through the week so those will have to wait for another trip. £16 for two Coﬀee at Joe & The Juice - good, and well priced for a hipster London cafe. Located just off Oxford Street but not too busy to find a seat, which is ideal for tired legs. Not super strong coffee but still recognisably flat whites, and deliciously smooth. Dinner at Patty&Bun on recommendation of a previous traveler. Really juicy with perfect buns, I highly appreciated that they ask you how you want your burger cooked and were true to it; my ‘rare’ bled.

FOREIGN

CHIPOTLE

ASIAN STALLS

The chips (I’d recommend getting one portion between 2 or 3 people) were a bit greasy but super crispy, the accompanying chicken skin mayo was tasty and intriguing but got tiring with the already salty chips. All of the sides were impressive – the cheeseballs are honestly addictive. Serving staff were very friendly and helpful which is a lovely touch. ££ Pricey-ish DAY 3 Lunch at Caravan which is round the corner from the House of Illustration. Also a good visit, this restaurant shares a roof with the prestigious Central Saint Martins, a

constituent of the University of Arts London, so you can imagine the hip look of the place and the people, staff as well as clientele. Pizza dough was almost a sourdough but still a proper pizza dough, poached chicken from the small dish section but about the size of a cereal bowl so we found it was enough to share the two between us. Both of the meals were rich and flavourful, the chicken took me straight back to a thai beach bar while the pizza was an unexpected blend of european cuisine. Total including coffee and beer: £33 Dinner. We wanted something relatively quick due to a long tube journey home

and close by due to a long day of wandering around museums; lo and behold there stood a Chipotle! ‘It’s good for a chain’ was the newbie reaction, it is pretty much what you expect it to be. The braised beef is very juicy and everything is tasty but not out of this world. Roundabout £16 for two (don’t forget that guac is extra)

DAY 4 Lunch at the Borough food market. We ate from multiple stalls, super authentic Asian stalls, and the only real con was that there was no guaranteed seating; there was an area with benches but it was too busy for us to find a spot

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FOREIGN

TOFF’S

which was a pity as I don’t particularly enjoy eating standing up. The food was worth it, though. Fudge was delicious, loads of options as well. We ended up at a cafe round the corner so as to ~*sit*~, rest up, and plan our touristing for the afternoon. The coffee was really rich and we surprisingly fell in love with the (raw?) sugar, the making of which is explained on the cute paper on all the tables. I may or may not have had a spoonful of it alone. DAY 5 Dinner with Family. Visiting family in Muswell Hill meant getting takeaway fish and chips from Toff’s. They’ve apparently won awards for their fish and chips and such. Personally, when it comes to fish and chips I don’t distinguish much difference between good and incredible as some others do, but the homemade tartare sauce was incredibly fitting and the entire meal did not feel as drowned in grease as I presumed it would be.

TORTILLA BYRON BURGER

DAY 6 Lunchtime lead us to Tortilla, extremely similar to chipotle just somewhat more of a homegrown vibe. Decent but still quite fast food Mexican, we loved the Barbacoa steak though, also always go for the extra guacamole which was actually cheaper here than at Chipotle! Dinner took us to Byron burger. We all had the Christmas special (£17.50pp for burger mentioned, any side + drink from a list), or as they called it their cheesemas special involving a fromagemas burger with multiple cheeses plus a pour over of cheese fondue, between three of us we had two sides of sweet potato fries

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FOREIGN

and one side of holy cheeseballs (deep fried mac and cheese balls) and as for drinks the other two went for beers while I had an amazing salted caramel milkshake that was so thick it had chunks of ice cream yet was still drinkable and just salty enough to cut the sweetness. Being the cheese lovers that we are, we were satisfied with our meal, though somewhat comatose. Maybe don’t get a cheesy side with your cheesy burger though, as delicious as they were it might be a bit much. FINAL DAY For lunch, we met a couple of friends in Chinatown for dim sum, something I always do when visiting London. The place we intended to go to was closed and I’ve lost the name of our second option, but I have never been disappointed so as long as the place has dim sum on the menu then you’re good to go! We ordered a number of dishes between us and were pleasantly stuffed at only £31 between 4 people. After pub hopping for a while we hit the Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park where we shared some delicious fresh churros from a stand. Honourable Mention: though not found in London I managed to bribe a friend who lives in Cambridge to bring us some fudge from The Fudge Kitchen, A.K.A the best fudge known to man. They have locations across the U.K. in mostly historic centres like Oxford, Bath, York and even Edinburgh so I highly advise you to seek them out should you be able to. It has become my personal mission to visit every one of their locations (yes, they’re that good). My favourite fudge of theirs is Dark Chocolate with Sea Salt, but they always offer tasters if you’re not sure (or just a little curious).

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THE FUDGE KITCHEN

SHOP

Vita ē Bella

PASTA WITH LAMPUKI, ARTICHOKES, LEMON AND PISTACHIO PESTO

INGREDIENTS: Pasta shapes your choice (De Cecco) • 1 lampuki, ﬁlleted • 1 clove garlic • 1 ﬁnely chopped onion • extra virgin olive oil (Borges) • dry white wine • zest and juice of a lemon • 100g blanched peeled pistachios • 50g blanched almonds • 1 jar artichokes hearts in oil (Ogygia) • parsley METHOD: Prepare the pesto, whizz together the lemon zest, pistachios and almonds into roughly ground pieces. Chop the artichokes and put into a bowl together with the lemon juice and chopped parsley. Stir in the nuts & bind with just enough oil to make a pesto. Cook the pasta in boiling salted water. Take a frying pan, cook gently the onion and the garlic in olive oil until soft. Cut the lampuki into fine strips and add to the onion mixture, splash in with the wine and reduce. Add a ladle full of the pasta cooking water, drain the pasta and stir in. Toss until sauce reduces, spoon in a large spoon of the pesto.

Courtesy of Vivian Corporation.

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CYNAR is an artichoke based bittersweet liqueur known for its versatility and distinctive flavour; its taste is enriched by an infusion of 13 herbs and plants. The name of the drink derives from Cynar scolymus, the botanical name for artichoke. Created by Angelo Dalle Molle, a Venetian entrepreneur and philanthropist, Cynar was launched in Italy in 1952. Since then, the brand has grown and is now distributed internationally. Cynar became popular in Italy thanks to the first ads (during the Italian “Carosello”) performed by the famous actor, Ernesto Calindri and the claim “Cynar, against the attrition of modern life”. Thanks to its refreshing and herbal bittersweet features and its moderate abv (16,5%), Cynar is an ideal pre or post dinner drink, and a bartender favorite to create “pungent” and original cocktails. Can be enjoyed neat on ice and a slice of orange or as a long drink mixed with Kinnie or Tonic water. Cynar is marketed and distributed by Farsons Beverage Imports Company Ltd. Trade Enquiry 2381 4400

FEATURE

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FEATURE

THE ITALIAN MAN

MALTA WORDS AND PHOTOS BY

jamie iain genovese

eing the selfish guy that i am, i asked him if he’d be up for letting me turn this into a story for the pages of this magazine, and he agreed.

Federico has been in malta for five years or so, making a home for himself in sliema. His furniture is practically all upcycled or recycled, maintained and restored by himself. He would quicker fix an abandoned computer monitor for twenty euros than buy the same one for two-hundred; a sentiment that’s anachronistic in the age of planned obsolescence. it pays off, the home is nice, could easily give the multi-thousand-euro living rooms a run for their money. it is said that you can get a better idea of a person by seeing where they live than you can by talking for a few hours; the books, the pictures adorning the walls from his life and travels, and cool knickknacks to go with them. The pictures are, upon closer inspection, of old automobiles, his parents, street and city scenes that almost inspire déjà vu, even if you never actually went there, wherever ‘there’ may be.

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FEATURE

But we are not here to talk about his house. We go to the kitchen, a small space that keeps you within reach of everything, and prepare the ingredients for our meal – a pasta dish – and open a bottle of wine and go outside into the garden to start the interview. Federico takes pictures and DJs at parties, but he works for magazines. He’s been doing it for a while, in Milan and then in New York. I asked him what New York was like. “The best thing about New York, is New York. The worst thing about New York, is New York.” We laugh, mostly because it sounds true. It’s an expensive place, you’re almost guaranteed to work to live there, and the personal relationships are not quite what you can get in Malta. Oh, and the cockroaches are bigger.

We snack on sundried tomatoes and bread dabbed on very aromatic olive oil from Turkey until the pasta is ready. It is excellent.

We snack on sundried tomatoes and bread dabbed on very aromatic olive oil from Turkey until the pasta is ready. It is excellent. The ‘interview’, which has now spiralled into just talking, carries on. Federico, by the way, does not own a TV. I asked him why, and he had nothing kind to say about television. He watches copies of Goddard films which he plays off of his monitor. He also swims – a lot, every day from April up until December. More than anyone I know, more than myself for sure. It dawns on me just how much I waste the privilege of living by the sea, how despite being an ‘islander’ it isn’t a part of my lifestyle. This does not cut deep enough to be shameful, but it comes pretty close. It is clear to me that Mr. Peltretti is more of an Islander than myself, spiritually speaking. A couple more glasses of red wine are had before we move back to the kitchen. The three main champions of the dish, other than the pasta itself, are the mushrooms, the radicchio, and the salsiccia. Federico often cooks a large dish in the middle of the day, and that food could last for dinner, or into the next day. He virtually always cooks for himself, rather than go to restaurants. The amount of practice, and the memetic gifts of Bologna, show in the way he cooks: alla prima, bid-daqqa t’għajn, without much in the way of inhibition or over-thinking; just a few key ingredients prepared and cooked well, which contrasts with his work pictures that always feel so grand and stylised. Naturally, we moved on from there to cameras themselves. Federico showed me a few of his nifty old toys from ‘back in the day’. Cameras that I had never really used nor seen, and finally got to use and see. Rangefinders, twin-lens reflex cameras, beater film cameras that you 20

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FEATURE

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FEATURE

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would see on the necks of war correspondents in the 70s – the works. These are the cameras that he enjoys using, the ones that make it to his luggage when he takes trips to Istanbul or wherever; or back home to Bologna or Moscow, his and his wife’s homes, respectively. We eat the pasta, the flavour clings to it and there isn’t a drop of extra moisture. The bites are full of savoury flavour, a sweetness from the onions, a cutting bitterness from the radicchio, sips of wine in between. Eventually, guilt arrives, as we finished the entire pot ourselves before his wife came home from work. We open a bottle of vodka, and cut up some pickled cucumbers. Federico goes back to the kitchen to whip something else up while I started to read a book he lent me (The Gods of Eden, by William Bramley). Before we know it, another friend, Julien, shows up. He is French, or half-French, I do not remember, but I do remember he has a distaste for the Parisiennes, as all the French, and the Parisians themselves do. He is an artist, known for his bold black swathes of ink on white canvas – they are illustrative and rough, like stamps hand-carved out of rubber. We talk, and talk, and talk, Federico, Julien, and myself; sharing stories from work, or comparing experiences from travels to here or there. Julien then tells me of a piece he worked on with Federico, a performance piece featuring them and two typewriters: linked by an umbilical scroll of parchment many feet long. They, in front of an audience of a size unknown to me, type furiously. The keys, they told me, echoed like kalishnikovs in the room. They just had to write, and write freely, and the winner was whoever was first to reach the centre line marked in the incredibly long scroll of paper. One side eventually won, Federico’s I believe, and that is the side that gets read first, that is the story that won the war and wrote history – so to speak. In time, Federico’s wife Natasha arrived home with a friend from work, Julien and I got some more wine from the store, and Federico plated more food – a hearty soupy dish that I forgot to note the name of. In time I left, and went home content. It would be impossible to live every day like this, in fact no one should, but there is a grace to making a margin for yourself – a space to scribble on with friends, or their friends, a space to share, and not to produce. I apologise if this wasn’t a straightforward article, or a listicle with tips for you, or a question and answer session with an illuminated photographer with cooking tips straight from Bologna. There’s only one real take-away here: to not overthink, or over-plan, your meals or your days. At least once in a while.

LOCAL

REVISITING PASH & JIMMY WORDS BY

jamie iain genovese

ot too long ago, a friend and i decided to meetup and catch up. We wanted to plan work-things, but we wanted to enjoy where we were. ambience was importance, we needed to be somewhere none too formal so that we could pull out our notebooks and work, but we wanted to be somewhere pleasant, with plates, silverware and a sensible menu. Pash & Jimmy was the spot that i chose, having taken a look at it up close a while back for this very magazine. They kept true to their word, and they live their mission: fresh and healthy food prepared largely in-house. The sausages, burger patties, desserts, curries, jam, sauces, vegan cheese, burger black & whole meal bun,

pizza dough, and so on, are all made in house. itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an exhaustive list, an impressive one. We ate there, and we ate well, and we did our work. They donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t push their vegan products too hard, there are no awkward glances after ordering their beef burger, but it is a place that offers choice. a place that made work a little more fun. Pash & Jimmy serve breakfast from 8am to 12pm (noon), lunch from 12pm to 5pm and pizza & burgers from 5pm to 10pm. on public holidays, saturdays and sundays they serve pizzas & burgers from 12pm, that is, noon. Check them out.

SHOP

FIRST HARVEST, LIMITED EDITION EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL BORGES INTRODUCES A LIMITED-EDITION PRODUCT – FIRST HARVEST EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL - TO SHARE THE VERY FIRST OIL WITH THE VERY DEMANDING PALATES. Olive oil is one of the pillars of the so-called Mediterranean cuisine. It is considered as the healthiest fat due to its high content in oleic acid. It is popularly known as the “liquid gold”. Borges presents this exclusive First Harvest Oil in its 6th Edition. This is the freshest Extra Virgin Olive Oil in our portfolio, and it is characterised by its intensity of aromas, flavours and colour. Obtained from the very first olives of the new year’s crop and harvested just before the fruit reaches its optimal maturation point, because it is when olives offer their maximum intensity, this oil is the result of a fine selection of olives and a cared elaboration process. This is a traditional oil made by artisan procedures just to get a more natural, more concentrated and more intense olive oil, both in colour and in extraordinary taste, and offer it in a Limited Edition for oil lovers. Its elegant flavour nuances and incomparable texture, make it delicious for all kinds of salads, greens, fish or simply with a toast of bread.

HELLO FROM DORSET! In this part of the world, we’re all about living life to the full and looking after ourselves – in fact, the people here live for three more growing seasons! We believe one of the most important things you can do is grab a great start to the day by having a really good breakfast and all our recipes are created right here in picturesque Poundbury, west Dorset. How we make things… We visit our suppliers to make sure we are using the best possible ingredients. We don’t just chuck our ingredients together, we balance and blend them carefully using our knowledge of what tastes delicious. We don’t scrimp, we make sure our recipes are stuffed full of fruit, nuts and seeds. We don’t forget the flakes – they get as much attention as those fruits. And we don’t just make mueslis. We also do delicious granolas. CIBUS | feBrUary 2018

RECIPE

Grain-free Vegan

HEALTHY DAY 26

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RECIPE

RECIPES BY PHOTOS BY

BAIley lAlONde jAMIe IAIN geNOveSe

ow more than ever, this trend or movement of customised diets is becoming relevant in everyone’s lives. From individuals to bloggers to restaurants, people are becoming conscious of what we are eating. With over 80% of people struggling with digestive and or metabolic issues, we are starting to ask… what is in my diet and how does it work for my body? No one diet works for every person. A few commonalities we are starting to notice however are the general difficulties with digesting gluten, dairy and meat. Of course, there will always be those of us who feel as though we are carnivorous, but the numbers are showing mass amounts of people now experimenting with the vegan lifestyle. So, what is it we should be avoiding? Is it gluten, starch, yeast, sugar, animal products? Maybe toning it down on all of the above and transitioning to a more plant based clean diet is the answer. An issue many people attempting to follow these dietary changes face is being able to make this switch without just filling the diet with empty carbs… also making sure to get all of the nutrients we need from veggies alone. In this article, you can see a day in the life of a grain free vegan. These are some healthy, nutrient filled alternatives to the common diet.

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RECIPE

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RECIPE

BREAKFAST

lthough smoothies are generally quite high in their sugar content, when combined with superfoods and nuts, they can be quite the powerhouse breakfast. Today I made a smoothie bowl, since I have been seeing these beautiful creations all over my Instagram feed, I figured itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time to give it a try. To my surprise it was much easier than anticipated; just a little bit of attention to detail, kind of like starting the day with a little impermanent art piece. I like to load my smoothies up with superfoods to really get the full health blast. Each one has their own incredibly strong nutritional properties. If you have a few minutes of time or a bit of curiosity on the topic, read about some of your favourite superfoods and what exactly they do for you. Some of my favourites are spirulina, cacao and maca. It may be hard to start eating your delicious smoothie bowl as it is too beautiful to break into, but go for it! You may be surprised with just how tasty it is.Â

Smoothie before

SUPERFOOD SMOOTHIE BOWL INGREDIENTS

PREPARATION

2 bananas Handful of frozen blueberries Handful of frozen raspberries 2 branches of kale 1 avocado 2 cups almond milk Organic protein powder 2 tbsp cacao nibs 1 tbsp red berry powder 1 tbsp chia seeds 1 tbsp spirulina powder 1 tbsp walnuts

1. Put ingredients into blender. From fruit to veggies such as kale, to almond milk to all of the superfoods you have, put them into the blender & blend! Easy. 2. After blending until smooth (but still thick), pour evenly into four small bowls. 3. Time to decorate. This time I used a quarter of a banana, cacao nibs, walnuts and some frozen blueberries to make a nice little design on the surface. 4. Voila! Time to eat!

Ready in 5 minutes Serves 4 people

Using frozen fruit helps to create the thick, delicious smoothie consistency.

TIPS

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RECIPE

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RECIPE

LUNCH

inter, Summer, Spring or Fall, if you are making a point to lead a healthy lifestyle whilst thriving in your busy schedule, soups can be your best friend. Depending on the time of year and which veggies are fresh and in season, the recipes will vary. One nice rule of thumb regardless of your seasonal pick, lemon, ginger, garlic and turmeric all have very strong health properties which combat an internal environment for illness. This time I made some butternut squash soup. I have long seen my mom make a rendition of this recipe, but never paid too much attention to the directions. I decided to improvise my own version and I loved how it turned out. It is so nourishing and comforting, with a health kick to boot. As for most of my soups, I like to garnish them with a little extra virgin olive oil, Himalayan salt, fresh pepper and herbs. Spring roll filling

RAW FRESH VEGETABLES SUMMER ROLLS INGREDIENTS

PREPARATION

1 carrot ¼ fennel ½ red pepper ½ yellow pepper ½ onion ½ cucumber ½ zucchini Rice wraps

1. Wash & Prepare Veg. Remove ends, dark spots and cut in long thin pieces (all veggies). 2. Soften rice wraps. Warm up 1 cm of water in saucepan. One by one, place rice wraps in warm water for 20 seconds, or until soft but still intact. 3. Assemble Wrap, take wrap out of water and place on flat surface. Put a pinch of each vegetable in center of wrap. Stack them all tidily. Roll in bottom and top first, then roll one side in, and roll other side to seal the wrap. 4. Make sauce, mix peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, honey, Worcestershire sauce, ginger, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes.

Ready in 25 minutes Serves 4-6 people

TIPS Overly full summer rolls are hard to close and handle. Also, present them stacked so they are easy to pick up. Light and fun!

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RECIPE

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RECIPE

DINNER

epending on whether you are trying to gain weight or lose it, your meal size strategy will vary. As most people are trying to lose weight, this day ends with a light, fresh dinner. If you are trying to gain weight, eating larger portions before you sleep will be a good way to do it, as we burn less calories in our sleep. Generally, I like to have a bigger breakfast and lunch and finish the day with a lighter meal. Today I was feeling like some summer rolls. This part slightly cheated the grain-free description as the rolls are made from rice flour. If you are grain-free, you can substitute the rice wraps with lettuce wraps. Traditionally this dish would call for a peanut sauce as I have featured in the recipe; personally, I prefer almond sauce. This is a nice way to keep it raw in the evening to facilitate efficient digestion. These are also a fun thing to prepare for a little dinner party or get together with friends. By introducing raw meals into your diet plan, you enable quick and easy absorption of the nutrients your meal has to offer.

GINGER TURMERIC BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP INGREDIENTS

PREPARATION

2 butternut squashes 4 medium carrots A thumb of ginger 4 cloves of garlic ½ lemon ½ can coconut cream Lemon zest Salt Black pepper Red chilli powder

1. Preheat the oven to 175 °C. 2. Prepare veggies. Wash, remove ends and brown spots, cut squash in half and carrots quartered longways. Remove peel of garlic and ginger. 3. Place veggies in oven. Drizzle in olive oil, salt, pepper, turmeric, lemon zest and lemon juice. Bake until you can stick a fork into squash and carrots with ease. 4. Remove from oven and let cool until nearly room temperature. 5. Transfer to blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Soup is ready to reheat on the stovetop and serve.

Ready in 35 minutes Serves 4 people TIPS This nutrient packed, delicious and colorful dish is best topped with a drizzle of olive oil, fresh black pepper and fresh herbs.

Whether you are doing a cleanse, lifestyle shift, or simply experimenting with a different way of eating, there are so many options for grain-free, vegan meals. This is just the beginning. A good rule of thumb is to have lots of homemade sauces on hand to mix up the flavours of your meals as well as having a variety of fresh veg to improvise and experiment with. Pretty much any vegetable sautéed in olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper can be delicious. Feel free to mix in different herbs and spices and let your creative juices flow!

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RECIPE

TIRAMISÙ È PIÙ WORDS AND RECIPE BY PHOTOS BY

DANNY COLEIRO jAmIE IAIN gENOvEsE

y now, your Christmas tree has been taken down and packed away. Or perhaps incinerated in the fireplace, depending on whether you prefer your festive frondescence fresh from mother Nature or formed by Father Factory. Either way, your tree should be a ghost of Christmas Past by now, and your living room should have that somewhat empty feel to it, like the fading echo of yesterday’s merriment and mirth, or the lingering taste of champagne on the tongue, from a raised and recently drained flute.

By now, the fairy lights should be neatly looped into tidy curved and coiled convolutions, although at some point during the next three hundred, and fifty-five days they will somehow, mysteriously and mystically, transform themselves into a tangled mess that requires patience, practice and prayer to unravel. Don’t take it personally - they do it to everyone. By now, you may still be clinging desperately to your one remaining unbroken New Year’s Resolution. The ‘stop smoking’ was probably the first forgotten, mainly because you also determinedly decided to ‘lose weight’, and these two not only do not sit well together but, rather, actively work against each other until, 34

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INGREDIENTS 250ml Mascarpone 1 tsp of vanilla essence 1 cup fresh cream Spice Rum or Brandy, your choice 1 1/2 tbsp of butter 3 heaped tbsp of brown sugar 100g dark chocolate Enough sponge fingers to cover the dish you want to use Cup (or so) of cold coffee

RECIPE

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RECIPE

eventually, the less important of the two evils is sacrificed for the greater good, with plausibility, persuasiveness and procrastinatory promise aplenty. Which is okay, except that the remaining resolution is, approximately one week later, surreptitiously slipped from mind, with a great deal less bravado and braggadocio than its original announcement. By now, you may be thinking that someone got me a thesaurus for Christmas. Well… they didn’t. First of all, I bought it myself. And secondly, it wasn’t for Christmas. In fact, from where I’m sitting, Christmas hasn’t happened, and all my unwrapping of socks and aftershave is yet to come. I haven’t had a single bite of turkey or trimmings, parsnip or potato, soup, stuffing or sprout. I haven’t sung, hummed or whistled a carol, and I have yet to pull a cracker, self-consciously wear a paper crown for the sake of ‘merry’, and read out the joke to everybody who really doesn’t care but will try to guess the answer anyway. Christmas Day is tomorrow.I am writing to you from my present; your past. This, incidentally, is not half as dramatic as it sounds, since technically, anything you’ve ever read, ever, was written to you from the past because that’s pretty much how chronology works. But it sounded really cool, so whatever. Obviously, a good thesaurus can’t be expected to fix everything. Anyway, to cut a long story short, I can’t break any of my New Year’s Resolutions because I haven’t actually made any yet… … but I’m going to help you break yours. Let’s face it. They only make you feel miserable, anyway. Or gloomy, perhaps. Sad. Wretched. Etc… I’m a bit like the Terminator, only travelling from the past into the future, and I am here in order to destroy your well-meaning but ill-advised, New Year’s Resolution Diet, and I am wielding a tiramisu instead of an IMI Uzi 9mm submachine gun. And I have, actually, quite an extensive vocabulary. So… er…

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more like… um… not like the Terminator at all, really. This thesaurus is useless. Impractical. Ineffective. But yes… tiramisu! A fancy word for trifle. Made all the more fancy by the fact that I’ve been experimenting with a quick and simple recipe all week. No egg yolks - it’s a cheat’s tiramisu. And then I put caramel in it. Hence, experimenting. Let’s just call it a tiramisu e piu. You’ll need 250ml of mascarpone, which you then halve into separate bowls. To one of those bowls, you should add a teaspoon of vanilla essence and half a cup of fresh cream which you should whip before folding into the mascarpone… (That’s your ‘lose weight and eat healthily’ resolution out of the window, by the way, and we’re not even halfway through. Don’t you feel better already? If you did actually opt for ‘get in shape’ over ‘quit smoking’, you might want to put that cigarette out round about now…) … and then add a tablespoon or two of spiced rum and stir it in. Brandy works just as well, but I went for spiced rum because… well… spiced rum. And that’s pretty much the ‘tirami’ bit out of the way.

Now for the ‘ee piu’ part. Grab a pan and toss in one and a half tablespoons of butter. When it melts, add three heaped tablespoons of brown sugar and keep it on the heat until it dissolves into a bubbling caramelised lava of goodness. Remove from the heat and drop in a hundred grams of dark chocolate. Stir gently until the chocolate has melted into the caramel, and then add half a cup of fresh cream and stir until mixed. Pour the lot over the second bowl of mascarpone, add another couple tablespoons of spiced rum, and beat until it’s thoroughly mixed, slightly thicker in consistency. By now, it’s all over but the ‘su’. This is where the coffee comes in, and what makes the dessert worthy

RECIPE

of a fancy name. You’ll need a quantity of sponge fingers - the exact number depending on the size of the dish you’re planning on using - and a cup or so of cold coffee. Dip the fingers in the coffee and cover the bottom of your dish with a single layer. Pour the caramelised ‘e pipiu’ over the lot and spread it out evenly, and then add another layer of coffee-saturated fingers over that. Then, finally, spoon the ‘tirimi’ batch of mascarpone over it all, and spread that out evenly too. Put the dish in the fridge and let it chill for at least an hour and a half. You can catch up with any other resolutions you have left while you wait. Read more, perhaps, or learn something new. Be nicer and kinder to others. Find a new job. Make new friends. Whatever. Ninety minutes later, you’re good to go, although, truth be told, it does actually taste even better if you leave it to do its thing overnight. Dust a layer of cocoa powder over it before serving at room

temperature. If you want it to be extra fancy… fancier than it already is… elegant, lavish, sumptuous even… you can make it in individual glasses instead of a dish, and have people say things like ‘arrggh, I’m supposed to be on a diet; I ate so much over the holidays, etc etc…!’ And then they’ll eat it anyway, because it tastes like a mouthful of yesterday’s merriment and mirth, or maybe a raised champagne flute. It’s not going to do your diet any favours, but don’t take it personally… it does it to everyone. I’ve just had a portion of it myself… … which is why I suppose ‘make less tiramisu’ should be top of the list of my New Year’s Resolutions. Your past, and my future. I’m sure I’ll break it within the first week or so. On the plus side, I quit smoking years ago. I’ll be back. Until then, have a great beginning to twenty eighteen, and hasta la vista, baby.

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RECIPE

Banana Bread:

THE BEST FRUITBREAD 38

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RECIPE

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RECIPE

heard once, I think it was in the cheesy rom-com Leap Year (2010) starring Amy Adams and Matthew Goode, that realtors might pop pre-made cookie dough in an oven before potential buyers come. The lingering warm scent of faux-homeliness, fauxmliness, will snap the buyers into an optimistic, olfactory bear trap. In other words, smell is powerful. Banana bread is one such champion of good smells and fond memories. The memories aren’t too deep, I first had banana bread midway through my teenage years, well after sixth form. Nonetheless, they are strong, for I’ve never once had bad banana bread, and the first I had was an excellent sample made by the same individual that designs our cover, Kriss Zammit Endrich. Another time was one particular weekend at Porziuncola where it was served as dessert with vanilla ice-cream, the warmth of the fresh bread and the cool ice-cream together making a wonderful treat. It’s a simple thing to make, but a potently heart-warming one as well. Here’s the recipe I use to make my own, which you might choose to make your own loaf.

WORDS BY PHOTO BY

JAMIE IAIN GENOVESE LILIyA KANdrASHEVIcH

BANANA BREAD INGREDIENTS

PREPARATION

285g plain flour 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda ½ tsp salt 110g butter, plus extra for greasing 225g caster sugar 2 free-range eggs 4 ripe bananas, mashed 85ml buttermilk (or normal milk mixed with 1½ tsp lemon juice or vinegar) 1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. 2. Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. 3. Add the eggs, mashed bananas, buttermilk and vanilla extract to the butter and sugar mixture and mix well. Fold in the flour mixture. 4. Grease a 20cm x 12.5cm/8in x 5in loaf tin and pour the cake mixture into the tin. 5. Transfer to the oven and bake for about an hour, or until wellrisen and golden-brown. 6. Remove from the oven and cool in the tin for a few minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely before serving.

Preparation time: 30 mins Cooking: 30 mins to 1 hour Makes 1 loaf

TIPS This is an easy recipe that gives perfect results every time. Be sure to use overripe bananas and the right sized tin.

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