Latest Posts on Radical Optimist

Vegan Flax Fritters

Sun, 12 Apr 2026 10:00:00 -0400

Ingredients

1 tablespoon ground flaxseeds
1/2 cup oat flour or whole wheat flour (or a mix of both)
2 tablespoons rolled oats
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup plant-based milk
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Fruit (examples):
- 1 apple (cored), sliced into 0.5 to 1 cm slices (fairly thin)
- 1 banana sliced into rounds about 0.5 cm thick
- Raspberries, blueberries, frozen strawberries
- Also great with chocolate chips ;-)

Preparation

In a bowl, mix the ground flaxseeds, flour, rolled oats, baking powder, and cinnamon.
Add the plant-based milk, vinegar, and vanilla until you get a thick batter.
If the batter is too thick, add a little water: it should coat the fruit while staying sticky enough (much thicker than crêpe batter, and a bit stickier than pancake batter).
Heat a pan to 4-5 (medium-high).
Dip the fruit into the batter and coat each piece well (top and bottom).
Remove excess batter with a fork.
Place the coated fruit in the pan.
Cook for 1 minute per side (until nicely golden).
Flip.

Note: in a medium pan, you can cook 4-5 apple pieces at a time and 10-15 banana pieces.

AI’s Efficiency Trap: When Productivity Destroys Demand

Sat, 11 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This is the second piece in a series. The first, Marx Was Right About AI, examined the leverage knowledge workers hold over AI deployment — and why mission-driven organizations will capture the productivity gains that extractive ones cannot. This piece operates at a different scale: not the firm, but the monetary system. Not the leverage window, but what comes after it closes. The third piece, The Robustness Imperative, asks what kind of AI infrastructure serves workers, organizations, and states — rather than extracting from them.

Ticketing Systems Are an Antipattern for Team Collaboration

Wed, 01 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The ticketing system user interface is an antipattern for cross-team collaboration

If your team spends most of its time managing a ticketing system — filing requests, triaging queues, waiting for answers — you have already made your collaboration legible to a machine.

That is not a metaphor. Ticketing systems only work for the kind of work AI handles well: routine, well-defined, known destination, repeatable process. If your collaboration looks like a queue, it can be automated. And it will be.

Marx Was Right About AI

Sat, 21 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This is the first piece in a series. The second, The Efficiency Trap, examines what happens to the monetary system when the displacement described here runs to completion. The third, The Robustness Imperative, asks what kind of AI infrastructure serves workers, organizations, and states — rather than extracting from them.

For two centuries, the story of automation has followed a simple script. Capital invests in machines. Workers are displaced. The productivity gain flows upward. Repeat.

When Doing Stopped Being Learning

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

“What I cannot create, I do not understand.” — Richard Feynman¹

In the age of AI, every knowledge worker faces the same hidden trade-off: use the tool to produce, or use the tool to understand. You cannot fully do both. How you arbitrage that tension defines what you become.

I. When doing was learning

Before AI, the coupling was tight. To ship software, you had to understand it. There was no shortcut. Writing the code was the learning. Debugging was the understanding. The act of production and the act of comprehension were the same act.

The Fast Track to Incompetence

Fri, 13 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

AI, the Peter’s Principle, and the rise of the Senior Operator

I. The principle, accelerated

In 1969, Laurence J. Peter observed that in any hierarchy, people rise until they reach their level of incompetence — promoted based on past performance until they land in a role their skills can’t support. [1] The ceiling was always there. It just took years to find.

AI has changed the timeline. As a capability amplifier — not a capability builder — it makes you faster and more productive at tasks you already understand. The ceiling stays exactly where it was. The elevator just got faster.

Your Pipeline IS Your Culture

Sun, 01 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Three questions tell you more about your company culture than any values poster, offsite keynote, or Glassdoor review.

Do you trust your developers? Can any engineer push to production without waiting for approval? Or do you require mandatory PR reviews, sign-offs, and staging gates — telling your people “we hired you, but we don’t trust your judgment”?

Are you actually customer-centric? Are developers talking to customers every week and iterating on what they shipped? Or are they building in the dark for months, guessing what users want through layers of gatekeepers, only to discover they were wrong after a massive big-bang release?

Onion Masala

Tue, 26 Mar 2024 23:56:11 -0400

Ingredients

Vegetable oil for the onions
1 kg of onions
1 head of garlic (about 10 cloves)
5 cm of fresh ginger (approximately)
1 large can of diced tomatoes (approximately 500g) – alternatively about 6 large tomatoes cut into cubes

Spices

3 tablespoons ground coriander
1 tablespoon ground paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (less if you don’t want it too spicy!)

Options:

Bay leaves (2)

Preparation

In a pressure cooker (or Instant Pot): – Brown the oil – Add the onions finely sliced into rings (food processor or mandoline) – Let the onions burn a little so they turn nicely brown => start on high heat and stir rarely – As the onions reduce, lower the heat while stirring frequently – This will take a good 20 minutes

How to Escape the Brown Compromise Trap

Sun, 24 Mar 2024 00:57:47 +0000

We are all painters

The brown compromise is an analogy from the painting world. The story goes like this: if you ask a family of five folks living in the same house which colour they prefer, you may end up with a dataset like this one: green, yellow, blue, violet, and I don’t care (yes, this is not a colour!). You may also end up in a family (like mine) where one of the users (me!) is colour-blind and has a very different perception of the world than the other four family members.

Pudding Chomeur Arthur

Thu, 21 Mar 2024 12:36:23 -0400

Ingredients

1 can of coconut milk, separated:
- sauce: 1 cup (250 ml)
- cake: 2/3 cup (140 ml)

Sauce

1 cup maple syrup
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup coconut milk

Cake

1.5 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup coconut milk
1 teaspoon wine vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup plant-based milk (almond recommended)

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 180 Celsius
Sauce:
- Combine all ingredients
- Bring to a boil
- Pour into a square baking pan (approximately 20 cm / 20 cm)
Cake:
- In a bowl:
  - Mix the flour and baking powder
- In another large bowl:
  - Whisk the vegetable oil, sugar, coconut milk until you get a smooth and creamy mixture
  - Add the vinegar
  - Add the vanilla
  - Alternately fold in:
    - Flour / baking powder mixture
    - Plant-based milk
Before baking:
- In the pan with the syrup, spread the batter with a spatula.
Baking: approximately 40 minutes
- Check that the center of the pudding is cooked with a sharp knife
- Stop baking when the center is fully cooked

Matcha Energy Balls

Tue, 19 Mar 2024 23:28:41 -0400

Matcha Energy Balls

INGREDIENTS

3/4 cup cashews
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 tbsp matcha green tea powder
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tbsp maple syrup
1/4 cup plant-based milk

PREPARATION

Blend in a food processor

Mix the ingredients: cashews, salt, rolled oats, matcha
Blend until you get a fairly fine powder
Add the maple syrup, chocolate and plant-based milk
Blend until you get a fairly smooth dough
Scrape the sides and make sure all ingredients are well mixed
Add the salt, rolled oats, and matcha. Mix.

Modeling clay time: make energy balls!

Using an ice cream scoop (ideal amount), make small mounds that will become your energy balls. If possible on a non-stick surface (e.g., silicone)
With your hands, shape each mound into an energy ball

Storage

Keeps for up to 10 days in the refrigerator

Variations

Multiple: add dried fruits (raisins, cranberries, etc.) to the mix
Replace the matcha with vanilla extract
Dark chocolate instead of white chocolate

Sylvie's Chocolate Cake

Tue, 19 Mar 2024 16:16:46 -0400

Ingredients:

200 g chocolate
3 tablespoons milk
4 eggs
125 g salted butter
3 tablespoons flour

Instructions:

Separate the egg whites from the yolks
Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form
Melt the chocolate in the milk
Add one at a time:
- The sugar
- The 4 egg yolks
- The butter
- The flour
Fold the stiff egg whites into the mixture
Bake in a medium oven (180°C / 350°F) for 20-25 minutes (check doneness at the center of the cake with a knife)
Glaze:
- 100 g chocolate
- 50 g butter
- 1 tablespoon water

Instructions:

Melt the chocolate in the water
Add the butter as soon as it’s melted
Stir until the chocolate is smooth
Pour over the cake and spread evenly

Spaghetti Squash Pulled Pork Style

Tue, 19 Mar 2024 16:15:20 -0400

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE SAUCE

1 can (156 ml) tomato paste
1/3 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup HP sauce
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp salt
5 drops of tabasco (optional)

FOR THE SANDWICHES

4 to 5 cups cooked spaghetti squash flesh (see tip)
4 sandwich buns
Yellow mustard, for serving
Mayonnaise, for serving (optional)
4 pickles, sliced
Sprouts or greens of your choice, for serving

STEPS

In a saucepan, combine all the “sauce” ingredients. Cook over low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
In a bowl, pour the squash flesh and the sauce. Mix gently.
Top each sandwich bun with mustard, mayonnaise, pickles, the squash mixture and some greens to taste. Enjoy.

TIPS AND TRICKS

– To cook the squash, cut it in half lengthwise and remove the seeds. Cover each half with plastic wrap, then microwave for 8 minutes. Let cool slightly, then scrape out the flesh with a fork.

Vegan Onion Soup

Tue, 19 Mar 2024 16:00:35 -0400

Ingredients

2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1.5 kg onions, thinly sliced
3 sprigs of thyme (or one teaspoon of dried thyme)
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons white flour
1 L low-sodium vegetable broth
.5 L water
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar (red wine also possible)

Croutons:

6 slices of whole wheat bread

Cheese:

200 g vegan cheese

Preparation

Soup

Heat the oil in a large pot (everything must fit inside). Large saucepan, pressure cooker, etc.
Add the onions, thyme, and salt
Mix well and continue until they are about 3 times less voluminous and begin to brown (45-60 minutes)
Add the balsamic vinegar and continue to cook until they caramelize (10-15 minutes)
Add the vegetable broth, water, bay leaves, pepper to taste, and bring to a boil
Continue to cook over low heat, stirring from time to time, for 30 minutes
Remove the bay leaves before serving

Croutons

While the soup is gently simmering, prepare the croutons.

Classic Pie Crust

Tue, 19 Mar 2024 15:59:17 -0400

Ingredients

250g flour
10cl vegetable oil (whichever you prefer)
2 pinches of salt
10cl water
2 tablespoons maple syrup (or agave syrup), only if you want a slightly sweet crust
1/2 lemon zest for flavoring (optional) — you can also use bitter almond extract, vanilla, etc.

Preparation

In a bowl, mix the flour with the vegetable oil. Add the water, salt and maple syrup (along with the flavoring of your choice) and mix. Start with a fork then go at it with your hands. Don’t hesitate to recalibrate by adding a bit of flour or water depending on the texture of the dough!

Chocolate-Dipped Orange Peels

Mon, 18 Mar 2024 19:10:42 -0400

Ingredients

6 organic oranges (untreated)
250g sugar
1 half glass of water
500g baking chocolate
Orange blossom water (optional)

1 - Prepare the oranges

Boil the peels cut into quarters in water for one hour to blanch them.

Drain the peels for at least 12 hours until they are dry to the touch.

2 - Prepare the syrup

Make a syrup with 250g of sugar and half a glass of water.

No-Cook Berry Oatmeal

Mon, 18 Mar 2024 19:10:28 -0400

Ingredients:

1/2 cup steel cut oatmeal
- Option 2: Rolled oats
- Option 3: Quick-cooking oats (instant oatmeal)
1/2 cup blueberries (frozen or fresh) or other berries (frozen or fresh: strawberries cut into small pieces, raspberries, frozen cranberries, etc.)
1/2 cup plant-based milk
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1/4 tablespoon spice to taste: turmeric, cinnamon, carob, or chocolate

Instructions:

Mix everything in a medium Mason jar (or a plastic container with a lid)
Re-mix and check that no solid deposit has formed at the bottom of the jar
Refrigerate overnight

In the morning, it’s ready to enjoy. You can optionally:

Super Simple Chocolate Mousse

Mon, 18 Mar 2024 19:10:10 -0400

Ingredients:

250 g of water or milk (cow’s milk, almond milk…)
250 g of dark chocolate

Instructions:

In a saucepan, pour 250 g of water or milk and 250 g of dark chocolate.
Bring to a boil for 1 minute while stirring with a whisk.
Blend, then pour into small or large jars.
Let cool for one hour at room temperature, then refrigerate for at least four hours.
Remove the creams from the refrigerator 10 minutes before serving.

Christophe Michalak’s tips: You can sprinkle the creams with fleur de sel and a drizzle of olive oil before serving. Wrapped in plastic wrap, these creams can be kept for up to 7 days in the refrigerator.

Vegan Wine Risotto

Mon, 18 Mar 2024 19:10:00 -0400

Ingredients:

50 cl miso broth (or vegetable or chicken broth)
35 cl red wine (any leftover bottle will also work: red, white, champagne, etc.)
80 g butter
1 small onion, minced
1/2 clove of garlic
225 g arborio rice
40 g grated parmesan (optional)

Instructions:

In a separate saucepan, over low heat, warm the miso broth and wine together.
Melt the butter in a saucepan large enough to hold the entire dish:
- Add the minced onion and garlic.
- Let them soften over low heat until translucent: about 6 to 8 minutes of cooking.
- Add the rice and let it cook for 5 minutes.
- Stir often so it doesn’t stick.
- Gradually add the hot red wine and miso broth mixture, stirring each time until it is absorbed.
- Allow about 30 minutes of cooking time.

Side:

Delicious with mushrooms

Divide the risotto among plates and enjoy immediately, sprinkling with parmesan (optional).

Josette's Mango Pineapple Jam

Mon, 18 Mar 2024 19:09:48 -0400

Ingredients:

1 large pineapple
5 mangoes
Sugar

Preparation:

Peel and slice the fruits very thinly
Weigh the resulting fruit
Place in a large bowl and add sugar - ratio: 700g sugar / 1 kg fruit
Let marinate for a few hours
Cook over medium heat
Stop when it starts to thicken (20 to 30 minutes minimum)

Francine's Spice Bread

Mon, 18 Mar 2024 19:09:36 -0400

Ingredients

200 g / 1 cup butter or soft margarine
125 g / 1/2 cup white sugar
125 g / 1/2 cup golden brown sugar
4 eggs, separated
300 g / 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
15 g / 3 tsp baking powder
2 tsp allspice
2 tsp ground cinnamon
5 g / 1 tsp each of ground nutmeg, pepper, cloves, cardamom, cumin, anise, coriander
225 ml / 1 cup water

Instructions:

Cream the butter or margarine with the sugars.
Add the egg yolks, one at a time.
Sift together the dry ingredients and gradually add them to the creamy mixture, alternating with the water.
Beat the egg whites until stiff.
Gently fold them into the mixture.
Pour the mixture into a well-greased 22.5 cm square pan (or use silicone)
Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes, on the center rack.
Let cool for 10 minutes, then turn the cake out onto a wire rack.

Oil-Based Pizza Dough

Mon, 18 Mar 2024 19:09:25 -0400

Ingredients:

250 g flour
50 ml olive oil
1 glass of lukewarm water (approximately 250 ml)
Salt
20 g baker’s yeast or 8 g instant yeast

Instructions:

Preparing the yeast:
- Dissolve the yeast with a little flour in the lukewarm water
- Let it rise for 10 min
Dough:
- Arrange the remaining flour and salt in a well shape.
- Pour in the yeast mixture and the oil.
- Mix then vigorously work the dough for 10 min.
- Let it rest covered with a cloth in a warm place until it has doubled in volume.
It’s ready to roll out, all that’s left is to add the toppings of your choice

Spring Roll Dipping Sauce

Mon, 18 Mar 2024 19:09:09 -0400

Ingredients:

1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp fish sauce
1/2 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp warm water (to dissolve the sugar)
Very thinly julienned carrots
Garlic (optional)

Instructions:

Mix the first 4 ingredients together in a bowl.

Serving:

Pour the mixture into ramekins
Add carrots and garlic to taste.

Chantal's Almond Croquants

Mon, 18 Mar 2024 19:03:58 -0400

Ingredients

300 g almonds
500 g whole wheat flour
350 g sugar
4 eggs for whole wheat flour (3 for white flour)
flavoring (orange blossom water, vanilla, or orange zest)
Add water as needed

Directions

Toast the almonds.
Mix the flour and sugar, eggs, and flavoring.
Add water as needed to get a cohesive but dense dough.
Add the almonds and shape into small logs.
This preparation freezes very well (to bake later)
Roll them out and bake on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper in the oven at 180°C (350°F) for about 15 minutes.
Place 1 bowl of water in the oven.
Stop baking when golden and cut into thin slices as soon as they come out of the oven.
Wait for them to cool and enjoy! They are excellent warm and delicious when nice and crunchy.

Note for a vegan version: replace the eggs with 1/4 cup of applesauce or see other options

Red Pepper Jam

Mon, 18 Mar 2024 19:03:05 -0400

Ingredients:

1 kilo of red peppers
300 g sugar
Espelette pepper to taste.

Instructions:

Blend the raw peppers with the skin
In a saucepan, cook the blended peppers and add the sugar. If you are adding Espelette pepper, blend it as well.
Let it cook gently
Then increase the heat to cook at a rolling boil
Test the set
- The jam begins to set, it thickens on the edge of the pot, boils more gently and the bubbles burst.
- Wooden spoon test.
  - Take a little jam
  - Let it cool slightly, then gently tilt the spoon to pour back into the pot
  - If it falls in large drops rather than a thin stream, it’s ready.
- Pour into jars that have been previously sterilized (10 minutes in the oven at 100°C) jars and lids.
Turn your jars upside down as you fill them.

Celine's Cauliflower Salad

Mon, 18 Mar 2024 19:01:52 -0400

Ingredients:

One cauliflower
3 cloves of garlic (optional)
100g pine nuts
Spices: chives, cilantro or basil, your choice
Salt
Pepper

Preparation:

Clean the cauliflower
Preheat the oven to 200°C
Cut the cauliflower into small pieces in an oven-safe dish
Boil the whole garlic cloves with their skin for 15 seconds
Peel them and cut lengthwise
Place them with the cauliflower and drizzle everything with olive oil
Bake for 30 minutes
Warm the pine nuts in a pan for 5 minutes
In a bowl, combine the cauliflower, pine nuts, fresh herbs, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper
Serve immediately (delicious warm!)

Note: For an oil-free version, replace the oil with vegetable broth

Grandpa Pierre's Acras

Mon, 18 Mar 2024 23:00:02 +0000

Ingredients - Batter

Parsley, 1 bunch of 10 g
Green onion 20 g
2 onions
2 cloves of garlic
Thyme
Spices: pepper, Espelette pepper, allspice (West Indian bay leaf or otherwise bay leaf), whatever you feel like using!
250 ml milk (omit milk if you want them crispier)
1 egg / replace with chia (1 tablespoon chia, 4 tablespoons water)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda plus lemon juice
1 generous tablespoon salt
Water
Flour

Ingredients - Filling

Vegetables: carrots, cabbage, spinach, etc.

Preparation:

Chop all the ingredients as finely as possible.
Place in a bowl.
Add the milk, egg, salt, water, baking soda mixture and stir.
Grate vegetables of your choice and add to the bowl.
Add flour until you reach a dough-like consistency.
Form balls of 3-5 cm in diameter.

Cooking:

Option 1 — Oven: Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350°F).
- Spread on wax paper or a silicone baking mat
- Bake 5-10 minutes until golden
Option 2 — Deep frying:
- Heat oil until boiling
- Submerge the acras for 20-40 seconds or until golden

Notes

Freezes very well and also keeps very well in the refrigerator.

Instant Pot Oatmeal

Mon, 18 Mar 2024 18:57:21 -0400

Ingredients

3 apples cut into small pieces with the skin
3 cups rolled oats
4 tablespoons chia seeds
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 cups coconut milk
4 cups plant-based milk & water
1 cup walnuts
1 cup dried fruits (raisins, goji berries, etc.)

Preparation

Mix everything in the Instant Pot
Slow cook for 8 hours in the Instant Pot

Notes

This makes a large quantity, roughly enough for 12 breakfasts.
- Divide the quantity by three to try it out

Variations

The apples can be replaced with pears/peaches/apricots/etc. (not too ripe)

Celine's Vegan Banana Bread

Mon, 18 Mar 2024 18:56:22 -0400

Ingredients

1/4 cup or 60 g applesauce
2 chia eggs (2 tbsp chia + 6 tbsp water - let the mixture rest for 5 minutes)
3/4 cup or 190 g sugar
1 tsp vanilla
4 large bananas roughly mashed with a fork
1 cup flour and 1 cup whole oats (or flour/almond meal or almond pulp) or 300 g
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
125 ml soy milk
75g chocolate chips / 1.5 handfuls (optional)
75g nuts / 3 handfuls (optional)

Directions

Mix the applesauce, sugar, chia eggs and vanilla.
In another bowl, mix the flour, baking powder and baking soda.
Incorporate the dry mixture into the first preparation.
Add the bananas then the milk and chocolate chips if desired.
Pour the mixture into a silicone loaf pan or one lined with parchment paper.
Bake for 50 to 60 min in an oven preheated to 180°C (350°F)

Note: this is an excellent way to use overripe bananas => don’t throw them away, it’s even better that way. The trick is to put them in the freezer as soon as they reach that consistency, then you just need to thaw them once you’re ready to bake!

Chia Pudding with Coconut Milk

Mon, 18 Mar 2024 18:54:10 -0400

Ingredients:

250 ml (1 cup) coconut milk
2 tbsp (20 g) white or black chia seeds (no need to grind them)
2 tbsp maple syrup (or sugar)

Preparation:

The night before, in a large 500 ml (2 cups) Mason jar or a sealable airtight container:

Mix the coconut milk, chia seeds, and maple syrup.
Stir well
Close the jar and place in the refrigerator overnight
- If possible: stir by shaking the jar after 1 hour so the pudding is nice and smooth

The next morning:

Benoit's Easy Walnut Bread

Mon, 18 Mar 2024 18:51:40 -0400

Ingredients:

4 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon dry yeast
1/3 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup walnuts
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon maple syrup (or sugar)
2 cups lukewarm water (500 ml)

Preparation:

Activating the yeast:
- In a small ramekin, put the yeast, maple syrup or sugar, and 25-50 ml of lukewarm water
Preparing the dough:
- In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, rolled oats, and salt
- Add the activated yeast mixture (it should be foamy and smell of fermentation, otherwise… the bread won’t rise / won’t be very good!)
- Gradually add the lukewarm water
- Knead the dough well
- Add water as needed so the consistency is sticky but not too much ;-)
- Add the walnuts
- Place in a rectangular baking pan
  - (normally no need to oil it!)
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F)
- Let the dough rise for 20 minutes
Baking:
- Bake for 40 minutes
- When turned over, it should sound hollow when tapped
- Let it rest for 10 minutes (it continues to bake!) before enjoying

Conversion: 1 cup = approximately 250 ml

Arthur's Vegan Waffles

Mon, 18 Mar 2024 18:43:14 -0400

Ingredients

For three batches (full brunch for 5 people)

Egg substitute:
- 90 ml chia seeds
- 410 ml warm water (total = 500 ml)
- Mix and let rest
600 g flour
100 g sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
200g applesauce
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
750ml soy milk (or almond, etc.)
Let rest for 15 minutes (optional)
Meanwhile, heat up the waffle iron
Makes about 20 large waffles

For one batch

200 g flour
70 g applesauce
50 g sugar
250ml soy milk
Binder:
- 3 x (1 teaspoon chia seeds and 3 tablespoons water)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation

Prepare the chia and water mixture in a ramekin
- Wait 5-10 minutes until the chia and water mixture looks like a strange, sticky substance
Mix the flour, baking powder and sugar
Add the applesauce
Mix everything together
Add the vanilla extract
Add the chia mixture
Mix everything
Incorporate the soy milk
If possible, let rest for 10 minutes

Cooking

Cook the waffles in a waffle iron

Variations

Add to the batter:
- Chocolate chips
- Berries (raspberry, blueberry)
Replace vanilla with orange blossom water
Skip the vanilla altogether

Notes

Keeps very well in the freezer or refrigerator
- Toast in the oven or toaster (like a bagel) straight from the freezer

Chantal's Rice Pudding

Mon, 18 Mar 2024 18:36:45 -0400

Ingredients:

350g short-grain rice (Arborio in North America)
1 vanilla bean (or two teaspoons vanilla extract)
1 liter plant-based milk
150g sugar (to taste / or 75g sugar + 2 tablespoons stevia extract)

Instructions:

Rinse the rice in water using a fine-mesh strainer
Cook the rice in boiling water (2 L) for 10 minutes
Drain the rice, rinse with hot water for a less “sticky” rice pudding
Bring the milk to a boil with the vanilla, as soon as it boils add the rice
Lower the heat (2.5/10 for electric) and let cook for about fifteen minutes or until the rice reaches the desired consistency ** Stir regularly with a wooden spoon to check that it’s not burning at the bottom of the pot (every 5 minutes)
At the end of cooking, add the sugar/stevia: mix well
Let it cool down: it’s delicious as is!
Also excellent cold

Variations:

Three teaspoons of orange blossom water instead of vanilla…
Two teaspoons of cinnamon instead of vanilla
Replace part of the milk with coconut milk

Notes:

One batch for 2-3 hungry people
Double the batch for 4-6 hungry people
If too dry, add a little milk after cooking
Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator (keeps for a long time, though that almost never happens!)

Josette's Piperade

Mon, 18 Mar 2024 18:33:16 -0400

Ingredients:

600 g onions
1.5 kg long peppers
1.5 kg tomatoes
Espelette pepper (powder)
Salt

Preparation:

Tomatoes:
Blanch the tomatoes (plunge them in boiling water for a few minutes)
Let cool
Remove the skin
Cut into pieces about 1 cm

Tip: score a cross with a sharp knife on the bottom of the tomatoes before plunging them in hot water, they will peel more easily

Peel and slice the onions into strips
Saute the onions until translucent (not fully golden/cooked)
Wash and seed the long peppers
Cut them into large strips lengthwise
When the onions are translucent, add the chopped tomatoes and peppers
Let reduce over medium heat, stirring often
Add the Espelette pepper (powder) and spices
Best prepared the day before and improves when reheated

Side

Rice or other grains (quinoa, bulgur, etc.)

Dhal

Mon, 18 Mar 2024 18:31:03 -0400

Ingredients:

400 g red lentils (2 cups)
1/2 L vegetable broth (2 cups)
3 tomatoes diced (or 2 large ones) or 1 can of diced tomatoes
1 can of coconut milk (425 ml)
3 shallots or 2 onions
3 cloves of garlic or more
1/2 lime or lemon

Spices

1 teaspoon cumin
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground ginger
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Heat a large saucepan with a little water at the bottom
Once the water starts to simmer, add the onions or shallots and stir until they brown (4 to 5 minutes).
- You can add a little vegetable broth if they stick.
Add the garlic and mix well for 1 min.
Add the spices and make sure the onion and garlic mixture is well coated.
Add the vegetable broth, coconut milk, lentils, and tomatoes.
Stir continuously: lentils stick quickly!
Cook over medium heat for 20 min, making sure to stir regularly so it doesn’t stick to the pan.
Add salt and pepper as needed.
Let it simmer over low heat for another 10 to 15 min for more flavor.
- Note: it’s even better reheated / the next day ;-)
Squeeze the half lemon/lime and stir

Serving suggestions:

Rice or other grains (quinoa, bulgur, etc.)
Add some greens, for example: – fresh cilantro or green onions

Peanut-Ginger Sauce

Mon, 18 Mar 2024 18:27:53 -0400

Ingredients:

4 tbsp peanut butter
1 tsp freshly grated ginger
1 pinch of chili paste
1 tsp finely chopped garlic
1 lime
1 tbsp maple syrup or sugar
3 tbsp water
2 tbsp coconut aminos (if unavailable, substitute with soy sauce)

Instructions:

Mix everything together
Heat over low heat
Add water as needed to control the consistency

What to eat with this sauce?

Once the sauce is ready, add your choice (or both):

InstantPot Rice Pudding

Mon, 18 Mar 2024 18:17:39 -0400

Ingredients:

2.75 cups of liquid - half/half water and plant-based milk
1 cup arborio rice
0.5 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon or vanilla

Instructions:

Put all ingredients in the rice cooker after rinsing the rice
Mix well
Cook for 19 minutes on high pressure (Instant Pot or equivalent)

Variations:

Three teaspoons of orange blossom water instead of vanilla…
Two teaspoons of cinnamon instead of vanilla
Replace part of the milk with coconut milk

Notes:

One batch serves 2-3 hungry people
Double the batch for 4-6 hungry people
If too dry, add a little milk after cooking
Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator (keeps for a long time, though that almost never happens!)

Happiness: a Dance of Openness and Closure

Fri, 16 Jun 2023 23:12:04 +0000

Navigating the Rhythms of the Mind

Photo by Aarón Blanco Tejedor on Unspash

Our mind operates with two main paradigms. Open or closed.

Yesterday I was fired 🔥

Thu, 08 Jun 2023 22:20:57 +0000

What better moment to reflect on life, life choices and happiness than a day after you were laid off?

Ultimately, the reasons do not matter much and will not be exposed here.

A one to zero transition:

I realized today that quitting your job (without another one planned) or being fired is a 1-to-0 transition. In physics, this is called a non-linear transition. It describes rapidly evolving phenomena like phase transitions and the exponential growth of tiny lifeforms. We don’t practice (mentally) this 0-to-1 transition! It is, in fact, the exact opposite of a prevalent mental model of the product & business world. Pether Thiel popularized the 0-to-1 mental model in a well-known book of the same name.

📖 Nudge: Why Product Managers Should Become Proficient Choice Architects

Wed, 23 Jun 2021 11:49:49 +0000

Designing a great choice architecture should be one of your core responsibilities as a product manager.

Don’t Ask For More Resources: Do More With What You Have!

Mon, 22 Feb 2021 06:44:26 +0000

Instead of asking for more, focus on helping your team succeed. Ensure you align your goals with the team’s current capacity: this is the…

The Dark Side of Authority

Fri, 22 Jan 2021 20:34:04 +0000

Boost your success and team growth by … not deciding!

Trifecta: How to maximize a product teams impact

Sun, 20 Sep 2020 07:03:22 -0400

Introduction & Definition

In this blog post, we’ll explore the concept of “trifecta” (also called triad in some organizations) that I have seen used successfully in the past both at start-up and even at large scale organizations (ex: Shopify).

Let’s start with a definition. The trifecta represents a subset of a product team whose goals are to capture systematically:

value: for the business
usability: for the user
feasibility: technological, ethical, legal, etc.

Valuable & Usable & Feasible are the trifecta goal!

I will use the term craft in this article and would also like to define it: a craft is one or more people inside the product-team with their hierarchy, rituals and specialties. Example of craft includes engineering (sometimes back-end, front-end, mobile), UX (designer, researcher, content specialist, etc.), Product (product manager, product owner, product lead, etc.), data-science (data-scientist, etc.), commercial, legal, etc. Each organization is different and has a different structure to execute its mission. In this article, I will refer to “craft” as the various specialties & hierarchies that exist within the organization.

Don't give us MVPs we want minimally enjoyable products!

Fri, 01 May 2020 07:25:40 -0400

Minimally Viable Products are a myth or, if you prefer a mental model. Always wrong but sometimes useful.

Original Image: Making sense of MVP (Minimum Viable Product) and why I prefer Earliest Testable/Usable/Lovable by Henrik Kniberg

Very much like Prometheus and the fire or Icarus and the sun they are powerful analogies and ideas that shape our view of the world. A tribute to their power is that, thousands of years after their creation, we still relate to them even if their initial context is long gone.

How to Run a Why, Who, What, How Alignment Session

Sat, 18 Jan 2020 09:01:01 +0000

A simple set of questions to remove ambiguity, build team alignment and prioritize

The Abuse of Tech Debt

Fri, 17 Jan 2020 10:10:01 +0000

There is nothing unique about tech debt: just change. A tech debt classification and initial root-cause analysis.

I Am Not a Writer — Not Even a Native English Speaker

Thu, 09 Jan 2020 19:01:01 +0000

How I published 16 articles in 2019 and enjoyed the experience.

How Reframing Negative Experiences Can Make You Happier

Fri, 27 Dec 2019 05:53:53 +0000

A guide for learning from tough situations rather than simply ruminating on them

One Ring to Stitch Them All and in the Land of API Bind Them

Thu, 26 Dec 2019 06:01:01 +0000

One Ring to Stitch Them All and in the Land of API Bind Them. GraphQL schema stitching for platform or API PM

How to run a prioritization session using the MosCOW framework

Thu, 19 Dec 2019 09:01:02 +0000

10x ruthless prioritization

A prioritization method to rapidly build consensus on the scope and share with your team and any stakeholder.

Why should you operate more than one wine club?

Wed, 11 Dec 2019 07:27:38 +0000

Wine clubs are part of the Direct to Consumer (DtC) trend. They allow the winemaker to send large amounts of wine to a selected group of…

From Product to Platform — Conclusion (5/5)

Sun, 08 Dec 2019 22:01:02 +0000

From product to platform: A PM journey

How to Organize a Great Team Retrospective

Sat, 07 Dec 2019 14:06:34 +0000

Retrospective help teams realize their impact and grow.

From Product to Platform — Platform Revolutions (4/5)

Mon, 02 Dec 2019 22:01:01 +0000

From product to platform: A PM journey

How platforms can evolve. Tectonic and violent revolution or more subtle and frequent iterations? How the Pareto principle can help make better decisions.

From Product to Platform — Platform Mental Models (3/5)

Thu, 28 Nov 2019 15:01:01 +0000

The journey of a Product manager: from product to platform.

Useful mental models to better understand platforms: Superset of knowledge, Ecosystem, Infinite Game, Compounded interest

From Product to Platform — Increased Complexity (2/5)

Mon, 25 Nov 2019 15:01:01 +0000

Journey of a Product manager, from product to platform: complexity!

Platforms are more complex than products. This post highlight the specific domains where platforms are more complex than products.

From Product Manager to Platform Manager — the Partners’ Impact(1/5)

Sat, 23 Nov 2019 04:01:03 +0000

Platform Managers listen to the voice of the developer.

📖 Never Split The Difference: the art of contextual questioning with respect and empathy.

Fri, 19 Apr 2019 16:54:26 +0000

A great book to become a better human being

Radical + Optimist

Thu, 11 Apr 2019 23:24:37 +0000

Why being optimistic?

We have to visualize, dream and tell positive stories about the world we want to build. This requires a healthy dose of radical optimism.

📖 Book review: Sense & Respond

Tue, 02 Apr 2019 15:39:05 +0000

A great book for knowledge workers. This is a map to help you navigate in our increasingly digital world.

Sense and respond, product management, teal organizations, reinventing organizations

Being optimistic is a choice

Sat, 23 Mar 2019 22:57:33 +0000

Personal challenge: make a conscient effort to look at a negative situation and find a positive outcome…

Optimism in practice

Why you should update your wine club policies now!

Wed, 14 Sep 2016 10:13:00 +0000

Reviewing an existing or creating a new wine club is an important operation, but, when you run a real-world winery, it is often not a…

Value chain in the wine Industry

Tue, 16 Aug 2016 19:38:12 +0000

Wine is a complicated industry with a large and complex value chain and many partners, such as winemakers, agents, wholesalers…

How to start a wine club

Tue, 22 Mar 2016 19:20:22 +0000

How to start a wine club

What Direct To Consumer represents for genuine wine makers

Tue, 26 Jan 2016 07:12:40 +0000

Direct To Consumer (DTC) is a major trend worldwide.

Comment Policy

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

📝 Comment Policy: Embrace Radical Optimism in Dialogue!

Welcome to the comment section of Radical Optimist! We’re thrilled to have you join the conversation and contribute to our community of forward-thinkers. To maintain a space that embodies the ethos of radical optimism, we ask you to abide by these guidelines:

Elevate with Positivity: Let’s uplift one another with positivity and encouragement. Share your thoughts, ideas, and perspectives in a spirit of optimism and hopefulness.
Constructive Engagement: Engage in constructive dialogue that fosters growth and understanding. Offer thoughtful insights, ask questions, and provide constructive feedback to enrich the conversation.
Stay Aligned with Our Vision: Keep your comments aligned with the values of radical optimism. We celebrate innovation, progress, and solutions-oriented thinking that inspires positive change.
Respectful Interaction: Treat fellow commenters with respect, empathy, and kindness. Embrace diverse viewpoints and engage in respectful discourse, even in disagreement.
Focus on Solutions: Let’s focus on solutions rather than dwelling on problems. Share ideas and strategies that empower individuals and communities to create positive impact.
Authentic Engagement: Be authentic and genuine in your interactions. Use your real identity or a consistent pseudonym when commenting to foster trust and authenticity within our community.
Moderation: Comments are moderated to uphold our commitment to radical optimism and ensure a safe, welcoming environment for all participants. Comments that violate these guidelines may be edited or removed.

Together, let’s cultivate a culture of radical optimism where every voice is valued, and every contribution propels us toward a brighter future!

Contact me

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Here is how you can reach me (your choice):

Option 1: LinkedIn

Option 2: Contact form

Resume

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Option 1: LinkedIn

You can find more details on my LinkedIn Profile

Option 2: Here is my up to date summary in pdf

You can also download it below.

/ [pdf]

Search the Site

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Provided by a great library

Thanks PageFind.app for the extraordinary integration.

Service

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

I offer fractional services (CPO, CTO or CPTO) for start-ups and scale-ups having either a punctual need or who want to work long-term with me.

I take an active role with the leadership team (CEO, CFO, founders, etc.) to deliver value. Given my background, I can operate as a fractional CTO/CPO or both. Fractional means that I have all the active responsibilties of a regular employee including a managerial role (hiring, promoting, firing) depending on the size of the team.

The pyramid of the product manager needs (Maslow inspired)

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

A useful and visual mental model that represent the product management role in relation to its environment.