Tag: diet

Pasta and side dish? The true Mediterranean diet – Italian Cuisine

No meat, but cereals, legumes, vegetables and extra virgin olive oil. From the Apulian tradition to a starred version, a mix to bring to the table every day; and the dream of a vegetarian tavern

Vegetables; pasta, bread or rice; fruit: the main meals in the Mediterranean diet they are based on a few basic ingredients, enriched with vegetable fats and dairy products. In fact, a balanced diet consists of 50% complex carbohydrates, more than 20% fat and 10-12% protein. Practically what the whole world envies us is a diet based on first courses and side dishes; even though it may seem strange today, get used to the veal slice or the vegan burger. The recipes for a healthy daily diet are more like orecchiette with turnip greens or pasta with lentils rather than high-protein and avocado-based dishes. And they are not two random examples, because Puglia is in fact one of those regions where this mix has always occurred, and to which one can look to today to rethink one's daily diet.

Land of agriculture and "sopratavola"

Puglia is a land of flourishing agriculture, the national vegetable garden from which more than 30% of the oil, tomatoes, artichokes, cabbage and salad we eat in Italy come. But it is also a region with enormous biodiversity in terms of vegetables and which produces vegetables unknown elsewhere such as sponzali, barattieri, purple carrots and other varieties that are the protagonists of the local food and wine tradition. In addition to the most well-known and already mentioned typical dishes, just think of the eggplant parmigiana and the so-called "sopratavola", ie the use of serving raw vegetables to munch on before or after a meal, such as a pinzimonio or crudité, to put it in French. Carousel, celery, chicory, radishes were brought to the table to end a meal and linger chatting and munching on something or, as happens everywhere today, together with olives and chips for an aperitif. Healthy.

Pasta and side dish

Domingo Schingaro, starred chef of the restaurant I Due Camini in Borgo Egnazia, is one of the singers of Apulian biodiversity and puts vegetables at the center of his dishes, even without necessarily combining them with a component of fish or meat, a deeply trendy choice today and at the same time absolutely Apulian. On the stage of Identity of Pasta annex2021 edition of the Identità Golose congress so he presented a plate of tubettini with a side of green beans. Or vice versa: depending on your point of view. «In the dinner tasting menu we serve courses that include several saucers, and we always try to propose the right amount of carbohydrates also according to the daily cycle of necessary nutrients. Consuming fiber along with a pasta improves digestion and the proper absorption of carbohydrates. This concept of well-being is linked to a tradition: a raw vegetable such as "uaccie" celery has always been served on an Apulian table together with an important course such as Orecchiette con le brasciole. barattiero watermelon, Polignano carrot, celery, radishes .

Spaghetti with green beans and tubes with mussel water

Three preparations that are served in a single course: «The carbohydrates of the tube, the green bean which has the shape of spaghetti which provides fiber and minerals, the mussels and the cacioricotta the proteins. Spaghetti is replaced by the "pinto" green bean, a typical Apulian long croissant that can be kept dried until winter. She cooks them in an essence of seaweed and mussels and then serves them by placing a conserve of Gargano tomatoes and aglione on top. To finish the dish, a sprinkling of cacioricotta, also from the Gargano. On the side, a second dish with tubes cooked in risotto in the same broth of seaweed and mussels, served over a cream of bran and parsley, and then a few drops of a cream of mussels, tomato peel powder and crusco pepper. Everything is cooked without salt, replaced by the flavor of algae and mussels, and by the concentration of flavors obtained from the various drying processes. To drink, an infusion of dried fig leaves which, he explains, "helps to decrease the glycemic part of the pasta", and therefore promotes its digestibility. The name is Mediterranean Breeze, because the Mediterranean breeze in Puglia helps the preservation and drying of food, which "stops time" and allows us to enjoy these products even when the season is over.

The vegetable precedence: the prize

A recurring theme in the most anticipated chef's congress in Italy, the vegetable has also become the prize Best Green Ideas, assigned to Diego Rossi of the Trippa restaurant in Milan. During the award ceremony Katia Piazzi of Koppert Cress thus motivated the award to a tavern that made the fifth quarter its flag: "We at Identità are pleased to see how finally many realize that one must not be partisans of a choice, but to experience cooking in an omnivorous way, without considering vegetables as side dishes to which you do not pay the right attention. Diego Rossi succeeds with gusto because he himself loves vegetables . His dream? A vegetable tavern with a side of meat.

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Citrus diet: the most delicious recipes – Italian Cuisine

Our ideas to lightly include citrus fruits in your weekly menu

Depopulated on the web and promises to lose three kilos in a week: it is the so-called citrus diet, a low-calorie diet that exploits the characteristics of these fruits to lose weight. It involves the intake of many liquids such as infusions, juices, broths and it is one unbalanced diet to be followed only for a few days. Our advice, however, is always to not use do-it-yourself methods or rely on fashion diets, but to be accompanied on the weight loss path by specialist.

The properties of citrus fruits

Rich in water, soluble fiber and of C vitamin, the citrus fruits favor thediuretic and draining action, there intestinal motility and help the immune system against seasonal ailments. L'citric acid which they contain, together with vitamin C, then increases the absorption capacity of iron. A recent study by experts from University of Western Ontario in Canada and published in the Journal of lipid research moreover, it would have shown the slimming properties of citrus fruits thanks to a molecule contained in them and called nobiletin.

Our recipes with citrus fruits

If you want to include citrus fruits more often in your weekly menu, here are a few recipe (without too many calories) that's right for you.

Citrus starters

Avocado with scampi and grapefruit, Crudity with parmesan and citrus, Codfish tartare, radicchio, apple and mandarin, Citrus and ginger juice, Salad with barley and grapefruit, Octopus, chickpea, fennel and orange salad, Marinated salmon with grapefruit salad, Warm fennel and pink grapefruit cream, Lemon salad, Sea bream carpaccio with basil and lemon, Salad of prawns, pink grapefruit and fennel, Bresaola and grapefruit.

First courses with citrus fruits

Pilau rice with mandarin and broccoli, Venere rice with orange and rosemary, fragrant rice and fish stew with lemon.

Second courses of fish with citrus fruits

Sautéed prawns with orange, Hake with citrus fruits, Pagello in salt crust with citrus fruits, Sea bass stewed with citrus and fennel, Cuttlefish and scallops with mandarin sauce, Monkfish with cedar with vegetables, Pineapple with steamed sea bream and citrus, Baked turbot with citrus, Braised snapper with citrus fruits, Tuna steaks with citrus scent, Salmon steak with citrus fruits and almond mayonnaise, Steamed turbot with pink grapefruit, Tuna escalope and pink grapefruit, Fillets of sole with grapefruit, San Pietro baked with fennel and lemon, Scampi roasted with orange, Mackerel with orange, fennel and spices, Squid salad with lemon and rocket, Sea bream with pine nuts and lemon, Baked monkfish with mustard, rosemary and lemon, Octopus with spring onions and lemon, Shrimp salad, avocado and Orange.

Main courses of meat with citrus fruits

Cockerel with citrus fruits, Grilled cutlet with grapefruit, Slices of veal with grapefruit, Turkey with orange with herbs and almonds, Chicken bites with lemon and green pepper, Chicken with ginger with fennel and orange salad, Chicken rolls marinated with yogurt and lemon, Turkey with lemon and basil, Rabbit with lemon.

Vegetarian second courses with citrus fruits

Jerusalem artichoke with citrus fruits, Barchette with Jerusalem artichoke, cauliflower and orange, Spinach with rennet and orange with honey, Mixed salad with orange, Purple cabbage and lemon pressed salad.

Salads and side dishes

Citrus fruit salad with cedar and oranges, or with grapefruit, lemon and oranges, Endive and raw fennel with orange, Seasonal raw food with orange and apple, Spinach salad with orange, Avocado, orange and Treviso radicchio salad, Raw food with oranges, celery and lemon salad.

Infusions and extracts

Infusion of rooibos and mandarin, Orange, grapefruit and ginger extract, Lemon, pear and yellow grape extract, Pineapple, celery and lemon juice, Banana, yellow apple, rocket and lemon extract.

Diet after the holidays, the mistakes that are likely to make you fat – Italian Cuisine

The Christmas holidays are one of the times of the year when people tend to eat more and gain weight. Here's what to avoid to be able to shed the pounds gained

During the Christmas holidays, letting go to the table is very frequent. Between lunches and dinners on average every year in January we find ourselves with at least a couple of extra pounds. What to do to eliminate them? "The first thing that can help is to focus on more balanced menus and dishes not only in terms of portions, but also the quality of the food", suggests the nutritionist Valentina Schirò, specialized in food science. Then, you have to pay attention to mistakes. "Often you continue to gain weight even after the holidays because a whole series of behaviors are implemented that if apparently seem to favor weight loss, in reality, for various reasons, over time, risk facilitating the accumulation of extra pounds in critical points such as stomach, legs and hips . Here then are a series of mistakes that risk making you fat if you decide to go on a diet after the holidays.

Doing crash diets

Bring mini portions to the table and start skipping meals after Christmas? Nothing more wrong. It promotes the accumulation of fat around the waist and weight gain over time. "When you eat little, your body tends to conserve fat reserves and burn less. The consequence? The metabolism becomes slower, the appetite increases and we end up eating more than necessary, "explains nutritionist Valentina Schirò. Another aspect that should not be underestimated is the gratification factor. "Sad menus and too small portions risk increasing the desire for food even more, in particular for foods rich in sugars and fats such as panettone, nougat and other sins of gluttony that are easily found in the pantry after Christmas".

Eat only soups and salads

Seasonal vegetables should never be missing from the table. It provides water, minerals and vitamins that detoxify the body and stimulate the work of the liver and intestines especially after a period of excess. It is also rich in fiber which slow down the absorption of sugars and fats and ensure good satiety. Eating it alone, however, is not a valid strategy to get rid of the extra pounds gained during the holidays. "Vegetables lack essential proteins, carbohydrates and fats, necessary for metabolism," explains nutritionist Valentina Schirò. The ideal is to always combine them for lunch and dinner with a portion of proteins (lean meat, eggs, fish or legumes) seasoned with extra virgin olive oil, rich in "good" fats and slow-absorbing carbohydrates such as spelled. and in general to whole grains in grains that promote the sense of fullness.

Diet after the holidays, the mistakes that are likely to make you fat

Bring plain dishes to the table

Too rich dips and dishes are not the best for your figure and health. But also focusing on dishes without any seasoning to remedy the excesses of lunches and dinners is not the best for the diet after the holidays. «The classic dish of plain pasta or plain rice that we often tend to choose after a period of excess is likely to have more disadvantages than advantages for getting back into shape. Compared to the same dish seasoned for example with vegetables and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, it causes a greater glycemic response and consequently stimulates an excessive production of insulin, a hormone that facilitates hunger and promotes the accumulation of weight in particular at abdominal level ".

Dine on fruit only

It's okay to stay light at dinner, but trying to make up for the Christmas extravagance by eating only pineapple, oranges or mandarins, for example, is not a good idea. “Fruit cannot be a valid substitute for a main meal. From a nutritional point of view, it provides many sugars that are easily assimilated by the body and is free of proteins, good fats and complex carbohydrates, essential nutrients that promote satiety and help the metabolism stay active ", says the expert. The ideal is to eat it as a snack to break the appetite. "Combined with dried fruit, for example, it is a snack that helps regain the regularity of meals and lends a hand to the hunger-satiety rhythm".