In recent years, the search for healthy eating has grown considerably. To give you an idea, a survey carried out by the Federation of Industries of the State of São Paulo (Fiesp) concluded that eight out of ten Brazilians claim to strive to maintain a balanced diet. Thinking about helping people to eat with more quality, Alpfilm invited Thiago Ribeiro, a chef passionate about healthy cooking, to prove that it is possible to combine flavor and health in meals. To succeed in preparing these recipes at home, there is no secret. Just have a roll of PVC film and Zip Lock bags by hand!
Where does this food trend come from?
The demand for healthier meals is due, in large part, to the expansion of internet access. After all, information about the risks that industrialized products pose to health is widely available on digital channels. Furthermore, chefs cooks, nutritionists and food lovers share daily - on YouTube and on social media - the step by step of healthy recipes that can be easily reproduced at home.
Another factor that influences many people to follow a balanced diet is the need to reduce costs on a daily basis. If, before the pandemic, a movement of people who preferred to cook at home instead of spending in restaurants was already gaining space, now it has consolidated itself with the economic crisis and social detachment.
The role of food in combating COVID-19
You probably already know that a bad diet can weaken your immune system, don't you? For this reason, the COVID-19 pandemic requires extra care with the quality of what we eat - since the low immunity leaves our body more vulnerable to complications caused by the disease.
In addition, food in natura (such as fruits, vegetables, grains, oilseeds, roots, tubers, meat, eggs and milk) are responsible for providing essential nutrients for the proper functioning of the body. Therefore, having a balanced diet is important for disease prevention — including those that can aggravate the symptoms of the infection — and for the maintenance and recovery of health.
Preparing healthy dishes with PVC film and Zip Lock
A diet based on the consumption of processed products, that is, rich in calories, sugar, dyes, preservatives and fats, increases the risk of nutritional deficiency, in addition to being related to the development of cardiovascular problems, obesity, diabetes and other chronic diseases. Therefore, the search for organic foods with high nutritional value has increased. However, it is quite true that many people do not get along with the flavors of “real food”, do you agree?
Thinking about it, Thiago Ribeiro, creator of Paleodelicia, shared with us 4 delicious recipes, easy to make and that use functional and healthy foods.
#1 - Brigadier of Paçoca Fit
Picture: Thiago Ribeiro - @paleodelicia
Ingredients
4 diet paçoquinhas
400g of fake condensed milk
½ cup of cream
1 teaspoon of butter
Peanut flour (for rolling)
Preparation
In a saucepan, crumble the paçoca and then add the fake condensed milk, the cream and the butter. Bring the mixture to the heat and stir well, until the dough comes off the bottom.
Transfer the mixture to another container and spread it with the help of a spatula. The trick to prevent a “cream” from forming on the surface is to cover the brigadeiro with a piece of PVC film. It is important that the plastic is in direct contact with the dough, to prevent air from entering.
After taking the candy to the refrigerator for 5 hours, just roll the brigadeiros and cover them with peanut flour.
#2 - Manioc gnocchi
Picture: Thiago Ribeiro - @paleodelicia
Ingredients
500g of cassava
20g of psyllium
Cheese of your choice for the filling
1 tablespoon of butter
Thyme to taste
Preparation
Slice the mandioquinha into small pieces and place them inside Zip Lock bags, to avoid contact with water during cooking. This step will ensure that the cassava is drier, so that we can fry it later. Then, with the help of clothespins, attach a wooden skewer to the Zip Lock and place it to cook in hot water.
After cooking, mash the mandioquinha until it forms a puree. The recipe does not require the use of flour. So, to bind the dough, add the psyllium and mix. Then, on a greased surface, shape the gnocchi and stuff them with cheese. Finally, in a frying pan, add the butter and thyme and brown the gnocchi.
#3 - Homemade Chicken Nuggets
Picture: Thiago Ribeiro - @paleodeliciaingredients
Ingredients
600g chicken fillet
½ medium onion
¼ cup of chopped parsley
½ cup (cream) tea of cream cheese
2 eggs
1 clove of garlic
Chives to taste
salt to taste
To bread
3 eggs
Flaxseed flour
Preparation
In the processor, add the chicken, onion, garlic, cream cheese, eggs and salt, and mix until it forms a homogeneous paste.
On a smooth surface, place the paste on a piece of PVC film and roll it up with the help of the plastic film. In sequence, seal the ends of the film and take the rolls to cook, in boiling water, for 15 minutes.
Remove the PVC film and slice the roll. Bread nuggets with beaten eggs and flaxseed flour. Now, just bake in the oven or electric fryer until golden brown.
#4 - Red Fruit Sorbet with Banana
Picture: Thiago Ribeiro - @paleodelicia
Ingredients
3 bananas
2 cups of red fruit
Preparation
The first step of this recipe is what will ensure that the bananas are ripe and in good condition at the time of preparation. To do this, keep the fruits involved with Alpfilm Protect PVC film for 1 week. Our plastic film is the only one on the market that has an antibacterial protection shield, capable of prolonging the shelf life of food for a longer time.
When preparing, slice the ripe bananas and berries, place them in Zip Lock bags and freeze. Then, just process the frozen fruits until they form a homogeneous paste. And, ready: serve the sorbet in portions and be delighted!
We have seen more and more people developing healthy habits at the table. This is because a balanced diet is responsible for preventing diseases, maintaining well-being and helping to recover health in case of infections.
Contrary to what many people believe, it is possible to prepare meals with nutritional quality, without forgetting the flavor. That's what Thiago Ribeiro proved to us in these four recipes. Now, you already know: to do well in the kitchen and ensure a balanced diet, always have at home the PVC film and Zip Lock bags from alpfilm!