How To Eat Brocolli Like A Pro?
The ‘Key’ ingredient in Broccoli that makes it an extremely healthy food source is sulforaphane. Mixed with precursor compound with an enzyme, it is then like a chemical flare reaction; but on cooking it gets destroyed.
Here’s a tactic to reap the benefits of raw in the cooked form:
Chop the broccoli first, let it sit for 40 minutes — giving enough time helps give birth to sulforaphane. After that, you can cook it as you want as the sulforaphane is already created; the enzyme has already done its job.
Using frozen broccoli? Don’t worry, just add a pinch of powdered mustard seeds to the cooked broccoli as it provides a natural source of the enzyme that makes it practically like eating it raw.That’s it! You’ve learned kitchen chemistry to get 100% goodness from your broccoli!
Pro Tip: Make a move towards Nutrient-Dense Foods
Nutrient-Dense foods are foods that are high in nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, and other healthy components as opposed to chemically altered, manmade or filled with synthetic ingredients. They fuel the body with energy and have no or little added sugars, saturated fat, and sodium.
A few sources include:
Vegetables of all types and colours; Beans, peas, and lentils; Starchy foods; Whole Fruit; Whole Grains; Plant Based Dairy Products: fortified beverages and yogurts; Protein Foods: beans, peas, lentils, nuts, seeds, and soy products; Oils in foods: avocado, nuts, etc.
Your Taste Buds Vary Over Time — Is it true?
Good News? A study shows that a constant effort to move in the direction of healthy eating makes your taste buds more drawn to the food.
Therefore, if you would eat healthily, you would also like and want healthy!
What are some amazing hacks for cooking oil-free?
Instead of using oil to sauté, you can use wine, broth, sherry, vinegar or even water, just some of it at a time. These substitutes help avoid the stickiness in the pan.
You can even use mushrooms as they produce a rich, dark, savoury broth that makes a perfect oil for garlic and onions, and adds an umami flavour that helps you keep salt out of the way too.
For baking, whole foods such as flaxseeds blended with water, soaked prune puree, canned pumpkin, applesauce, mashed bananas or avocado can be great substitutes for oil.
Looking For Vegan Restaurants While Travelling?
Here’s a saviour: HappyCow App! Let it be your Vegan Restaurant Guide. You sit back and relax while the app finds you the best vegan and vegetarian restaurants around you. What more? It covers over 175 countries all over the world!!
In addition to showing you a list, it also mentions critical details such as — Whether the restaurant is open or close, the distance, the rating for the restaurant and the average cost of eating at that restaurant.
Did You Know this about Melatonin?
If you juice or dry up melatonin-rich foods, you tend to wipe out the melatonin from it. Cranberries and cherries are significantly rich sources of melatonin, but when juiced or dried up, the level of melatonin is undetectable.
Get some inspiration around Veganism
Veganism is all about dedicating yourself to a healthier lifestyle. To get some inspiration on adopting a vegan lifestyle, there is a plant-based podcast by Ian Cramer that you should not miss out on. In an interview with some of the best professionals of Lifestyle Medicine and the leaders of the plant-based movement, he educates the vegan community about their take on the subject.
Did you know this about Vegan Feta?
Traditional feta is a Greek cheese extracted from a mixture of goat and sheep’s milk but vegan feta is made of non-dairy alternatives, usually plant-based, such as tofu – that gives it the crumbly texture. It makes for a wonderful ‘something extra’ to jazz up a salad bowl and takes you on a flavourful dairy-free joy ride. AND it’s healthy for your skin and body!
The Magic of Green Lentil Dahl
Green Lentil dahl can be your best pick. Whether you wish to prepare a good side such as a salad, soup or even a warm curry – Green lentil dahl makes for a protein-rich vegan source in your diet. It is also rich in iron, magnesium and antioxidants. In addition, it lowers your cholesterol and protects you against diabetes and colon cancer.
Is Cocoa Butter Vegan?
Don’t fall for the name fellas! Not all kinds of butter are extracted from dairy products. Yes, cocoa butter is both dairy-free and vegan. Cocoa butter is that vegetarian fat source that gives you the ‘flavourful melt’ from the chocolate in your mouth and it is derived from the fat portion of the cacao bean. It contains no milk and completely fits the definition of a plant-based source.
