Some color in your flower bag!
Summer is in the air and you haven't missed it. A good reason to eat better and adoptClean Eating . So take advantage of this sunny season to create the perfect basket. Here are some healthy, vitamin-rich and colorful ideas...
First of all, we start by reviewing the basics of clean and healthy eating . Eating healthy means favoring fruits and vegetables , legumes, animal proteins in smaller proportions (on the plate, it is 1/3 accompanied by 2/3 vegetables and not the opposite), always local or as much as possible, seasonal and most often organic. The foods are little or not processed and above all, the plate is varied, balanced while respecting the acid-base balance , with little or no added sugar , all completed (and not watered down, because we try to drink more often outside of meals) by mineral water with the lowest possible dry residue rate so as not to tire the kidneys. Don't forget, water is the first vital food. Not only does it allow all cells to live, but it is also their means of communication. Water is essential for its hydrating function and for its role as a cellular messenger.
A basket of all colors
Because it's summer, it's the time or never to reset the counters and let intuition guide you towards the clean and healthy foods to slip into your shopping bag or trolley. Because nature is well made and the body "knows", you have every chance of being attracted to what is good for you when your body needs it. Fortunately, it doesn't work with cravings for fries and hamburgers! Although. It is necessary to distinguish between a craving and an addiction. If every time you watch your favorite series, the desire for chips and coke arises, it is because a habit, or even an addiction, has set in. All it takes is for you to have prepared a TV tray with chips and coke several times to have a pleasant time, so that the following times the same situation calls for the flavors of the foods tasted that day. The culprit? State memory, this memory that associates polysensory sensations and memories. Do you understand the principle? It's up to you to deprogram this little Proust Madeleine and to anchor a new one, healthier , cleaner.
The ideal shopping bag is already in your head!
Yes, doing Clean Eating shopping requires preparation . Choose the bag you like the most (rattan basket, tote bag, brightly colored net, super cute Scottish trolley on wheels!) and take it in hand with the intention of filling it with good things that you will choose carefully. Don't hesitate to say out loud, whether you are alone or with spectators, "I go shopping to prepare healthy and delicious meals". Then head to the market (or to the fruit and vegetable section of your supermarket) and get ready to watch a film in technicolor. What does that have to do with it? Formulating this intention clearly will keep you away from junk food, even if you risk being tempted, your unconscious will do its job of warning "stop, you promised!" And the more colorful your basket is, the more colorful your plate will be too. However, a plate with varied colors guarantees the presence of equally varied nutrients: minerals, trace elements, antioxidant pigments, vitamins, fibers. And it's so easy that there's no need to stay focused on black and white. Besides, your brain doesn't make any mistake: wander through the summer fruit and vegetable aisles, take the time to look tomatoes, eggplants, strawberries, salads, cucumbers in the eye. Instinctively, it's first through our eyes that we gauge the freshness and quality of a food. Then a cascade of images, flavors and smells come to mind and almost immediately, you're salivating! So, get your vitamin baskets ready...
Green, to lighten up
Green detoxifies thanks to chlorophyll, whose mission is also to oxygenate the body. However, better oxygenation facilitates good immunity (hence the interest in moving at least 30 minutes a day)! But that's not all. Green is also the color of glucosinates found in broccoli, Brussels sprouts, green cabbage, which have recognized anti-carcinogenic properties. It is also thanks to their detox role that these glucosinates contribute to the activation of enzymes responsible for the detoxification of cancer cells. Cucumber, green apples, lime, avocado are yours.
Red, for cardio
It protects the heart and eyes thanks to lycopene, a super antioxidant very close to carotenes, and which gives all their sparkle to tomatoes, peppers, pomegranates, red apples, pink grapefruit, strawberries, redcurrants, watermelons... Go for this red and its lycopene which prevents cardiovascular diseases due to its ability to promote cellular communication.
Purple and blue, like red!
Right next to red, purple performs almost the same missions: this powerful color means that resveratrol is not far away. This antioxidant is good for the heart, as are anthocyanins, which protect the skin. Ask your market gardener for a selection of red onions, eggplants, blackcurrants, plums, and grapes. Blue, synonymous with phenol, strengthens blood vessels. If their blue sometimes tends towards purple, it is the family of eggplants, figs, and blueberries that best represents them.
Yellow and orange, anti-inflammatory
Yellow reveals the presence of bioflavonoids, a powerful anti-inflammatory. Yellow peaches, yellow peppers, yellow heirloom tomatoes, yellow lemons, in short, yellow. And in addition to being tasty, these fruits and vegetables in the colors of the sun attack bad cholesterol. Orange is beta-carotene which gives a healthy glow , a precursor of vitamin A, an ally of the eyes and sight, and above all, an immunity booster. This color is also credited with the ability to act as antivirals and antihistamines (ideal in the presence of allergens or mosquitoes whose bites they will reduce). So go for peaches, apricots and mangoes.
White and beige, for tension
These two colors indicate a reserve of allicin and anthoxanthin, which together potentiate and regulate blood pressure. What could be more tempting than adding a nice pinch of chopped and fried garlic and onions to your turnip dishes?
Local the cart!
In summer, it's the holiday destination that guides your purchases. Always remember to take inspiration from the local area. Unless what is offered is totally opposed to your diet (too fatty, too meaty) or your tastes (too spicy), let yourself be carried away by what the traders offer you on the markets. Chestnuts and clementines from Corsica, melons from Cavaillon, cocos de Paimpol... All the controlled designations of origin (AOC) come from the local area. However, the local area gives local fruits and vegetables all the nutrients from the earth that they need to grow! By eating local , you will benefit from the advantages of this local area, but as a bonus, you will consume fruits and vegetables that have not been picked barely ripe, will not have traveled miles to end up on your plate devoid of any good nutrients.
Scalable tote bag
Especially for meat products... In the 60s and 70s, housewives slipped five types of meat into their "shopping bag": beef, pork, mutton, chicken, turkey. Then between 1960 and 1980, consumption remained varied and increased considerably (going from 78 kgec known as "carcass equivalents" to 104 kgec in 1980). An outward sign of wealth, meat was in almost every meal. Purchasing power increased by almost 4%, health messages mentioned the beneficial role of meat products, livestock farming concentrated and intensified. New face of the shopping basket in the 90s: meat consumption stabilized, but beef (associated with several health crises) fell in favor of pork, poultry and mutton. The oil shock of 1989 limited household purchasing power to 0.9%, which reduced spending. Finally, another significant turning point in the 2010s to today, we eat less meat, we demonstrate that legumes are interesting sources of protein, we emphasize the key role of fruits and vegetables, in short the clean and healthy trend puts more and more green in the shopping carts. Even if, curiously, the consumption of cold cuts is doing well...
What proteins to buy this summer?
Today, eating a balanced diet does not mean banning animal proteins, but rather becoming aware that reducing their consumption is a wise move. Above all, as with plants, think locavore! Lamb from the salt meadows of Mont Saint Michel or Sisteron, oysters from Oléron, and beef from Charolles have all been raised according to tradition.
To make sure, choose AOCs, organic when possible and quality over quantity. And things are changing! Our plastic bag has become a tote bag (or a shopping net again) and it contains more fish, especially oily fish like wild salmon, mackerel; eggs that have regained their nobility, vegetable proteins like tofu (soy "cheese" made from compressed soy milk), tempeh (also made from soy, but fermented with a fungus for two days to give a sort of nougat that is more compact and less crumbly than tofu, with a more pronounced taste) or seitan, called wheat meat (obtained by removing all the starch from wheat flour to keep only the pure gluten, an elastic and fibrous mass close to the consistency of meat).
This summer, more than ever, dare to try unknown flavors and new combinations, but also take the time to reconnect with traditional recipes. In short, take yourself for a Top Chef candidate. If creativity is for all seasons , respect for tradition is also essential. Because in a trolley, a shopping bag, a basket, a bag, there are varied, healthy, quality products, to compose infinite balanced menus. But above all, behind each purchase there is the intention to prepare a meal for your family, your friends or for yourself with awareness, presence... With love! It's summer, come on, cook!
2 summer recipes from our guest chef, Angèle Ferreux-Maeght, from the Guinguette d'Angèle.
Garlic Pie
This is one of this naturopathic chef's favorites. To make it you need:
- 200g rice flour
- 40g buckwheat flour
- 100g butter
- 12cl of lukewarm water
- salt and pepper
- 3 medium heads of garlic
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons of honey or whole sugar
- A small bunch of dried thyme
- 120g of sheep’s milk cheese (or other cheese)
- 2 small eggs
- 20cl of liquid vegetable (or classic) cream
- Pepper from the mill
In a bowl, pour the rice flour, buckwheat flour, salt and pepper and make a well in the center. Add the cut butter and water, knead until you get a smooth dough.
Spread the shortcrust pastry on a sheet of baking paper. Then line a tart mold and prick the bottom with a fork.
Peel your heads of garlic, if you have a microwave (even if we limit its use as much as possible of course) you can heat them for 20 seconds, the cloves will soften and will detach as if by magic.
Preheat your oven to 180°C. Then immerse the pods in water and bring to the boil for 8 minutes, then drain them. Brown the pods with the olive oil, balsamic vinegar and sugar while stirring until everything caramelizes.
In a salad bowl, beat your eggs and add the cream, pepper. Place the tome in pieces on the bottom of the tart. Pour the cream and beaten egg mixture then scatter the caramelized garlic cloves and thyme on top. For an even more golden pastry, spread a beaten egg yolk using a brush on the edges of the pastry.
Bake for about 30 minutes, the tart should be golden brown. Serve hot with a green salad.
Strawberry Crumble
Not only is it delicious, but it is also gluten-free. Its only flaw, according to the healthy chef, is that you can quickly become addicted to it!
For 4 people, you need:
- 5 to 6 apples
- 300g strawberries
- 200g of our gluten-free flour mix (or a mixture of gluten-free flours)
- 150g of semi-salted butter
- 125g of rapadura sugar
Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Peel and cut the apples into cubes, place them with the halved strawberries in an ovenproof dish.
In a bowl, mix the flour mix, Rapadura sugar and butter until you get a sandy mixture. Crumble the dough between the palms of your hands to obtain the desired consistency. Sprinkle the crumble mixture over the fruit.
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes and serve warm with a tablespoon of plant-based yogurt or ice cream for those with a sweet tooth!
For a quick lunch with a respected acid-base balance, for a light meal full of vitamins and antioxidants and many other recipes, go to the site laguinguettedangele.com or fall for the latest book by Angèle "Good, simple and healthy, my little daily dishes to do yourself good" published by Marabout.
