Let me help you eat delicious, healthy food all year round. And let the ingredients be ancient ones from the Andes.
Now that we have all indulged over the holidays, and perhaps our stomachs and our weight are not in good shape, we can think of moving towards enjoying healthy foods that are also really delicious.
How we eat is also important. To begin with, if we have a tendency to eat more than our body needs, try drinking at least a big glass of water half an hour before all meals. Then, when eating, chew slowly to give us the opportunity to really taste. This kind of mindful eating makes all the difference. And when we eat slowly, we will feel satisfied earlier and thus eat less.
Choosing healthy ingredients for us as individuals, we can choose to enjoy foods that are also healthy for the planet. Thus these healthy foods can be based on locally sourced ingredients. Living here in countries of the Andes, there is an abundance of biodiversity among so many ingredients.
I love all the shapes and colors of potatoes and search out ones that are not grown with toxins. My New Years resolution is to take the time to search out organic or agro-ecologic potatoes because beyond preserving the soils, they also have incomparable texture and taste; I feel safe in eating the peel, too.
Tomatoes originated in South America, too. Their flavor and juiciness cannot be matched by those hot-house, almost square things full of nasty pesticides that may suit commercialization processes but certainly don´t suit my taste buds. Often even their smell is obnoxious.
Again, this year I resolve to spend the extra time and perhaps cost to buy only organic or agro-ecological tomatoes.
Beans are a healthy source of protein and in comparison to animal protein barely have a carbon footprint and are not a source of antibiotics like those found in chicken and other animal protein. Cultivating beans doesn´t require destroying the Amazon or other forested areas and beans don´t produce methane like cattle.
The recipe I share here comes from my book in full color, Un Mundo de Comida con los Ingredientes del Ecuador. It produces a spectacular dish and since one doesn´t cook the veggies in water or roast them, they retain almost all of their micronutrients (vitamins and minerals). I personally use an edible lupine as my bean, but any white bean will supply excellent protein. What I like about this recipe is that it is equally delicious hot or at room temperature, so you can pack it and plan to eat it when you are at the office or out and about. It´s really good not to have to think of what you can pick up to ward off hunger, because often quick food pick-ups can tend to be not at all healthy. By thinking a bit in advance and packing up, we can control what we eat because we know the quality of ingredients we use.
You will find many other healthy recipes in my cookbooks and of course here on my site and blog. Do please sign up at the bottom of the page www.michelleofried.com You´ll see delicious and healthy recipes, tips and advice to live a life of flavor. The concept of eating the rainbow you will see on each recipe; it helps you learn the nutritional value in a fun visual way.