Hiba Samawi (formerly Giacoletto) is a Psychologist and Coach working in Geneva, Lausanne and online.
A Swiss-Jordanian mix, she has a Masters Degree in Psychology from the University of Lausanne and is a certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN). She previously ran Healthwise.ch, a health coaching business where she also created healthy recipes.
Hiba uses mindfulness-based behavioural approaches such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT). These are more active forms of therapy where, more than just talk, you learn skills for living.
She specializes mostly in difficulties around relationships, emotions, making healthy change and eating, and also offers group sessions, both in-person in Geneva/Lausanne and online.
www.wiserhumans.com
fb.me/wiserhumans
By Hiba Giacoletto, Healthwise
Something I hear often is how 'healthy' people think fruit yoghurt is. Sorry to burst your bubble but have you actually read the label on a fruit yoghurt? At best, it is loaded with sugar - at worst, lots of yucky stuff.
It is time for a really simple, delicious alternative that is free of sugar, dairy, soy and gluten!
This breakfast or snack is creamy thanks to the soaked, uncooked buckwheat and hemp seeds. It’s sweet thanks to the raspberries and dried figs. And it has that little bit of tartness thanks to the lemon.
Once you have soaked everything in the evening, it takes only 5 minutes to blend everything in the morning and can keep for up to two days in the fridge.
And because of the mix of healthy fats, protein and fiber, it is filling enough to be a meal in itself.
By Hiba Giacoletto, Healthwise
These cookies are a healthier Nutella in cookie form made using just three ingredients: Hazelnuts, cacao powder and maple syrup. It is a darker chocolate adult version that loses the milkiness but keeps the hazelnut/chocolate combination and adds some crunch from the roasted hazelnuts.
These cookies are very simple to make but you will need a good food processor and as there are so few ingredients, try to buy the best quality you can find.
INGREDIENTS
- 2 cups or 300g hazelnuts
- 3 tbsp maple syrup
- 3 tbsp cacao powder (full-fat and unsweetened)
- a pinch of salt
By Hiba Giacoletto, Healthwise
Here are some easy, healthy options which all have a good mix of healthy fats, protein and carbohydrates to fill you up and keep you satisfied until your next meal! Combining sugary carbohydrates like fruit with a source of fat and/or protein like nuts or seeds ensures more stable energy as blood sugar levels rise more slowly and consistently.
If you are wondering what the role of snacks should be in your diet, I wrote about how often to eat based on my own experience here http://www.healthwise.ch/how-often-should-you-eat-%E2%80%A8%E2%80%A8/
Savoury Snacks
- Hummus with raw vegetable sticks (carrot, celery, cucumber). You can make a big batch of hummus to keep in the fridge for several days. Recipe here: http://www.healthwise.ch/humus-no-bread/
- Cottage cheese - you can add chopped herbs like chives or chopped fruit like apple or pineapple or even berries for a little more taste.
- Chickpea croutons are a super easy snack to make when you want something crispy - and you can add any spices you want to them https://www.pinterest.com/pin/261490322090355039/
- Hard-boiled egg - you can actually make these in advance and keep them in the fridge to use over several days. Learn how to boil eggs perfectly here: http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-boil-eggs-perfectly-every-time-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-202415 or here: http://mykingcook.com/how-to-make-hard-boiled-eggs/
- Plain, air-popped popcorn.
- Tinned tuna or salmon. You can place it in a wrap made from nori or a lettuce leaf.
- Piece of cheese, perhaps with a few grapes or slices of pears.
- Dried meat - the Swiss meat viande des Grisons is a good option.
- A few forkfuls of fermented vegetables like sauerkraut or kimchi. Fermented food is great for balancing the bacteria in our gut and it can even help curb sugar cravings. You can make you own or buy fermented sauerkraut at Migros (make sure it is raw + unpasteurized).
- Whole grain crackers (like brown rice) with avocado, cottage cheese, hummus or nut butter spread on top.
- Grilled Haloumi cheese.
- Leftover piece of chicken, meat or fish
By Hiba Giacoletto, Healthwise
Finding healthy food for lunch in Geneva is not always an easy task, especially if you are avoiding gluten, dairy or are vegetarian/vegan.
Here are my seven favourite places for lunch that all have gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan options. Those that serve animal products offer quality, mostly local meat/fish/chicken/eggs.
1. Qibi: Urban Smart Food
Quick, quality food and good value - and in a trendy setting to boot - Qibi serves local and organic food, sourced directly from farmers and other trusted partners. Oh, and did I mention they also have a delivery service and take away?
WHERE:
Rue Kléberg 12, 1201 Genève (near Manor) + 2, Rue de la Mairie (Eaux-Vives)
http://www.qibi.ch
By Hiba Giacoletto, Healthwise
Bircher müesli is the quintessential Swiss breakfast. It is traditionally made with oats soaked in milk, yoghurt, fruit, nuts and seeds. It was invented by a Swiss doctor called Maximilian Bircher-Benner as a way of helping the patients at his sanatorium in Zürich heal through the power of soaked cereal, fruits, and raw nuts and seeds. This might sound obvious to our modern ears, but was revolutionary at the end of the 19th century when meat, potatoes and white bread were the norm.
Here is a quick and easy recipe for an easier to digest version of Bircher muesli for those of us who don’t like milk or oats. An easy homemade cashew milk replaces cow's milk and chia seeds take the place of oats (trust me, you won't miss them). This is then mixed with fruit of your choice and lemon juice to add a tanginess almost like yoghurt. No added sugar needed.
