Category: Lunch

Salmon & Endive Salad Boats

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I get asked all the time… “Samantha, what do you eat?!”

Telling people I eat healthy, or organic or gluten free for some reason makes them think I’m deprived or eat a boring diet, which is sooo not the case!

If you follow me on Instagram you’ll get a pretty good idea of what’s on my plate everyday as I’m always sharing videos + posts about food!

I love food. But more importantly, I love really good food. 

Back in the day, I definitely didn’t look at food as the way I do now. It used to be just about filling up. Feeding my hunger. Whatever is convenient and quick. 

Now, it’s a different story. A much different story. Food is about fuelling my body. Supporting my hormones. Supporting detoxification and gut health. Beautifying my skin. 

I know how I feel when I eat like crap. And it ain’t pretty. 

And I know how I feel when I eat well. 

My healthy-eating journey has been a 10+ year process, if not longer! I didn’t just wake up one morning and magically decided to give up grains, gluten, dairy, sugar and only eat organic, non-gmo and do it with a big smile on my face and unicorns coming outta my ass! 

Let’s get real for a minute…

It’s been a process and it always will be a process. And I’m human. I don’t have a perfect diet. There are slip ups, date nights out, events, parties, etc, but as I become more aware of what works with and against my body, those slip ups happen less frequently. 

Bottom line, wherever you are on your journey with food, health, hormones, weight or whatever it may be, you need to be gentle on yourself. You need to let go of judgements. You need to go slow. And more importantly, you need to stop undermining the success you ARE achieving with your nutrition and body. 

For the most part, my meals are very simple. I don’t overcomplicate them. I make sure I have quality protein at each meal (which is key for balancing blood sugar and keeping you satiated) and get lots of vegetables on my plate. Plus, I make sure to add in some good fats. 

As for carbs, I don’t eat them often. I choose more fibre-rich and nutrient rich starchy vegetables such as, sweet potato, squashes, plantain and some fruits here and there. 

Grains have gotten the boot, and the odd time I’ll indulge in some yeast free, wheat free rye toast (my fav!). 

And so, when someone asks about my diet and I share with them some insights, it’s often followed by “Samantha, what do you eat?!”

Which brings me to these simple and delicious Salmon & Endive Salad Boats. They take only minutes to prepare, are loaded with healthy omega 3 fats, which fuel your brain and hormones, plus, it’s served in delicious and refreshing endive leaves that replace heavy carbs. 

Enjoy!

Salmon and Endive Salad Boats
Serves 2
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Prep Time
5 min
Prep Time
5 min
Ingredients
  1. 1 can of sustainably caught salmon, drained (I like RainCoast Brand)
  2. ½ stalk celery, diced
  3. ½ green apple, diced
  4. 1 teaspoon capers
  5. 1 tablespoon hemp seeds
  6. 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
  7. 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  8. Sea salt and pepper to taste
  9. 4 -6 Endive leaves
Instructions
  1. Mix all the ingredients together, except the endive leaves.
  2. Divide mixture evenly into endive leaves and serve.
Holistic Wellness https://holisticwellness.ca/
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The Best Gluten Free Falafels (Baked, Not Fried!)

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You probably won’t find many bean recipes on my site. 

Truth is, I actually do love to eat them, but I tend to eat more poultry, meat, fish or seafood. In fact, my quinoa black bean burger is pretty damn tasty, so that might be a yummy vegan recipe for you to check out. 

Oh! and my Vegan Tempeh Chilli. Ok… that one is delish!

You’ve probably heard me say the term Qualitarian before, and for me, that’s really the type of ‘diet’ I follow. Regardless if it’s paleo or vegan, for me, it’s all about quality food. 

And if you’ve participated in any of my detox programs, I like to include a variety of vegan, vegetarian and paleo meals because that’s pretty much how I eat and so I share those recipes with you in my programs. 

Some days I feel like eating more meat and other days I feel like keeping it plant based. I listen to what my body is craving and go for that. 

Today, I was craving falafels! And unfortunately, most restaurant falafels or store bought brands tend to contain low-quality vegetable oils and are typically deep fried. 

I baked my falafels and they still got a nice crispy coating. I’m sure if I kept them in the oven a little longer and broiled them on high, they would have gotten even more crispy (definitely something you can experiment with), but I was happy with the texture minus the broiling.

These hearty little gems made the perfect dinner! I served them in a lettuce leaf, with cucumbers and little hummus. Honestly, I kept it reeeal simple. It was one of those “I just want to sit on the couch and watch bad TV” kinda nights and spending a long time prepping food wasn’t really on my agenda.

Tahini or tzatziki would be a great addition to this dish. Even some guac and salsa. Honestly, it’s pretty endless what you can do with these falafels. With my leftovers I plan on making a massive salad tomorrow with cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, crisp romaine lettuce and top it with my falafels and hummus. 

Can you say yum?! Healthy and easy is how I like it over here!

Putting these falafels together is pretty easy. Your food processor does all the work!

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Once you blend all the ingredients together, simply roll the batter into balls and place onto a baking sheet. (NOTE – I used a stone baking sheet which doesn’t require parchment paper. If you’re baking sheet is stainless steel, or if you find your food tends to stick to it, definitely use parchment paper).

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Now you bake! Bake them at 375F for 40 minutes. If you want them a little crispier, you can experiment by broiling them for a few minutes. It’s important to flip them half way so they get crispy on both sides. I also slightly flattened them once I flipped them, which helped them cook a little better.

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And now, they’re done! Time to eat and make your wraps. Get creative with this step and use your favourite toppings, use the falafels on top a salad or simple eat them as is!

Hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

The Best Gluten Free Falafels (Baked, Not Fried!)
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Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
40 min
Total Time
50 min
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
40 min
Total Time
50 min
Ingredients
  1. 1 x 400g can chickpeas (rinsed & drained - I used Eden Organic Beans)
  2. 1/4 cup fresh parsley
  3. 1 tsp ground cumin
  4. 1 tsp ground coriander
  5. 1⁄2 tsp chilli powder (less or more to taste)
  6. 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (less or more to taste)
  7. 2 garlic cloves
  8. 2 tbsp brown rice flour
  9. 1 small red onion, roughly chopped
  10. 2 tbsp olive oil
  11. Sea salt
  12. Pepper
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375F.
  2. Add all the Falafel ingredients into a food processor and blend until well combined and creamy.
  3. Using your hands, roll the mixture into balls and place onto a parchment lined baking sheet. I got 10 balls out of this mixture. Depending on the size you want, you can make more or less.
  4. Bake for 40 minutes, making sure to flip half way through at the 20 minute mark. *When I flipped mine, I flattened them slightly.
  5. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes.
  6. Serve on lettuce wrap, in gluten free wrap, in a salad or eat as is!
Holistic Wellness https://holisticwellness.ca/
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Garlic Chili Shrimp with Pesto Zoodles

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I love a quick and healthy meal. And by quick, I mean a meal you can whip up in 10 minutes! 

This was my lunch the other day. Busy with client calls and lots of writing, I quickly got into the kitchen, perused through the fridge and my eyes landed on the pesto, the zucchini and the bag of shrimp I was defrosting.

I think it can be easy to over complicate food. 

I remember back in my 9-5 work days I would bring in my own lunch to work and everyone would always be peering over my shoulder talking about my ‘gourmet’ lunch. 

Umm… gourmet? Not really. I would just whip together leftovers, like roasted veggies and grilled chicken and apparently it looked gourmet. 

Well, considering that most people in the office were eating fast food and well… crap; my meals looked pretty fancy. They also looked vibrant! You know, real food, real colours and not beige nutrient-less junk. 

Anyhow, you can image some of the ‘health’ conversations that would get stirred up at the office. 

I mean, I was eating real food people. Ain’t nothing wrong with that!

Anyhow, I digress…

Let’s get to this incredibly tasty 10 minute meal. The smell of fresh parsley mixed with garlic and chili is so good. You’re gonna want to eat the shrimp right outta the pan (I sure did!).

Best part is, this meal is incredible for balancing out your blood sugar levels. Ain’t no insulin spikes happening here! You’ve got a bowl full of veggies (zucchini), protein from shrimp and healthy fats. No starchy carbs, just real, simple whole foods. This meal will keep your mood stable and support your energy levels. 

Also, shrimp (make sure to get wild caught) is loaded with selenium, which is an important mineral for supporting the thyroid. 

Ok, let’s get cooking…

So first, you’re gonna need to start with some spiralized zucchini noodles. This is the spiralizer I have here.  If you don’t have a spiralizer, don’t fret! You can simply use a vegetable grater and grate thin slices of zucchini or use a knife to slice it into thin strips, your call.

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If you are using a store bought pesto, make sure it’s organic or at least contains only natural ingredients. If you prefer to make your own, try my detox pesto recipe here. If you’re making it from scratch, now’s the time to whip it up before you get cooking. 

Once you’re pesto is ready to go, chop up 2 garlic cloves, a small bunch of fresh parsley (roughly 2-3 tbsp) and measure out 1 teaspoon of chili flakes. Prepare your shrimp by peeling them and leaving them aside. I used one whole bag (roughly 30 shrimp).

Heat olive oil or grass fed butter in a cast iron pan and once hot, add in shrimp, garlic, chili flake, parsley and fresh cracked black pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side until shrimp turn nice and pink. 

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Once shrimp are cooked, remove from the pan and set aside into a bowl.

To the same pan, add in zucchini noodles and pesto and cook on medium-low heat until cooked through, roughly 6-7 minutes. The time it takes to cook your noodles all depends on your preference. You might like them on the softer side or slightly harder and on the raw-er side with a bit of bite. Your call. Cook them to your desired preference. 

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Once cooked, add zoodles to a bowl, top with shrimp and sprinkle fresh parley on top. 

DONE and DONE!

This meal is finger-lickin’ good, healthy and a huge time saver when you feel strapped to get something quick and nutritious on the table. 

As much as a delicious bowl of pasta can be, I really don’t miss it. The zucchini noodles are really filling and satisfying and you can top them with you favourite sauce. 

Hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do!

Garlic Chili Shrimp with Pesto Zoodles
Serves 2
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Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
5 min
Total Time
10 min
Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
5 min
Total Time
10 min
Ingredients
  1. 2 large zucchini's, spiralized
  2. 1 large bag frozen shrimp, defrosted (I used wild caught)
  3. 3 tbsp pesto
  4. 2 garlic cloves, chopped
  5. 1 tsp chili flake (or more if you like it hot)
  6. 2 tbsp fresh parsley, roughly chopped
  7. Black pepper
  8. Olive oil, for sautéing
Instructions
  1. Spiralize zucchini's and set aside (I used the 1/4 inch blade for a thicker noodle).
  2. Prepare pesto and set aside (make your own or use store bought).
  3. Defrost shrimp and remove shells.
  4. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil. Once hot, add in shrimp, garlic, chili flake parsley and black pepper.
  5. Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side until cooked through and nicely pink. Remove from the skillet and place in a bowl.
  6. To the same skillet, add in zucchini noodles and pesto. Cook for roughly 5-7 minutes until desired texture is reached.
  7. Add noodles to a bowl and top with shrimp and fresh parsley.
  8. Eat and enjoy!
Holistic Wellness https://holisticwellness.ca/
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Spinach and Lentil Soup – a Delicious Meatless Meal

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Lentil soup… a perfectly hearty, healthy and flavourful meal you can whip up for your family in no time.
 
I’m gonna say that this is probably THE BEST lentil soup I’ve ever made! It’s perfect for a chilly winter day and if you’ve got yourself a thermos, this is great heated up and enjoyed for lunch the following day at work. Nothing beats leftovers that you can reheat quickly and is healthy at the same time. 
 
Lentils are full of soluble and insoluble fiber, both which help keep you regular, assist in balancing blood sugar and lowering cholesterol.
 
Lentils are also full of B vitamins and protein, which are both energizing and fuelling for the body.
 
These little green gems will help fill you up, not fill you out!
 
Enjoy making this recipe and share with me how much you love it! 🙂
 
P.S. If you’re looking for more delicious and easy recipes, come join me inside my Healthy Hormones Recipe Club! Are you confused with all the information out there about how to balance your hormones, lose weight + support your immunity? Can’t keep up with all the different diets; Paleo, Keto, Intermittent Fasting, or which one is even right for you Get a monthly meal plan + shopping list + recipes that will help you to support your body, balance your hormones, detoxify and shed some inches in the process! Each month has a different theme (CLICK HERE to read what I’ll be sharing over the next few months!) This Recipe Club is available for a super affordable price, so you can easily say YES to putting yourself first, without breaking the bank. Delicious food & zero deprivation, I promise!
 
Spinach and Lentil Soup
Serves 4
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Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
40 min
Total Time
50 min
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
40 min
Total Time
50 min
Ingredients
  1. 1 tablespoon olive oil
  2. 1 medium celery stalk, diced
  3. 1 medium carrot, peeled and diced
  4. 1/2 medium yellow onion, diced
  5. 3 medium garlic cloves, minced
  6. Sea salt
  7. Freshly ground black pepper
  8. 1 quart low-sodium vegetable broth
  9. 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes with their juices
  10. 1 1/4 cups green lentils (any colour will do except red), rinsed
  11. 1 bay leaf
  12. 1/4 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
  13. 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  14. 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar
  15. 1 large bunch spinach leaves
Instructions
  1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the celery, carrot, and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened, about 10 minutes.
  2. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
  3. Season with several generous pinches of salt and pepper.
  4. Add the broth, tomatoes with their juices, lentils, bay leaf, thyme and oregano, stir to combine. Cover and bring to a simmer, about 15 minutes.
  5. Once simmering, reduce the heat to low and continue simmering, covered, until the lentils and vegetables are soft, about 15 minutes more.
  6. Taste and season with more salt or pepper as needed, then stir in the vinegar.
  7. Add the spinach and stir until wilted. If you prefer a creamier texture, purée half of the soup in a blender or with a hand blender. ENJOY!!
Holistic Wellness https://holisticwellness.ca/

 

Health & Abundance,
Samantha 🙂

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Roasted Sweet Potato & Spinach Salad and Avocado Blueberry Smoothie for Meatless Monday

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How sweet it is to enjoy Sweet Potato! I love this delicious root veggie! Not only because its full of sweetness, but it packs quite the nutritional punch! Sweet potatoes are high in fiber, potassium and beta carotene; an antioxidant superhero! To truly get the health benefits of beta carotene, its best to eat a little fat; healthy fat of course, with sweet potatoes. That’s why my simple salad recipe below contains a healthy dose of olive oil. Deelish!! Hope you enjoy!

Roasted Sweet Potato & Spinach Salad

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1″ chunks
1 large red pepper, cut into 1″ pieces
1/2 cup pecans
1 pound spinach
1-2 cups arugula

Dressing:
2-3 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
1 garlic clove, crushed
dried oregano, add according to preference

Directions:
Combine ingredients for dressing in a small cup. Mix well and let sit to infuse oil with garlic. Preheat the oven to 425°F. In a large roasting pan, combine the oil, salt, and black pepper. Add the sweet potatoes and bell peppers and toss to coat well. Roast, stirring occasionally, for 40 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Place the spinach, arugula and pecans in a large serving bowl. Add potatoe mixture and toss. Drizzle with dressing and serve immediately.

Avocado Blueberry Smoothie
Aside from a healthy dose of fat, avocado gives the perfect creaminess to this smoothie!

Ingredients:
Half an avocado
1 cup wild frozen blueberries
2 cups almond milk
1 tsp organic vanilla extract or vanilla powder
1/2 cup ice

Blend and Enjoy!

Happy Meatless Monday!

Health & Abundance,
samantha:)

 

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Apple Waffles, Fresh Vegetable Frittata & Berry Burst Smoothie for Meatless Easter Monday Brunch!

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Nothing beats an afternoon brunch full of delicious food! Fresh organic veggies and fruit, homemade gluten free waffles…who wouldn’t want to wake up to that feast?!? As I’m sure some of you may have indulged in some delicious Easter weekend goodness (myself included), I just couldn’t pass up one more indulgence…waffles! Simple and easy to prepare, and topped with almond butter, these gluten free waffles are yumm-o! Enjoy these waffles alongside a protein packed frittata, loaded with nutrient rich veggies and your day is off to a great start! Happy Brunch!

Apple Waffles

Ingredients:

1/2 cup bobs red mill all purpose gluten free flour
1/2 cup bobs red mill brown rice flour
2 tbsp bobs red mill gluten free baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup almond milk (unsweetened or vanilla)

1/2 cup organic applesauce

My favorite toppings:

Raw almond butter
Wild blueberries
Organic Maple Syrup

Preparation:

Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Add milk and applesauce. Pour into a lightly greased waffle iron and cook until golden brown.

Fresh Veggie Frittata

Ingredients:

1 pound asparagus
6 ounces button mushrooms
1 tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic
1 shallot
1 small or 1/2 large zucchini
6 large eggs
1/3 cup almond milk
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp chopped chives
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
2 medium or 1 large tomato

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Wash and trim asparagus and cut into 1-inch long pieces. Blanch asparagus in boiling water for 1-2 minutes and immediately shock in ice water. Drain and dry asparagus, set aside.
3. Clean and slice mushrooms. In a skillet, heat olive oil and saute the mushrooms over medium heat for about ten minutes. While they cook, grate or finely mince the garlic and shallots. Add the garlic and shallots to the mushrooms and continue to cook for about two minutes more. Remove the mushroom mixture from the heat and set aside.
4. Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise and slice into thin, half-moon shapes.
5. In a large bowl, beat together eggs, milk, salt, pepper and chives. Add asparagus, mushroom mixture, and zucchini.
6. Lightly oil a 2-quart baking dish (11 x 7 x 1.5). Pour the egg and vegetable mixture into the dish.
7. Thinly slice tomatoes and arrange on top of the egg mixture. Sprinkle parmesan cheese over the top and bake in the oven until set, about 30-35 minutes. If desired, place under the broiler for 2-3 minutes to brown the top.
8. Allow the frittata to cool before serving. Frittata can be made ahead and chilled, covered, overnight — allow to come to room temperature before serving.

Berry Burst Smoothie

Ingredients:

1/4 cup wild blueberries
1/4 cup raspberries
1/4 cup blackberries
1-2 cups almond milk
1 tsp organic vanilla extract
1/2 cup ice

Blend all ingredients together

Happy Meatless Easter Monday!

Health & Abundance,
Samantha 🙂

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Homemade Almond Milk, Creamy Avocado Spring Mix Salad & Roasted Veggies w/ Tempeh, Quinoa and Dried Cranberries for Meatless Monday!

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Does the thought of making anything homemade freak you out?! Typically we tend to overthink things when it comes to making simple meals, and if we get the courage to step up to the plate, (literally!) then we would find how simple it is to cook up some nourishing delicious simple goodness! I tossed some leftover quinoa with roasted veggies, tempeh and dried cranberries together for a hearty and luscious meal. A mixture that came together in no time! My health nut friend Oliver made a delicious and simple spring mix salad and so I asked him to share this tasty treat with me (and all of you) for our meatless monday post. And what about those nut milks?! Have you attempted to make your own?? Because let me tell you….its super duper easy! I’ve included my favorite recipe below for vanilla almond milk and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. Happy meatless monday noshing!

 

Vanilla Almond Milk

Ingredients:

1 cup almonds, soaked 8-12 hours
4 cups water
1/4 cup agave
1 tsp pure vanilla extract (or fresh vanilla bean)

Soaking almonds is ideal! If you don’t have 8-12 hours, even 1-2 hours will do! I soak my almonds in my vitamix overnight, then drain them in the morning and add 4 cups FRESH spring water to the almonds plus all other above ingredients and blend. If you prefer a smoother consistency, use a nut milk bag to strain the almonds, or run the mixture through a very fine strainer/sieve. You can use the almond pulp for cookies, nut pates or a nut butter! Serve this milk with your favorite granola or cereal, or add it to smoothies. It’s amazing!

Creamy Avocado Spring Mix Salad

Ingredients:

Couple handfuls of Spring mix
1 grated carrot
1 avocado
2 tbsp hemp seeds
2 tbsp sunflower seeds
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Mix well until the avocado has a creamy consistency

 

 

 

Roasted Veggies withTempeh, Quinoa and Dried Cranberries

Ingredients:

1 eggplant, diced
1 zucchini, diced
1 cup red onion, diced
2 cups mushrooms, quartered
1 cup each red, green and yellow pepper, diced
3-4 garlic cloves, whole
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried mint
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 cup quinoa, cooked
3-4 tbsp dried cranberries
Tempeh:
2 cups tempeh, chopped (feel free to use any flavor, or just plain. I like Henry’s tempeh)
2 tbsp olive oil

Preheat oven to 375. In a large bowl, toss all veggies with olive oil and dried herbs. Spread on a baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until veggies are slightly brown and garlic is soft. Place all veggies in a bowl and toss with vinegar and salt.
Meanwhile, saute tempeh in 2 tbsp olive oil for 3-4 minutes on each side.
Toss veggies with tempeh, quinoa and dried cranberries.

Enjoy!
Health & Abundance,
Samantha 🙂

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