Since the holidays are fast approaching, it's time to get ready to celebrate the festive season. Oftentimes, people tend to overindulge and therefore stray from their healthy diets during the holidays since it's the one time in the year where they can enjoy good food without worrying about the calories.
Although it’s good to enjoy your food and company during this time of year, it doesn’t always have to include junk food. In fact, there are creative ways to cook up a festive meal with only healthy and organic ingredients. So, if you want to know how to do it, here are some simple recipes you can try.
Buddha Bowl
A Buddha bowl is a vegan and vegetarian-friendly meal consisting of colourful veggies, proteins, and grains. It's perfect for getting all the nutrients your body needs while satisfying your savoury cravings.
To make a tasty and mouth-watering Buddha bowl you and your guests will love, here are five key components you need to remember:
- Select your favourite grains and cook them to perfection
One of the key ingredients of a Buddha bowl is grain, whether that’s brown rice, quinoa, rye, or black rice. This will be the base of your salad. After choosing the grains, it's time to cook them. Brown rice and quinoa usually take only 15 minutes to prepare, so it's a perfect base if you are in a rush.
If you want to make a big batch, you can do that too. Cooked grains can last anywhere from five to six days when stored properly in the fridge.
- Prepare your veggies
- Prepare your proteins
Since Buddha bowls are vegetarian by nature, the protein component is made up of soy products like tofu or beans. If you plan to use tofu, be sure to marinate it in olive oil and soy sauce to add flavour. However, if you're using canned beans, drain them well before soaking them in water for an hour.
- Add complimentary dressing
Although the veggies and the protein already contribute to the dynamic flavours of the bowl, you can enhance it further by adding a dressing. For example, creamy avocado dressing, tahini sauce, or sesame vinaigrette are great to add a bit of zest into the bowl.
- Add the finishing touches
Citrus and Honey Roasted Salmon
This is another great and healthy holiday recipe. As you may know, salmon is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, B vitamins, and protein. But it’s boring to eat on its own. One way to elevate its flavour and health benefits is to add citrus fruits and honey into the recipe.
To make citrus and honey roasted salmon, you’ll need to mix the lemon juice, tamari, and honey together. Then brush the mixture over the seasoned salmon.
On a non-stick frying pan, heat butter or olive oil. Once it's ready, toast sesame seeds. Remove them from the pan once they're golden. Next, add the salmon and cook for three to four minutes. Flip it on all sides to cook it completely. Finally, plate your salmon with your toasted sesame seeds.
Depending on your preference, you can pair this salmon with either veggies, rice, or pasta. In any case, this is a great main course for a holiday gathering your friends and family will surely love.
Dark Chocolate Bites
A festive meal is not complete without dessert. So, here’s a simple yet tasty treat that’s healthy for you and your guests.
Chocolate is everyone’s favourite dessert, especially during the holidays. So, to make dark chocolate bites, you’ll need organic raw cacao powder as the main ingredient. This contains more than 40 times the antioxidants found in blueberries and high amounts of magnesium and iron.
Combine cocoa powder with coconut oil, almond butter, coconut sugar, and water into a bowl. Once everything is nicely incorporated, scoop even amounts into aluminium cups. Then, refrigerate for 20 minutes before serving.
You can find the ingredients for all the recipes mentioned above at Nature's Glory, an online organic store in Singapore. Shop for all organic products to create a delicious and festive meal for this coming Christmas and New Year.