Health at table is primarily based on the choice of ingredients and preferring fruit and vegetables, especially if they are in season, is one of the good habits to follow every day while also being one of the fundamental factors in a Mediterranean diet.
However, it is often thought that a diet based more on vegetables corresponds to a monotonous diet, consisting of the usual recipes and preparations. Well, that’s not the case. Vegetables can present flavour and imagination, one must simply learn how to vary their preparation and cooking techniques, choosing those that can preserve their nutritional and organoleptic characteristics.
The secret code: no boredom is allowed at table. The advice is to learn and be very familiar with the cooking methods you want to follow, while paying attention to a few simple rules that become fundamental for an optimal result to be obtained.
LESS SALT, MORE HEALTH
The first tip is to limit the use of salt, which is harmful to health. Experts recommend a maximum daily amount of 0.2 oz per person. It can be replaced by enhancing the flavour of the food by using spices or aromatic herbs, which can add new tasty hints to the dishes. They also bear a secret in the kitchen as they enrich vegetables with personality.
AVOID ANIMAL FATS
In general, it is always good to prefer fats of vegetable origin, such as extra virgin olive oil, preferably raw: healthier, tastier and more fragrant.
YES TO FAST COOKING AT HIGH TEMPERATURES
Whenever possible, it is always best to opt for fast cooking at high temperatures, to preserve the nutrients of the food, regardless if meat, fish or vegetables, which can maintain the organoleptic characteristics intact: a good fillet, for example, must be placed in a preheated pan, with just a drizzle of olive oil; vegetables, even if they are simply blanched for a few minutes, to preserve their colour and taste.
MICROWAVE COOKING
It is a help in the kitchen, which should not be demonised: food cooked in the microwave oven remains unchanged in appearance and organoleptic characteristics. This depends on the speed of cooking, which does not lose vitamins, minerals or proteins.
Therefore, with a few precautions, added attention and a twist of creativity, we can transform the vegetables, and the healthy raw food we choose to eat, into healthy, more original and tasty dishes.
Discover the recipes based on innovative preparation techniques of our Chef Marcello Zaccaria.
Mezze maniche on a chickpeas cream-with rosemary and monkfish
