Sujata Kale-Banerjea Holistic Nutritionist, CNP

11/17/2025

As a nutritionist, I love exploring how different cultures nourish themselves — and Madeira is all about real, unprocessed, vibrant food. Even fresh fruit as dessert… my kind of place.🌿

Dining with locals in a fisherman’s village was one of the most special experiences — festive decor, beautiful hospitality, wines from their own vineyard, Azorean cheese, and Iberico ham (which actually originated in Portugal’s Alentejo region!).

A classic Madeiran feast, homemade liqueurs, pastries, and a surprise birthday cake for my friend made the night unforgettable.
If you visit Madeira, dining with locals is a must. ❤️🍷

11/16/2025

A cosy Madeira Sunday meal that tastes like home. 🌿✨

Red lentils soaked and simmered with turmeric, cumin, coriander, garlic, bay leaf, and lots of baby spinach.
Finished with a warm ginger–cumin–chilli–curry leaf temper.
Simple, nourishing, and fully metabolic-balance friendly.

Enjoyed with a slice of crusty sourdough — the perfect slow Sunday meal. 🥣💛

11/15/2025

✨ Full Moon Reflections & Orange Cake Bites Offering ✨

Last Sunday, I was invited to a Full Moon Ceremony — a beautiful women’s circle with sharing, movement, warm cacao, sound & a womb cleansing ritual 🌕💫
Something I’d never experienced before… and I went in with curiosity & an open heart. 💖

Our facilitator asked us to bring an offering for the shrine.

I made orange cake bites 🍊✨ (you can see the step-by-step reel!)

During the ceremony, we could choose an essential oil to anoint ourselves with… the one in front of me was orange essential oil 🍊perfectly aligned with my offering. The synchronicity made me smile 😊

The cakes were a new recipe inspired by Cook with Sabrina on Facebook… an orange pistachio cake I improvised a little:
🍊 1 orange (whole, blended)
🌾 ½ cup almond flour
🥜 ¾ cup ground pistachios
🌾 ½ cup spelt flour (my twist!)
🌸 Saffron for mood lifting
🌿 Cardamom + a warm spice
🍯 2 tbsp honey
🥚 2 eggs
🍫 Melted dark chocolate for topping

Baking powder and roughly chopped pistachios for garnish

My take on the cakes, they came out a bit dense at first, but when my husband tasted them, he said: “ they are delish.. You made it with your heart — go with that.” 💛
And that really stayed with me… because everything made from the heart carries its own kind of magic ✨

It was such a beautiful night — connecting, sharing, praying, and honouring our deep feminine wisdom. 🌕💫

Here’s to intuitive living, heartfelt offerings & trusting the inner voice that always knows. 🌸🙏🏼

11/11/2025

Happy Tuesday, everyone! 🌞
Question 🙋‍♀️
How many of you will agree that before starting Metabolic Balance, breakfast wasn’t really part of your day? Some of you were having just one meal, or even no appetite at all in the morning. And now, even in the strict phase - you’re noticing your appetite returning, feeling true hunger, and yet still releasing weight. *Isn’t that amazing? 💫*

This shows how beautifully your metabolism and hormones are resetting!

I wanted to share something from my quantum biology course that perfectly explains this. Our body’s master hormone, *leptin*, is the key messenger that keeps our metabolism, hunger, and energy in sync. When we align our sleep, light exposure, and meal timing with our body’s natural rhythm, leptin communicates efficiently with insulin, melatonin, and serotonin : helping regulate energy, mood, and fat metabolism.
Our *biological clock* truly starts with *light*. Eating within the first hour of sunrise tells your body, “It’s time to wake up and start burning fuel.” This helps balance insulin sensitivity and supports weight release.

So, if you’ve started noticing your appetite returning and your energy improving — that’s your biology coming back into rhythm. Even after travel or late nights, remember: consistency with meal times and light exposure can bring your system back into balance.

I’m so proud of those of you who are getting back into routine and planning your meals again like @⁨Jasvinder Sandhu⁩ @⁨Margaret Gunarsons⁩ thanks for sharing how you plan the week - sharing in the group is powerful 🌿. _Every meal and every mindful habit counts toward a balanced, thriving body._

Keep believing in the MB way 💪because it’s truly science-based and supports your body’s natural intelligence.

Have a wonderful, balanced Tuesday! 🌞✨

11/04/2025

From Skeptic to Believer 🌿✨
When Beverly started her Metabolic Balance journey, Stephen was curious but unsure — could healthy eating really offer enough variety for a true foodie like him? 🍛

But once he saw the colors, flavors, and freedom on her plate, he said, “Sign me up!” 🙌
Today, both are thriving — feeling lighter, stronger, and even impressing their doctor with amazing results. 👏

What touched me most is how this journey brought them closer — spending time together in the kitchen, exploring new foods, and rediscovering the joy of eating well. ❤️

At our recent MB potluck, seeing them share their story with such passion was truly special. Moments like these remind me why I love what I do — it’s not just about food, it’s about connection, health, and transformation. 💫

10/31/2025

🍌🎃 Trick or Treat — or Just a Morning Treat in Madeira?

I woke up this morning here in my cozy house in Madeira to an overcast, slightly windy day. Nature here is so unpredictable — it’s a true microclimate. One moment you think it might rain, the next you’re blessed with sunshine… or even a beautiful rainbow. 🌦️

Feeling inspired, I thought to myself, “I have to treat myself today.”

On my counter sat some perfectly ripe Madeiran bananas (the island is famous for them!) and a fresh pumpkin I’d just bought. So, banana–pumpkin bread it was!

I puréed the pumpkin, mashed the bananas, and in one bowl mixed whole grain spelt flour, ground flax, pumpkin spice, sea salt, and a little baking powder.
In another bowl, I whisked a few farm-fresh eggs from my Portuguese friends, added a touch of Madeira sugarcane syrup, and some organic coconut oil. Then came the mashed banana, pumpkin purée, and a dash of pure vanilla essence.

After combining everything gently (that’s the secret — don’t overmix or you’ll lose the magic ✨), I baked it at 350°F for about 60 minutes until the center rose and set beautifully.

The result? A deeply nourishing, fiber-rich bread — filled with whole ingredients that love your body back: coconut oil, eggs, flax, and pumpkin.

And because I always follow one of my favorite Metabolic Balance habits — protein first — I started my breakfast with a couple of boiled eggs before enjoying a warm slice of this golden banana–pumpkin bread.

So, was this a trick or treat? 🎃
Maybe my mind was saying, “It’s Halloween, treat yourself!” — but for me, this was the kind of treat that nourishes both body and soul. 💛

10/26/2025

The tiniest hands, the biggest lessons — mealtime magic in action. ✨

Every bite, every smile — a little reminder of how mindful parenting can shape healthy habits.

There’s something so special about watching a little one discover the joy of food. 💛

It’s beautiful to see how the younger generation approaches feeding with such care and mindfulness. My daughter is following the baby-led weaning approach with my grandson, and watching him explore food — from colorful veggies to new textures — is pure joy. Seeing how much thought and love goes into every meal truly inspires me. 🌱💚

10/12/2025

A Taste of Gratitude — Thanksgiving Reflections from Madeira 🇨🇦❤️🇵🇹

This Thanksgiving, my heart is full — and a little homesick. While I’m missing my family and friends back in Canada, I feel incredibly grateful to be in beautiful Madeira, learning how to make pastel da nata — that golden, flaky Portuguese custard tart we all love. 🥰

Did you know pastel da nata was created by monks in Lisbon in the 19th century to use up leftover egg yolks? A sweet reminder that even simple beginnings can become something extraordinary.

Huge thanks to Jacqueline, founder of , for another amazing gastronomy experience! From the cherry festival last June to my best friend’s milestone celebration in March 2025, every moment with her tours is unforgettable.

As a nutritionist, I’m often asked — can we eat pastel da nata every day? Definitely not. But can we enjoy it mindfully, with gratitude and good company? Absolutely.

Food is more than fuel — it’s culture, connection, and joy. 💛

10/11/2025

🥚 Quick, simple & nourishing lunch 💛

Made a little egg salad magic today — full of colour, crunch & goodness 🌿✨

I chopped up red onion, parsley (with stems!), white radish, red pepper & avocado 🥑
In a bowl, I squeezed some lemon 🍋, added crushed red pepper, Redmond’s fine salt, oregano & a drizzle of olive oil — mixed it all up & let the veggies marinate for a bit (the flavour gets even better 😋).

Boiled a few eggs, peeled & halved them, then gently mixed them into the salad.
Enjoyed it with crusty rye toast topped with garlic–parsley butter 🥖🌱 — so good!

As a Metabolic Balance coach, I always remind my clients — you can make small swaps depending on your plan or what’s in your fridge. Fennel, shallots, green onions, coriander leaves… lime instead of lemon, or apple cider vinegar + lemon zest — all work beautifully.

Remember 💫 some foods might be limited or removed for a reason — to support your body’s healing and restore balance. When you’re closer to your goal, we slowly bring them back.

It’s all part of your unique process 🌸 Sometimes your body simply needs what it needs at that time.
My focus is always on what we have, not what we don’t. ✨

10/11/2025

07/13/2025

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DMEI5vyO2gC/?igsh=ZG9zaXpoeDd1bXJj