Tag: choose

Wine at the restaurant: how to choose it and make a good impression – Italian cuisine reinvented by Gordon Ramsay

Alberto Piras Sommelier of Il Luogo di Aimo and Nadia of Milan.

How to orient yourself in choosing the wine on the menu?

There are several ways in orienting the wine on the menu, the first is certainly to search something that can pair well with the menu chosen, perhaps following “standard” pairings if you are not very expert or choosing renowned wines passepartout (for example, be on the safe side with classic method bubbles or light reds that can be combined with both meat and fish dishes).

The second way can be that of choose something we already know we like, in the sense that sometimes personal taste prevails over the food-wine pairing; by doing so we will be sure to be satisfied with our choice although in this case the combination could be penalized.

The last way, but only in order of writing, is to rely on a professional who can help us with the choice. Ask advice to the sommelier of the restaurant, without any embarrassment. She will surely be able to recommend the right wine for you.

Is it better to stick to local wines?

Not necessarily, it is good to stick to local wines if you also eat local dishes.

What is the average price of a good bottle?

Prices are always a very complicated and complex issue as each restaurant applies the mark-up it deems appropriate according to its own policies.

5 good reasons to choose it (and feel good) – Italian Cuisine

Pizza with vegetables? Great idea because vegetables help you eat less pizza and stay fit and healthy. Here are all the benefits and the best strains to choose from

Good the four seasons or the ham and mushrooms, and the pizza with vegetables? There Pizza it is one of the most popular dishes of Italian cuisine in the world. Prepared with the right ingredients, it can be consumed once a week even if you need to lose weight. "Prepared with quality ingredients, pizza can be considered to all intents and purposes a complete single dish because it provides complex carbohydrates, fats and proteins", explains the nutritionist Nicoletta Bocchino.

The ideal is to improve the nutritional profile add the vegetables instead of ingredients rich in saturated fat such as salami and ham. "Thanks to the richness of fibers, vegetables allow to reduce the impact of this dish on health and on the figure". The benefits are multiplied if the vegetables are in season, raw or steamed. "Compared to grilled ones, they better preserve vitamins and antioxidants, precious for the body". Alternatively, frozen ones are fine too. "Compared to fresh ones that often remain in the refrigerator for many days, they ensure a higher content of vitamin C, which is involved in various functions of the body, because they are frozen as soon as they are picked". Let's see in detail with the help of the expert why to choose the pizza with vegetables and which varieties to choose to make it healthier and lighter.

Pizza with vegetables

Why choose pizza with vegetables?

They increase satiety

If you are on a diet or need to get rid of a few extra pounds, pizza with vegetables is an excellent strategy for feel full earlier and eat less. "Vegetables provide soluble fiber which, once ingested, absorb a lot of water in the stomach and form a sort of gel that slows down the absorption of carbohydrates from the dough and lipids from the filling," says the expert. Fiber also gives you satiety. "They modulate the rise in blood sugar after a meal and counteract the exaggerated production of insulin, a hormone that stimulates the desire for other food".

They reduce the effects of sodium

The ingredients used to fill pizza such as mozzarella (but also ham, anchovies, salami, cheeses) are rich in sodium, which in excess stimulates thirst and increases the risk of high blood pressure, retention and swelling. «Adding vegetables to pizza allows you to make sure potassium and magnesium, two minerals that favor the elimination of excess sodium, thus reducing the negative effects on the figure and on health. The vegetables also provide a lot of water, which is useful for the proper functioning of the metabolism and the elimination of waste substances produced during metabolic processes, "says the nutritionist.

They help keep away from cholesterol

Vegetables are one of the main sources of fiber and antioxidants, substances that have a cholesterol-lowering action. "They are able to reduce the absorption of cholesterol, including that present in mozzarella and cheeses. Thanks also to the richness of niacin, a B vitamin, they favor the metabolism of fats, protecting cardiovascular health .

They facilitate digestion

The pizza dough, especially if it has not risen well, can be difficult to digest. "The addition of vegetables enriches the dish with antioxidant molecules, which have a double advantage: they stimulate the production and flow of bile, improving liver work and facilitating digestive processes, counteracting swelling and a sense of heaviness", explains the nutritionist.

They help you sleep better

Do you suffer from insomnia after eating pizza? Vegetables added to the filling can be excellent allies to counter the problem. “Vegetables provide a whole range of substances that facilitate relaxation. Among these, the B vitamins stand out, which favor the production of serotonin and melatonin, the hormones that regulate the sleep-wake rhythm and relaxing minerals such as potassium, magnesium and calcium ”, explains nutritionist Nicoletta Bocchino.

In the gallery 5 varieties of vegetables to add to the pizza to make it lighter and more digestible

Our pizzas with vegetables

Vegetables to choose in winter to deflate – Italian Cuisine

Which strains to bring to the table to combat bloated tummy and heaviness? Here are the ones low in calories and rich in anti-swelling substances

Lazy bowel, constipation, but also heaviness and a swollen belly can promote the swelling. At the origin of the problem there is often the lifestyle. Not only the overeating, but also the lack of movement. To counter the problem, seasonal vegetables can be excellent allies, but you need to choose the right ones. "Some varieties of the period such as broccoli, cabbage, cabbage, cauliflower in fact despite having few calories and many healthy virtues, in case of swelling they favor intestinal fermentation and worsen the problem", explains the nutritionist Nicoletta Bocchino. So here are the vegetables to choose in winter to deflate.

Black cabbage

Also called kale or Chinese cabbage, black cabbage is excellent for counteracting bloating problems due to the formation of intestinal gas. "Its leaves are particularly generous in antioxidants including polyphenols that facilitate the work of the liver and facilitate the disposal of toxins," says nutritionist Nicoletta Bocchino. In case of swelling problems, the ideal is to consume them steamed and seasoned with raw extra virgin olive oil, rich in good fats. "This combination allows on the one hand to make the fibers of this vegetable more digestible, on the other hand to better assimilate some fat-soluble vitamins including vitamin E, of which it is also an excellent source".

Red radish

"Consumed raw in salads before the other courses thanks to the richness of fibers, radicchio helps to modulate the assimilation of sugars that in excess can favor swelling and at the same time ensures excellent quantities of vitamin C, a substance that is sensitive to heat , but which has excellent detox properties , says nutritionist Nicoletta Bocchino. "In addition, it provides minerals and antioxidants, including anthocyanins and ellagic acid, which counteract oxidative processes. Thanks to its particularly bitter taste given by the choleretic substances of which it is a source, it stimulates the biliary flow and the work of the liver . It also has a diuretic and draining action and is excellent in case of meteorism problems. "It facilitates the elimination of intestinal gas that favors a swollen belly".

Thistles

Thistles belong to the same botanical family of artichokes and with these they share many properties including purifying and diuretic. "They are a good source of potassium, a mineral that facilitates the elimination of excess sodium that promotes retention and swelling. They then provide good amounts of ascorbic acid, with an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory action, and inulin, a fiber that helps to counteract the imbalance of the intestinal microbiota, which in turn promotes swelling ". The perfect match? «With anchovies, which have anti-inflammatory properties.

Catalonia

"Catalonian chicory is a vegetable particularly rich in magnesium, a mineral that stimulates the elimination of excess fluids, responsible for stagnation and retention. Thanks to the presence of "good" fats such as Omega 3 and antioxidants such as flavonoids, it fights inflammatory states, which can promote swelling , explains nutritionist Nicoletta Bocchino. How to consume it? "Raw in salads combined with oranges and walnuts, which thanks to antioxidants and many other substances increase its detox action".

Chard

Chard, also called chard, is an excellent vegetable in case of constipation problems. "Provides a high fiber content with a laxative and diuretic action. Its leaves are also rich in substances that help the drainage of liquids such as chlorophyll and phenolic compounds, with a high antioxidant power. In order not to risk losing them, the ideal is to consume it raw or blanched quickly in a little water ".