TIPS for quarantine
The current scenario of staying at home due to COVID-19 invites us to adopt new routines, sharing more time with the family and dedicating a little more time to the home. I bring you some tips to add to everyday preparations to incorporate into simple recipes a plus which will allow the whole family to try new flavors and incorporate healthy habits, typical of a balanced diet.
VEGETABLE SOUP
Soup is a very simple preparation that allows us to combine many flavors and colors, but above all nutrients from fresh and natural foods. Although the “soup tureen” has become an increasingly popular household appliance, we propose a simple recipe so you can prepare a delicious soup with what you have at home.
Combine the vegetables you like the most: turnip, carrot, pumpkin, sweet potato, celery, leek, etc. Add your favorite seasonings and boil them in a pot until the vegetables are tender. With a mixer, in a soup pot or simply in the blender, you will have a food rich in nutrients.
TIP: Divide into containers and store in the freezer. Organization is the best ally for good nutrition!
MEAT PIE
Meatloaf is a very common food in students' lunch boxes. It is undoubtedly a simple and filling preparation that allows us to combine essential food groups, where proteins and carbohydrates predominate. However, by adding some legumes and vegetables, a more complete meal can be achieved.
TIP: Sauté the meat with a little bell pepper and leek; once it is ready, you can add peas or corn kernels. You can also replace the mashed potatoes with a mixed pumpkin puree. In this way, we manage to incorporate four new sources of nutrients into a classic preparation.
DRY PASTA WITH VEGETABLES
There is nothing simpler than boiling pasta. It is the workhorse of every kitchen. A very easy meal to prepare that takes little time, but on its own has little nutritional value. That is why I propose one of the thousands of ways to “decorate” a simple plate of pasta, to transform a basic food into a very complete one.
TIP: In a frying pan, add a little olive oil and add broccoli, corn and cherry tomatoes. Boil some sliced carrots. Once they are cooked, add them to your favourite pasta to create a warm pasta salad with lots of colour, flavour and nutrients.
CHICKEN SUPREME WITH SPINACH
It's a good time to put aside ultra-processed foods and make room for more natural products: chicken nuggets. Although nuggets are a highly coveted food by children for their flavor, and by parents for their convenience, they cannot be compared to a delicious fresh chicken nugget.
Season and cook the supreme as you like: with green seasoning, dried basil, lemon, rosemary and baked. You can accompany it with baked potatoes and sweet potatoes or with your favorite garnish.
TIP: Spinach sauce! Sauté some chopped onions and cook with the spinach. Once the spinach is reduced, use the liquid and add a little cornstarch to thicken it. Then add a little milk until you get the desired consistency and season with salt and pepper. Cook in a pot over low heat until it comes to a boil and then mix or blend.
Serve the supreme and the garnish with a little sauce on top. You can also incorporate it into other preparations to give it a more elaborate and nutritious touch.
FISH
Fish and other seafood are sometimes not prepared well and we end up buying ultra-processed forms of fish. There are other simple ways to bring the sea to the table.
How about rice with shrimp? You can buy them frozen, cook them in a pan with seasonings and serve them with a delicious rice with asparagus.
For the more daring, I'm leaving you with a salad that you're going to love: Kanikama –also known as crab sticks– quail eggs, fresh Colonia cheese, hearts of palm and golf sauce. I assure you that you're going to incorporate it into your weekly recipes!
STOCK UP YOUR FREEZER
Take advantage of this time at home to organize your meals. You can leave different combinations of cut fruits in ziploc bags to make smoothies later. Freeze cut vegetables to incorporate into your daily meals, add flavor, or ready for a pie.
This saves us a lot of time when cooking and makes it easier for us to incorporate fruits and vegetables into our daily diet.
Gianella Pedemonte
Bachelor of Nutrition
