Tag: Blue

Blue Monday: 25 tiramisu recipes to deal with it – Italian cuisine reinvented by Gordon Ramsay

Monday 15 January 2024, third Monday of the first month of the year. Which according to pseudoscience is also called Blue Monday. In fact in English blue it is not just a color, it is also the adjective synonymous with “sad”, which associated with the day of the week identifies the saddest day of the year.

How the Blue Monday theory was born

Although the equation on which the concept is based has no scientific basis, Blue Monday has gained traction since 2005, when it was first made public by the British TV channel Sky Travel. According to this theoretical equation developed by the psychologist Cliff Arnall of Cardiff University, on this day people feel more sad because their brain subconsciously realizes that they are far from the Christmas holidays and that it will still be several months before they can get to another holiday.

Like you, we have some doubts about Arnall’s theory, but we thought that Blue Monday could be the excuse to get into the kitchen to prepare a cheerful menu that could end with an iconic dessert like tiramisu. Not that we need excuses to prepare the most famous Italian dessert in the world, but today could be the right day to increase the opportunities for good humor by bringing tiramisu to the table. Legend has it that it was created precisely to “cheer yourself up”, so raise your spoons and go!

25 tiramisu recipes to cheer you up

How many variations of tiramisu are there? Countless! Here we have collected our ideal selection, starting from classic tiramisu recipe or original by Le Beccherie up to tiramisu with citrus fruits, raspberries, coconut, and so on. There is also the version on a stick, which is a really nice idea for a different snack. And then there’s that in cup or cupthere’s that broken down or the one prepared in her own way by Mrs. Jacopa. In short, the beauty of tiramisu is that it leaves you free to express yourself starting from a truly delicious base, perfect for defeating Blue Mondaywe agree?

Blue Monday, 5 yoga positions to regain a good mood – Italian Cuisine

Monday 18 January is the saddest day of the year. Here are the yoga positions to deal with it with the right charge and free yourself from anxieties and tensions

Today we celebrate Blue Monday, the saddest day of the year. The story of this anniversary began in 2005 when an English psychologist through a series of calculations including the reduction of daylight hours identified the third Monday in January as the depressing day of the whole year. In reality, the anniversary has nothing scientific because it was born on the occasion of a publicity stunt by a travel agency. What is certain is that Monday is generally a difficult day of the week to deal with. To do this with the right gear, yoga can also help. "Through movement and breathing it facilitates calm and relaxation, acting in a positive way on mood. In fact, it promotes the production of endorphins, neurotransmitters that reduce stress hormones such as cortisol ", says Francesca Miccoli, certified Hatha yoga teacher, who here suggests 5 yoga positions to regain a good mood and face Blue Monday (and not only) with the right gear.

The position of the mountain (Tadasana)

Stand upright with your feet together, your arms close to your body and your palms facing forward. Lift the tips of your toes off the floor and then place them on the ground, taking care to distribute the weight of the body over the entire sole. Pushing the belly in, stretch upwards and let the shoulder blades slide downwards. This asana is useful for finding harmony and balance.

The position of the triangle (Utthita Trikonasana)

Stand with your legs spread just over shoulder width apart. Bring your arms parallel to the floor while keeping your palms down. The legs are straight and the heels aligned. Turn your right foot and the toe of your left foot to the right. As you exhale, lower your torso sideways to the right and touch the corresponding leg with your right hand. Lift your left arm upwards and rotate your head towards the corresponding hand. Then inspiring, return to the starting position and repeat everything on the other side. This asana is great for opening up posture and counteracting tension.

The position of the child (Balasana)

Kneeling with your legs together, rest your buttocks on your heels and spread your legs so that the space between the knees is equal to the width of the hips. As you exhale, bend your torso forward. Rest your head on the ground and your arms at your sides. The palms of the hands are facing upwards. Stay in this position for a few minutes, focusing on the breath. This asana is perfect for counteracting stress and fatigue that can promote nervousness and irritability.

The location of the bridge (Setu Bandhasana)

Lie on the ground on your stomach, with your arms along your body and your palms resting on the floor. The knees are bent and the feet parallel and hip-width apart. Pressing your feet to the ground and exhaling, lift your buttocks and pelvis off the floor and lift your back off the ground trying to form an arch that goes from the shoulders to the knees. Stay in this position for 30 seconds and then slowly return to the starting position. This asana is great for relaxing and relaxing your body and mind.

The inverted position on the wall (Viparita Karani)

Position yourself on the ground face up with your arms extended along your body, palms facing upwards and buttocks resting against a wall. Raise your legs and lean them against the wall. Stay in this position for 5 minutes, focusing on the breath. This asana relaxes and helps to get rid of thoughts and anxieties. It gives immediate relief and a feeling of well-being.

Blue Monday: our menu against a bad day – Italian Cuisine

January 18, 2021 is the saddest day of the year. Let's face it hard-nosed and with a menu that really makes us feel good

The winter weather, the too many expenses made in the last months of the year, a 2020 that we have just left behind and that has put us to the test, and then the wait (too long) for the next holidays, the failure of the good intentions and a new week ahead to face. According to the algorithm of the English psychologist Cliff Arnal, a very depressing day awaits us. In 2021, Blue Monday will be January 18th. Unmotivated, tired, lacking in expectations and, moreover, this year, with the restrictions for Covid-19! In short, you feel just a rag. But don't worry, it's just the predictable effect of a bad day foretold.

There is a remedy for everything, even on Blue Monday

So let's face it this Blue Monday and face it hard! Set the alarm half an hour earlier than usual, spend a few minutes on a dessert muscle toning, continue with the shower, a good one Breakfast and wear your favorite clothes. It does not matter if you are in smart working and now spend whole weeks in pajamas: today self-love must take over. Make yourself beautiful as if you were going to a party. Face the day light-heartedly and avoid making plans. Focus only on today, on the here and now, and make it perfect. Feel like queens and kings of your time and treat yourself to a well-set table, enriched with your favorite foods. Here is our advice for a menu that will awaken pleasant memories and will certainly prompt lots of good vibes.
And don't forget the music! To sing out loud.

Let's start from the table to rediscover joy

To face Blue Monday, we have thought of a good mood menu full of pleasant childhood memories, transgressions and gratifications. After all, this is a difficult day: we deserve some extra pampering, right?

It starts from scallops au gratin with herbs and 'nduja, counting on power exotic shells (it's never too early to think about hot holidays) and the energizing power of chilli. Following a small portion of pasta alla gricia. Comfort food of excellence, pasta is the right choice to reassure us in a difficult day. The crunchiness of the bacon and its flavor will make us feel immersed in one of those ancient Roman trattorias where you eat, drink and laugh, leaving every thought behind.
As a second dish against sadness we chose the skewers of beef with beetroot ketchup. They are reminiscent of the finger foods of worldly aperitifs, but above all … they are eaten with your hands. The child in us will be very happy to be able to leave the cutlery aside. Furthermore, the beetroot sauce is a precious source of mineral salts and antioxidants, ideal for taking care of ourselves and finding the right energy.
To close the good mood menu, the tart with ganache, oranges and cream. We count on the ability of chocolate to comfort in bad moments, on the goodness of cream that always sounds like a sweet transgression and on vitamin C. Oranges are in fact the seasonal fruit to rely on to fill up with vitality. Not to mention the fact that a citrus-based dessert will give us a sense of freshness capable of inducing sleep. And they are good dreams!

Gordon Ramsay Recipes