As the festive season draws to a close, you find yourself thinking about warmer weather, and getting your wellness and diet back on track after too many mince pies. Christmas seems to be all about cooking and baking, but summer shouldn’t be, so here some simple recipes and tips to get the wellbeing of your heart, mind and body into shape for summer.
According to dietician Kathleen Zelman, ‘Summer is an invitation to eat healthier and lighter, and to enjoy the disease-fighting bounty that grows so abundantly this time of year.’ Zelman advises you get out your griddle pans and barbeques for quick and delicious food, and recommends salmon for its heart-health maintaining omega-3 fatty acids. Oil up the griddle, or use a wire fish basket over coals, and top the salmon with fresh lemon or a little pesto or teriyaki sauce, cooking for about seven to eight minutes per side.
Why not try a bean salad for protein and fibre that’s good for your heart as well as your waistline? Studies have indicated that regularly eating pulses as part of a heart-healthy diet can significantly decrease your risk of CVD, as well as filling you up on a small amount of calories. Throw haricot beans, pinto, kidney beans and chickpeas into salads, soups, stews, pasta, salsa or rice dishes. How about draining 2 13oz cans of black beans and sweetcorn, and tossing them together with a small bottle of salsa, juice from a fresh lime, a dash of olive oil and balsamic vinegar to make a black bean salsa that’s a great side dish to grilled fish? It’s also great with crisps. Alternately, drain and rinse canned pinto, chickpeas and haricot beans and with light Italian salad dressing for a quick 3-bean salad.
A yoghurt smoothie could become your new summer favourite, as it’s packed with protein and bone-maintaining calcium and research suggests it may also help you lose weight.
You don’t need a recipe for this one, as it’s about your personal tastes and creativity, but to get you started Zelman suggests using 125ml of any fruit juice and/or dairy (such as natural fat-free yoghurt or skimmed milk) plus a handful of ice. Throwing ripe or overripe frozen bananas in your smoothie will make it very creamy, and other soft fruits like strawberries, raspberries, blueberries or mangoes will give you lots to experiment with.
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