Shocker: it’s January and we’re writing about healthy eating. But wait before you seek refuge in a giant Dairy Milk! While some might be going down the route of advocating juice cleanses and punishing detoxes, we want our heath foods to be as delicious as they are nourishing. No starvation rations here, just some unusual ingredients which add lots of flavour as well as nutrients to your home-cooked creations…
Maca powder: Nature’s espresso
It doesn’t sound sexy – a Peruvian root vegetable which looks like an ugly parsnip – but Maca is loved by healthy food bloggers like the Hemsleys and Deliciously Ella. Maca is a great source of B Vitamins and iron, and gives you a real energy jolt in the mornings. It’s sold as a powder which has a pleasant, malty taste. The Hemsleys use it with honey to make energy balls that taste like butterscotch, and we love it added to smoothies along with almond milk and cacao powder (to pretend we’re drinking liquid Maltesers).
Freekeh: Because quinoa is so last year
This under-the-radar wholegrain is definitely getting better known (you can now get it in M&S). Chefs like Ottolenghi love freekeh because not only is it good for you, it’s got a delicious, nutty flavour, too. Like quinoa it’s packed with protein, but unlike that ubiquitous grain, there’s no risk of ending up with a soggy gruel when you cook it. Freekeh is what your lunchbox has been waiting for.
Coconut sugar: Get your bake on
Healthy cake needn’t be an oxymoron. If you love getting a bit Mary Berry in the kitchen and getting into your Topshop Leigh skinnies afterwards, there’s more and more hacks you can use for healthier baking. Instead of reaching for the golden caster, try coconut sugar. It’s lower GI than regular sugar, and is also a source of antioxidants, zinc and iron. So those coconut brownies are practically one of your five a day. Erm.
Cavolo Nero: Like kale, less ‘stalky’
We’re on board with the kale craze: it’s packed with nutrients, tastes good stir-fried or baked into chips, and green juice makes us feel pleasantly smug. But here’s what the health food gurus never say about curly kale: sometimes it’s like chewing rabbit food. Cavolo Nero is kale’s yummier cousin. Its softer, purple-green leaves make much nicer kale salads than the woody stuff. Or, channel an Italian mamma and stir it into white bean soups, sprinkled with a little Parmesan.
Avocado oil: Good fats are your friends
Hopefully we’re now all okay with good fats and have worked out a creamy avocado is better for us than a diet yogurt. Yes? Good. Drizzle avocado oil on salads and both your tastebuds and skin will thank you for it. Avocado oil has a delicious smoky taste, and is also a rich source of Vitamin E. It’s a good alternative to olive oil for shallow frying as it has a high smoke point (a cheffy term for when smoke starts billowing up from the pan and the oil breaks down).
Like this? Then you might also be interested in:
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Follow Katy on Twitter @KSalty
This article originally appeared on The Debrief.