Seis alimentos saludables para empezar el año

Para empezar el año con buen pie y dejar atrás los excesos navideños, nada mejor que centrarse en un puñado de ingredientes saludables que nos permitan recuperar el ritmo de una dieta equilibrada y nutritiva: quinoa, aguacate, legumbres, kale o col rizada, pescados azules y tofu.

La quinoa, unos granos bajos en carbohidratos, es perfecta para hacer ensaladas o guarniciones rápidas, combinadas con otras hierbas aromáticas y otras verduras, y prepararla no tiene ninguna complicación. El aguacate, cuyo consumo global ha aumentado exponencialmente en la última década, es una buena fuente de vitamina E y ácido fólico, además de ayudar a reducir la presión arterial y estimular el control del colesterol. Por otro lado, las legumbres forman parte de la dieta mediterránea, aportan fibra, proteína no animal, carbohidratos, hierro y magnesio entre otros, y los nutricionistas recomiendan su consumo al menos 3 o 4 veces por semana. Además, tienen la ventaja de ser muy asequibles y versátiles, desde ensaladas hasta guisos o sopas, las legumbres son un comodín delicioso.

Los pescados azules pequeños, como la sardina, están entre los más sostenibles que se pueden consumir (una forma de asegurarse la procedencia es buscar el sello azul de MSC, que es una garantía de pesca sostenible), y también entre los más saludables, ya que además de ser una fuente excelente de omega-3, calcio y vitamina B12, la sardina y otros pescados pequeños tienen menos probabilidad de contener mercurio que otros pescados más grandes como el pez espada.

El tofu es una fuente de proteína completa ideal para todo tipo de dietas, y no solo para vegetarianos o veganos. Asimismo, sirve para aliviar los síntomas peri-menopáusicos y ayuda a mejorar la salud ósea. Cocinarlo no es complicado, pero si tienes dudas y quieres pillarle el truco, lee nuestro artículo sobre cómo cocinar tofu.

Finally, kale , which is a source of fiber and antioxidants, as well as helping to protect eye health, is another of those foods that can be consumed in many different ways, from a garnish of kale with garlic and vinegar , to a salad , or with pasta in a pesto-style sauce.

Recipes with avocado

Avocado has very healthy properties, as it is a good source of vitamin E and folic acid, as well as helping to reduce blood pressure and stimulate cholesterol control. If you want to know more, take a look at our article, 5 good reasons to eat avocados.

In our recipe ideas, we offer everything from salads to panzanella, quesadillas or pasta:

• Avocado smoothie bowl with spinach and seeds
• Avocado salad with pita bread and za'atar
• Grilled chicken fajitas with avocado
• Avocado, broccoli and sesame rice salad
• Linguine with avocado, tomato and lime
• Vegan tomato and avocado panzanella
• Spring onion quesadillas with avocado salad
• Rye toast with chicken and avocado

Recipes with quinoa

Quinoa is considered a grain or cereal, although technically it is a pseudocereal with a more complete nutritional profile than other cereals, since it has a greater amount of vegetable proteins, and contains a quantity of carbohydrates similar to legumes, that is, lower than cereals, in addition to having more fiber than the latter.

Quinoa is a very versatile ingredient that allows for endless combinations. Discover all the possibilities in our list of recipes, and you can also see how to prepare it here.

• Andean quinoa salad
• Tuna, avocado and quinoa salad
• Tofu and quinoa poke bowl with ponzu sauce
• Broccoli, egg and quinoa salad with miso
• Quinoa, chicken and avocado mayonnaise salad
• Quinoa, cilantro and lime salad
• Quinoa and chia porridge
• Quinoa and avocado salad

Recipes with legumes

The Mediterranean diet would not be what it is without legumes, which provide fibre, non-animal protein, carbohydrates, iron and magnesium among others and are one of the pillars of a healthy diet. In addition, they have the advantage of being very affordable and versatile, from salads to stews or soups, legumes are a delicious wildcard, you can see our recipes below:

Beans

• Bean and spinach salad with tomato, avocado and mango
• Cream of pumpkin, beans and miso
• Quesadilla with zucchini, beans and grilled cheese

Chickpeas

• Chickpea, spinach and potato curry
• Vegan avocado and bean spread
• Codfish and chickpeas with curry
• Chickpea, chorizo ​​and bacon casserole
• Roasted Cauliflower and Chickpea Curry with Coconut Milk
• Vegan zucchini, chickpea and tomato curry
• Tajine style chickpea stew
• Moroccan chickpea soup
• Chickpea, chorizo ​​and spinach stew

Lentils

• Vegan lentil bowl with sweet potato and cauliflower
• Cream of pumpkin and red lentils
• Cauliflower and lentil cream with curry
• Red Lentil Soup

Recipes with kale

Kale, which is a source of fiber and antioxidants, as well as helping to protect eye health, is another of those foods that can be consumed in many different ways, as you can see in our recipes:

• Kale with garlic and vinegar
• Kale Caesar Salad
• Vegan pasta with kale pesto
• Vegan noodle salad with hummus, kale and cilantro
• Kale, mango and banana smoothie
• Potato, kale and feta cheese salad with avocado

Recipes with tofu

Tofu is a complete source of protein that is ideal for all types of diets, and not just for vegetarians or vegans. It also helps relieve peri-menopausal symptoms and helps improve bone health. Cooking it is not complicated, but if you have doubts and want to get the hang of it, read our article on how to cook tofu. And explore our tofu recipes below:

• Tofu bowl with black beans, rice and avocado
• Vegan tofu and spinach curry
• Japanese noodle soup with tofu
• Japanese vegan tofu curry
• Vegan tofu scramble
• Marinated Tofu
• Mapo tofu

Recipes with blue fish

Small oily fish, such as sardines, are among the most sustainable fish you can eat (one way to ensure their provenance is to look for the blue MSC seal, which is a guarantee of sustainable fishing), and also among the healthiest, as in addition to being an excellent source of omega-3, calcium and vitamin B12, sardines and other small fish are less likely to contain mercury than larger fish such as swordfish. Check out our sardine and mackerel recipes:

Mackerel

• Smoked mackerel with orange, watercress and potato salad
• Mackerel with pickled grape salad
• Mackerel with miso and brown rice with chili
• Japanese-style mackerel rice
• Smoked mackerel, potato and beetroot salad
• Mackerel pate

Sardines

• Sardines with fennel salad
• Sardines with chickpeas, tomato and parsley
• Spicy sardine burgers
• Linguine with spicy sardines, fennel and capers
• Pasta with sardines and crunchy parsley crumbs
• Sardine and tomato toast

If you want to explore healthy drink options, read our article, 8 Delicious Healthy Drinks.

You can also check out our collection of healthy recipes to take to work.