Tag: 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 ".

January: seasonal vegetables and fruit – Italian Cuisine

With the beginning of the new year, in the heart of winter, the fruit and vegetable stalls are certainly not stingy with products, far from it! It's time to fill your shopping bags with vegetables and fruit in January. To be interpreted in a rich, tasty and always varied cuisine that enriches the daily diet with vitamins, mineral salts, fibers and antioxidants, so precious for the well-being of the body and the immune system.

Triumph of leaves
Among thistles and fennel, broccoli and cabbage, undoubtedly those are to excel over the many vegetables of the moment leafy: spinach, beets, ribs white or colored, they cook quickly and give the diet mineral salts and lots of fiber, with an undeniable detox effect useful after the festive "big binges". They are eaten raw or cooked envy as the Belgian or the escarole, both good in salads as well as in the stuffed and stewed versions. They are part of the large family of chicory, among which it is necessary to mention the late radicchio from Treviso. The one on the market now has uniquely shaped tufts, with a thick stem and long, thin, slightly spread leaves that roll towards the tips in graceful curls. The taste is gentle but characteristic, to be enhanced with quick cooking or in the most classic of winter risottos. The stems are not discarded: well scraped and julienned, they will give a crunchy note to the preparations. Their texture is reminiscent of another seasonal vegetable, the celeriac, also called of Verona. It is actually a large rounded root with an irregular and brownish surface. Once peeled, it reveals a whitish and intensely aromatic pulp. Raw it is the protagonist of two famous salads: the American Waldorf with apples and walnuts and the local capricciosa with gruyère and cooked ham, both tied with a mayonnaise-based sauce. It can also be cooked in the oven or boiled to make a puree, like a potato. About potatoes: have you noticed that those on sale are getting bigger, with thick skin and dirty with soil? They are old potatoes, perfect for gnocchi!

At the greengrocer's
Many think that the winter orchard pales in comparison to that of the warm months. In fact, there are many ready-to-eat varieties. Between pears, for example, it's time to buy Abbot And Kaiser but also an exotic specialty, the Japanese Nashi, which ends its season in recent weeks and surprises with its juicy, delicate, very fresh pulp: it can be bought in Asian stores with the fruit and vegetable department, in organic ones and in well-stocked supermarkets. Looking at the vast world of citrus fruits, it's time for cedars of which the peel, the albedo (the white part, not at all bitter) and the central pulp, little but very aromatic, are consumed. The best way to serve cedar is, therefore, cut into thin slices like a carpaccio, to be enjoyed in salads together with fennel, raw shellfish, flaked cod. While diced it can finish both a risotto and a fruit salad. Other citrus "mangiatutto" (peel apart) are le clementines, cross between mandarins and mandarin oranges: small and juicy, they are characterized by the lack of seeds. The wedges are immediately inviting, so much so that one leads to the other … that the cherries are envious of! In addition to being an excellent source of vitamin C, essential for preventing seasonal ailments. Among the fruits rich in antioxidants, one cannot forget the pomegranate, which has certainly made a splash on the holiday menus but deserves a place at the table even these days: superfood for the well-being of the body, super ingredient to give an elegant and crunchy touch to many dishes.

Francesca Romana Mezzadri
January 2022

Mixed fried vegetables recipe – Italian Cuisine

Unlike other Roman fried foods, in this case, the ingredients are only lean: winter vegetables and, inevitable, sliced apples. It is also common to see anchovies and cod added to reinforce everything. Frying is obviously good hot but, considering the many ingredients, it is common practice in home kitchens to prepare it in the late afternoon a little at a time and keep it warm and then consume it in the evening

Ingredients for the BATTER

110 g iced sparkling water
100 g 00 flour
100 g rice flour
80 g dry white wine
60 g extra virgin olive oil
4 egg whites

Ingredients for FRIED

150 g pumpkin pulp
170 g white cauliflower in sprigs
170 g purple cauliflower in sprigs
100 g broccoli in sprigs
100 g Roman broccoli in sprigs
100 g white potato
100 g purple potato
100 g sweet potato
10 sage leaves
3 artichokes
1 red onion
1 carrot
1 red apple
peanut oil
salt
pepper

Duration: 1 h

Level: Medium

Doses: 6-8 people

FOR THE BATTER
Jumbled up the flour with the rice flour, add the egg whites (they will be used to swell the batter during cooking and to make it adhere to the vegetables), finally the oil. Stir with a whisk, then diluted with very cold sparkling water.

FOR THE FRIED
Cut slice the pumpkin.
Peel the potatoes (white, purple and sweet) and cut them into sticks. Wash the sage leaves.
Clean the artichokes, leaving 2 cm of stem, empty them of the internal fluff (pappus) and cut each into 8 wedges.
Cleanse onion, cut into slices and separate the rings.
Peel carrot and cut it into slices on the bias.
Cored the apple without peeling it, then cut it into slices.
Immerse the vegetables in the batter and fry them in plenty of hot peanut oil (175 ° C), a few at a time, leaving the potatoes and purple cauliflowers for last. When they are golden, drain them on kitchen paper, add salt and pepper.
Serve fried food accompanied with sauces of your choice: we chose a mayonnaise enriched with finely chopped carrots, capers and chives.
To know: clean the oil frequently, removing the crumbs of batter that gradually detach from the vegetables with a fine sieve: in this way you will prevent them from burning, ruining the oil and sticking to the vegetables while cooking.