Eat well during confinement
As we find ourselves in lockdown, perhaps balancing working from home and homeschooling, or trying to support our vulnerable neighbors, it’s tempting to put healthy eating on the back burner. Have you noticed an increased appetite for pizza, chips and chocolate since lockdown?When we’re stressed or scared, we naturally crave sugar and fat for a quick energy boost. Carb-rich comfort foods are temporarily calming during times of crisis. However, what seems like a satisfactory solution in the short term may become a more serious problem in the long term. Comfort eating traps us in a hard-to-break eating cycle that increases stress levels and ultimately makes us much more vulnerable to low moods and anxiety. Our bodies were not designed to handle chronic stress or to use food for comfort.
Now more than ever, it is essential to develop healthy eating habits to keep our immune systems strong and improve our resilience during these emotionally difficult times. Fortunately, maintaining healthy eating habits with shelf-stable foods during quarantine may be easier than you imagine. Now is the perfect time to channel your inner chef and learn how to cook nutritious meals using what you have in your freezer and cupboards. Here are my best tips for eating well during confinement:
Use frozen fruits and vegetables:
Would you believe that frozen fruits and vegetables are often more nutritious than their fresh counterparts? In fact, they are picked and packaged at peak maturity, when they are most nutritious. Freezing fresh produce locks in vitamins and antioxidants that might otherwise be lost during transportation and storage. Here are some top picks:
- Broccoli has a much higher vitamin C and antioxidant content when purchased frozen and is generally less expensive than fresh.
- Peas retain their vitamin C levels much better when frozen and are easier to prepare.
- Spinach keeps much longer than its fresh counterparts and contains significantly more B vitamins and beta-carotene.
- Bananas freeze well and make a useful addition to smoothies, ice cream, baked goods or porridge.
- The berries can be used in the same way as bananas and are full of antioxidants that are anti-inflammatory and support immune health. Just 150g of frozen strawberries provides 150% of your RDA of vitamin C.
In addition to stocking up on nutritious frozen vegetables when you go grocery shopping, it’s a good idea to freeze any vegetables that might otherwise go to waste. Your frozen odds and ends will make a great addition to soups, stews, stews, chili, curry, etc. at a later date (any leftover vegetables can also be frozen and prepared in broth!)
Buy local:
When shopping for fresh produce, it’s a good idea to see if you can support a local business, as many are struggling. Many local farm stores or independent stores remain well stocked and some even offer a delivery service. In Bristol we are spoiled for choice with Matter Organic, Better Food, Chi Foods, Earth Organic and many more. I recently discovered Good Sixty, who source the best quality food products from independent retailers and artisan producers across the UK. Now is the time to support our local independent retailers, otherwise I fear we will miss them.
Expand what you can:
I started growing my own vegetables, herbs and berries a few years ago and it has had a very positive impact on my life. If you are short on space you don’t need a large garden, a windowsill is enough for lots of fresh produce. All you need are pots, seeds and compost.
Here are some easy things to grow:
- Herbs – like basil, coriander, mint, thyme, oregano, parsley, etc. require little space and are important for adding flavor, which helps you reduce your salt intake.
- Strawberries will continue to produce fruit every year from the same plant. I have several plants in my garden but I also keep a few potted in the garden.
- Salad greens are much more economical to grow at home and will give you an abundance of fresh leaves. Stagger the planting, otherwise you risk wasting a lot of the produce (or leaving it outside your house for your neighbors to use). Growing salad greens is fantastic for ensuring you meet BANT’s wellness guidelines and eat plenty of leafy greens. Tip: If slugs attack these plants, they are left with broken eggshells on the ground.
- Tomatoes are another simple and versatile option, you can buy either the seeds or a young plant. You can use grow bags rather than planting in soil if you prefer.
Eating in your cupboard:
Beans and legumes (canned or dried) are shelf stable and a versatile base for your meals. Indispensable in many cultures, they are a rich source of fiber and B vitamins. They also make an excellent substitute for meat as a source of vegetarian protein. Here are some of my favorite recipes using these cupboard staples!
– Chocolate and chickpea energy balls
– Persian ash bean soup
– Puy lentils with roasted tomatoes and peppers
– Vegetarian chili
Pasta, rice and flour have been in short supply lately, so this is a good opportunity to experiment with other grains such as quinoa, bulgar, millet, barley, etc. You can learn more about high nutritional value cereals here.
Nut butters are not only delicious, but are also a fantastic source of plant-based protein and healthy fats. Pair them with fruit for a tasty snack, use them as a base for stir-fries and salads, and use them in baking.
Keep a supply of dried fruit in case you run out of fresh ones. Dried fruits are a useful source of iron and fiber. They also satisfy those with a sweet tooth!
Popcorn is another useful source of fiber that you can make yourself at home and add any flavor you like. My favorite topping is a little grated dark chocolate.
Get creative in the kitchen:
One of the benefits of working from home every day is that most of us have more time to cook. My daughter and I have loved spending more time in the kitchen and it’s nice to know that I’m able to teach her things she wouldn’t learn at school. There’s nothing like warm, fresh bread, so we’ve been experimenting with different recipes. Here are my favorites so far:
- Sweet Potato Bread– this recipe uses a number of ingredients but is gluten-free and naturally lightly sweetened.
- Flatbreads – these are so easy and are good to pair with soups, curries, tagines, mezze, etc.
- Soda bread– it was delicious and requires no yeast.
Second, the pasta. Again, there are so many recipes for different types of pasta to try, but if you’re stuck without the right ingredients, then for a simple “Orecchiette”, all you need is plain flour and lukewarm water (some recipes call for other flours such as durum wheat, but I used plain wheat and it works just as well). Take a look at this recipe to see how to shape the pasta.
I would recommend pairing it with a simple, nutritious tomato sauce using canned tomatoes rich in vitamin C and antioxidants, which are so important for boosting your immune system and fighting infections – fry 2 cloves of garlic, one onion , 1 tablespoon of olive oil. and seasoning and herbs of your choice and add a can of tomatoes and 400ml water, simmer for as long as you like and add your fresh orecchiette 2 minutes before you are ready to serve.
A simple and delicious dressing to add flavor to any meal:
You should try to limit your salt intake as much as possible, which can become a little more difficult when you consume more canned goods, so try experimenting with other herbs and spices to add depth of flavor . I find that adding a simple dressing to salads, proteins, vegetables, or even canned foods is an easy way to add lots of flavor to a dish using cupboard ingredients that will last a long time. One of my favorites is 2 parts olive oil, 1 part lemon juice and a little apple cider vinegar. It adds a really fresh flavor to any meal and the lemon juice is full of vitamin C and the apple cider vinegar has antiviral and probiotic properties which are both fantastic for boosting the functioning of your immune system.
