Photography: Ana Degenaar

It's a universally acknowledged truth that there’s no such thing as eating "just one chip"—that commercial was sadly right when it comes to not getting enough. These days everyone is turning everything into a chip: they vary from kale and parsnips to the unfortunate avocado chip.

In my humble opinion, lukewarm, battered avocado slices shouldn’t qualify as a "fry" or a "chip"... but you know what should?... The mighty cassava fries—they (and I don’t say this lightly) beat the classic white potato which brings close to zero nutrients and fiber to our bodies.

Cassava (also known as yuca or manioc) is one of my favorite paleo/gluten-free sources of starch. This root veg is well known around Asia, Africa and South America. In fact, here in Brazil, cassava is the #1 choice for starch—otherwise known as tapioca.

I use cassava as a substitute for potatoes—and to the initial resistance of my little EP, it’s been going into our stews, soups and the occasional baked fries that we all deserve once in a while. Cassava is a little sweeter than regular potatoes and it also takes a little longer to cook but when done right, it can surprise even the staunchest potato lover.

To be honest, I can kind of understand why this gluten-free goodness is not more often picked up at the supermarkets around the world. It isn’t the prettiest veg you’ve ever seen. It looks exactly like what it is: a root. Brown, waxy and tuber-like, so no—it won’t win the "sexiest vegetable competition" but what it doesn’t have in looks it makes up for in flavor, texture and versatility.

For the purposes of further persuading you into giving this a try, I’ve dusted off my camera and created a recipe that’s easy and delicious.

Here are my (I-need-a-vacation) Garlic Baked Cassava Fries With Cilantro-Lime Mayo.

Ingredients

For The Fries
2 Medium cassavas
4 smashed (skin on) garlic cloves
2 tbsp of avocado, coconut or canola oil
1 tsp of sea salt

For The mayo
1/2 cup of cilantro/coriander leaves
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 roasted garlic clove
(from the baking pan)
1 cup of mayonnaise
(better if homemade)

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit or 250 celsius.
2. In a large pot of water put 2 tablespoons of salt and set it aside.
3. Using a large peeler, peel the cassava, taking off the brown and the pink part of it and leaving just the white flesh.
4. Cut your cassava into batons. The thicker they are the fluffier they turn out on the inside.
5. Add the fries to the boiling water and cook for 10-20 minutes, or until tender.
6. Drain the fries and pat them dry.
7. In a baking tray, place your oil, salt and smashed garlic cloves and massage to cover all of the fries with the mixture.
8. Pop into your oven for about 10 minutes or until golden brown.
9. While the fries are cooking, make the cilantro lime mayonnaise. Add all the ingredients, except the garlic clove (which you will take from the tray) and pulse in your mixer until combined. Once the fries are done, pick out a clove, peel it and throw it into your mixer and pulse until ready.
10. Serve your fries with the mayo and sprinkle with a little more cilantro.

Recipe Notes
If you encounter any issues peeling your cassava, go to Flor for help.

The cassava should be white on the inside with no dark spots. If it has spots you will need to discard it as it might not be the freshest.

Contrary to what a few people believe, no, cassava is not toxic.

Let me know what you if you want more recipes, you can leave suggestions below. Happy weekend!

Annabell Kutucu

Bohemian aesthetics—densely packed homes, patterned rugs, mixes of textures and heavy wooden decoration was a thing of the "maximalists" and the "hippies". That’s how the world taught us to see it. Leaving out the wonder that is the intention behind it, which is the invitation of nature into one’s home and the freedom of mixing our decor to match our personalities, our memories and our cultures.

Though the vast majority likes to call the new wave of scaled-back bohemian trend "boho-chic"—I wouldn’t. Natural materials are the peak of elegance and they cannot be limited to only be one thing or to only be used by one certain interior style. That’s why more and more minimalists are bringing a little bohemian touch into their homes. Terra-cotta, natural rugs, baskets, unfinished wood, raw ceramics... you name it.

The reason behind the craze—I believe—Is that people are wanting to live an almost ludic experience at home—they want the privilege of coming home after a long day at work and not feeling cooped up by their surroundings; they want an escape from their daily routines—and in that aspect, bohemian aesthetics deliver greatly. It is impossible not to be transported to foreign dwellings when we decorate our homes parting from an organic, flexible and pure approach.




Minimalism and bohemian can go hand-in-hand even in the most modern of homes. To prove that, the images above would suffice... but as always, I’m here to help and so is the team at Furniture.com—That’s why I'll share a few tips and a few of their items with you.

Furniture.com is an online furniture store that offers a vast assortment of styles in an even wider variety of categories—furniture, rugs, lamps, decor and more. Trust me, it is very possible to lose oneself on their website and there is something for everyone—even for the fussiest of hunters (me). Furniture.com makes sure that you can 1. Find what you are looking for 2. At a great price—which they guarantee by maintaining wonderful relationships in the industry 3. With great customer service—and that makes for happy clients, don’t you think?

They offer unmissable weekend and weekday deals, 26 unique styles, over 150 brands and more than 10,000 products—needless to say, they can cover your bohemian, minimalist, maximalist or truly any of your needs.












If you want to introduce some bohemian touches into your home but feel hesitant, start easy. Do not overwhelm yourself with the many options that the new trends present you with but make choices that you’ll be able to live with (and not fall out of love with) fast.

Switch—or even better—mix natural material accents, think; natural, raw and hand-crafted—and combine that with the clean and often perfectionist feel of minimalistic decor. The proof that this works is the styling displayed above. Harsh concrete making the perfect canvas for rounded jute rugs, breaking the harsh straight lines of the room, modern industrial windows being embellished by big, exotic-looking green leaves and a wonderful handmade hammock, inviting paradise into an otherwise contemporary-blank deck.

Here are my top options for a starting bohemian style seeker, click on each image for more:









Your mindset through this process should be to expect a delightfully-unexpected shift in your mood and the feel of your home—and when it comes to plants (given you are not a plant assassin like myself) bring in however many makes your heart content.

Annaleena Leino-Karlsson

I’ve had Annalena’s home tour saved in my bookmarks for months now and as the stars seemed to have aligned this weekend and I got some time to myself (and some good reads) I decided to consume a handful of articles as if there wasn’t another weekend on the horizon.

In case you’ve been living under a rock or the online world isn’t one of your priorities (kudos to you) . . . let me introduce you to the master stylist, vanguard photographer and genius product-and-everything-else designer that is the one and only Annaleena Leino-Karlsson. I could very well cut this post short and the images of her home would speak for themselves—but no, I cannot just shut up about something that has positively and massively impacted me, as I’m sure you know by now.

Annaleena started as most of us do. A blogger with an immense passion for (in her case) interior, product design and minimalism. A short while after making her introduction into this world, she started creating her own products and soon getting recognized for her effortless style and work, which if I may say, are well worth our admiration.




Her home intentionally speaks of what she’s all about. Not only is it unique—I mean, how couldn’t it be when she designs most of her art and pieces?—but her home is also a therapeutic work of art. Based in Ekerö, Sweden, this is one of those tours that get people talking. We all want to know the story behind it: the what’s, why’s, who’s and where’s.

This open-concept home has been transformed into the perfect atmosphere for Annaleena’s work—the works of art of the minimalist design houses we all love and those of like-minded pioneers. The hall was converted into a private showroom for Analeena, while the stunning open living room combines some of her treasures: The classic leaf lamp by muuto, a large leather sofa, a stunning piece by Kristiina Haataja and her family-inherited piano make a perfect composition for the stunning nature-filled backdrop.

From Annaleena’s front door to her jaw-dropping concrete patio, this home is one for the books. That is why I insist that minimalism is worth a try—It simply allows space for true greatness.

Last year around this time I wrote a post entitled "How To Cure A Minimalist Wardrobe". There I talk about purging a closet and the mindful exercise of learning to make sensible choices when it comes to fashion.

What I didn’t talk about there was the minimalistic qualities of couture and why I think it makes a difference in how people perceive fashion. I know, I know… to each their own but hear me out for a bit. Minimalism has slipped its way into every realm of the fashion world because it just makes sense.




Like everything that is created using minimalism and mindfulness as stepping stones, minimalist fashion focuses on functionality, quality and pays attention to the details. It’s honest and it’s developed from sketch to the end piece with the utmost of respect for the materials, the craft and the person who will wear it.

That is the same approach that Australian power duo, Sara Donaldson and Georgia Martin took when creating The Undone—A unique online shopping destination, distinctly concerned with quality and aesthetics. The focus is on wardrobe essentials. In pieces that are not mere "basic" but which also engage women with a sophisticated, functional and unique fashion experience.

They have a high standard for service and offer a small yet stunning selection of designers.

From their website, their carefully curated images, down to their beautiful packaging, The Undone is a safe place for minimalists to invest. Below are 6 of my favorite.

Sarah Fennel

I’ve been a carb lover my entire life. Since I was a tinier version of myself I would get giddy at the sound of the words "bread", "pasta" and "pizza" and, truly, who doesn’t!? The convenience that loaves of bread and the pocket friendliness of pasta represent in any parent’s life have made us all gluten addicts and I’m not full-blown ashamed to admit I am one of them.

It’s a tricky situation to navigate through life loving and indulging in those things you truly like and dismissing the effect that they have on your body—until you arrive at a point in your life (the exact one I’m at) and try not being so indulgent and not giving into the pleasures of entire French baguettes with butter and countless bowls of pasta topped with Parmesan—then, you arrive at the terrifying realization that while those scrumptious foods feel good in your mouth, your body feels better without them.

Yes, I’m becoming one of those people who worry about gluten... and while I truly dislike some people excusing their true motives (weight-loss and fitness) by self-labeling themselves as "gluten intolerant", I must admit my body THRIVES when I eat less of it. It’s not only my body to be honest; it’s my energy levels. It’s the way I’m able to process things mentally and even my mood.

The more I research about this topic and the more I try to go gluten free some days of the week, I realize my little pasta-loving monster aka EP, 9-year-old thinker and most recently beach volleyball athlete daughter, might just feel the same way. Thankfully we have an entire world of delicious food at our disposal and while our options might become a little more limited, our bodies will thank us in the end.

These pancakes are a testament to how wide the gluten-free world is becoming and I’m ready to expand my views and invite my daughter to jump on this train with me.

Where do you stand when it comes to gluten? Have you ever gone without it?

I’m trying to find a subtle way to express my love for the minimal greatness that are the outfits above. Where do I start? It’s not only that they are absolutely effortless and highly appropriate for this ever-sunny weather but it’s also that they have this innate attitude in them. Think about it. If these outfits were a person they'd be, let’s say, Katherine Hepburn: feisty and beautiful.

I’ve always admired people who look like they’re at peace with their clothes and that’s always what I aim to feel like myself. It’s clear when we’re not ourselves in them, even the tiniest fidgeting gives us away.

That’s why I find it quite refreshing how we become simpler and more appreciative of “less is more” as we grow older—or at least that is the case for me. I don’t think I ever painted my face with makeup or overdid my hair since I got to my 20’s. If anything, I’ve become more appreciative of things which before I saw as unfashionable or uncool… Can you tell?

I do not know and do not understand why do we do that to ourselves—why we relentlessly put makeup on to “look” more beautiful, why do we overdo it with clothes to look more “put together”—Shouldn’t we instead "be" beautiful and shouldn’t we wear clothes that make us feel comfortable with ourselves and not look like someone else? Well, that’s my two cents.

What I’m trying to say here is, man! How I wish I had these in my closet. I could wear those open-front blouses and high-waisted trousers religiously... and I have the feeling that many of you would too. As if we needed one more reason to want them, the ones above are made out of 100% raw silk.

So is this vintage-inspired trend a yes or a no for you?