If you still think that proper nutrition is steamed chicken breast and cucumbers, you definitely need to read this article. A healthy approach to food does not imply a meager and monotonous diet. Proper nutrition can also include desserts, sandwiches, and much more.
Add New Shades to Familiar Dishes
A regular salad or side dish can easily be turned into something more by adding oil, sauce, or marinade. For example, olive oil is excellent for salads and side dishes. Just one drop of sesame oil will add a delicious flavor to your meal. Coconut oil is ideal for frying or desserts.
Homemade pesto sauce based on basil, parmesan, olive oil, pine nuts, garlic goes well with any type of pasta and with various side dishes. You can also put pesto on salads that include tomatoes or delicate cheeses such as stracciatella.
Tomatoes and basil also make an excellent sauce for meat dishes and pasta. For the perfect addition to meat, easily whip together a sauce based on natural yogurt, cucumber, garlic, and an herb like dill or cilantro. You can also use it as a salad dressing.
Now about the marinades. A little soy sauce won’t hurt any meat or vegetables. Before cooking, marinate your meat or poultry in kefir with cilantro and red wine. This simple trick will add a pleasant shade to red meat. Also, try marinating fish, meat, or poultry in a mixture of red onions, spices, and natural herbs.
Try New Healthy Foods
You can add a little variety to the diet with the help of healthy and tasty products, which are now easily bought in any supermarket. Explore the aisles for new foods and try out ideas like the ones listed below:
Fresh spinach is an excellent addition to salads and can be an incredible side dish when stewed.
Broccoli and cauliflower can be added to omelets or used as a complete garnish. Asparagus is another idea for a light, healthy side dish. Dry it a little in a skillet without oil, or use the grill.
Quinoa is a great addition to a salad or served as a side dish. This grain also goes well with sesame oil, adding a satisfying flavor.
Celery is a treasure trove of vitamins that can be added to salads. Celery is also great with squeezed juice; try mixing it with apple, carrot, or tomato juice, or adding spinach.
Avocados can be sliced into a salad or mashed for a sandwich with whole-grain bread.
Arugula, iceberg lettuce, and frieze: these greens will help decorate side dishes or diversify familiar salads.
Mangoes can be added to cottage cheese, made into smoothies, and cut into salads to give the dish a tropical flavor.
Blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, currants, cranberries, and lingonberries can be found in stores all year round. Berries are a great addition to cereals, cottage cheese, and various desserts.
Sesame can also be added to salads and desserts. You can also sprinkle it on whole-grain avocado toast.
Matcha is a wonderful drink that is both tasty and healthy. It invigorates better than coffee and goes well with coconut milk.
Use Herbs and Spices
Say hi to your new herb friends; dried garlic, dill, parsley, bay leaf, black pepper, bell pepper, red hot pepper, turmeric, pink salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, curry, and coriander. This is a versatile set that will definitely come in handy in the kitchen.
Here are our recommendations for putting them to use:
Herbs like basil, turmeric, oregano, coriander, thyme, parsley, ginger, nutmeg, mustard seeds, chili peppers, rosemary, and tarragon are well-suited for meat dishes.
A mixture of dried herbs, rosemary, marjoram, all kinds of peppers, nutmeg, thyme, dried garlic, sage, mint, tarragon, and thyme are excellent for fish.
For desserts, seasonings such as cinnamon, vanillin, ginger (for cookies and pies), cardamom, star anise for fruit drinks and decorations, nutmeg, cloves, rosemary, and saffron are ideal.
Add Variety To Your Drinks
To make it easier and more enjoyable to maintain water balance, take note of these simple recipes for healthy drinks:
1 liter of water + 1 lemon + half a cucumber + mint to taste.
1 liter of water + 1 grapefruit + rosemary to taste + 1 tablespoon of honey.
1 liter of water + 100 g strawberries + half a cucumber + basil to taste.
1 liter of water + 1 lemon + 50 g of fresh ginger + mint to taste.
1 liter of water + half a cucumber + 100 g of strawberries + half a kiwi.
0.8 liters of water + 0.2 liters of green tea + mint to taste + 1 lime.
1 liter of water + half an orange + half a lemon + half a lime.
What else can you drink? Tea, of course! There are various flavors to choose from, whether you like black, green, or herbal teas.
Coffee perfectly tones and invigorates, but the main thing is to know when to stop. Try to make it the Turkish way by adding 2-3 grains of natural vanilla to the ground coffee (before pouring the water). As for coffee with milk, just beware that there is 150 kcal in a standard cup of cappuccino.
What about freshly squeezed juices? You can drink vegetable juices with almost no restrictions. Just don’t forget that you should always add a drop of cream or butter to carrot juice. Otherwise, the nutrients will simply not be absorbed. But with fruit, be careful, as many of them are high in carbohydrates.
We hope that now you can enjoy gastronomic pleasure every day. Let the proper nutrition be easy and varied for you! And for healthy and satisfying meals on the go, don’t forget to call or visit Mangia, NYC’s favorite cafe and restaurant!