Hot Spot Healthy Grain Recipes
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| Guilt-Free Pizza |
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1 wholegrain pita bread, lightly toasted and cut in half OR one whole wheat pizza base Drizzle some olive oil over your selected pizza base. Spread the tomato paste or topping evenly over the base, then spread the garlic evenly into the tomato paste/topping. Sprinkle some herbs over the top, then decorate the pizza with all the vegetables and the anchovies or ham if you are using those. Sprinkle the cheese on top and cook in the oven or grill until done. Serve with a good helping of salad. |
| Corn Tortilla with Black Beans and Guacamole |
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This and gallo pinto (rice and beans – see recipe, below), form the main staple dishes in the Longevity Hot Spot, Nicoya and are frequently eaten three times a day. Healthy carbs, healthy proteins, and healthy fats are all represented here. In Nicoya you will also often find a marrow-like vegetable called chayote and a helping of salsa on the side which ups the nutrient content even more. If you cannot obtain good-quality corn tortillas, you can use whole grain wraps or, if you wish to avoid gluten, you can make buckwheat wraps. 4-6 small tortillas, or 2 large ones – try to obtain tortillas made purely with GM-free maize flour or make your own using nixtamale or masa Sweat the onion and garlic with 1-2 tablespoons olive oil in a heavy based pan for a few minutes until the onion is soft. Add the chopped tomato and tomato paste or canned tomatoes. If using the latter, simmer for around 20 minutes or more until the liquid is reduced. At this stage, put your tortillas in a warm oven so that they can heat through. Add the black beans and stock cube and cook for a further 5 minutes. Serve your tortillas with the black bean mixture inside and the guacamole as a side dish or inside the tortilla. Garnish with a dollop of cream and a good sprinkling of cilantro. You can also add salsa and a salad for extra taste and nutrients. Serves: 2 |
| Gallo Pinto (Costa Rican rice and beans) |
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Gallo pinto translates literally as ‘spotted rooster’ in Spanish; the origin of this Costa Rican classic is disputed but one theory is that it was introduced to Latin America by Afro-Latino immigrants. Ask any Nicoyan what they have eaten that day and they are bound to have had gallo pinto, quite likely for every meal. This dish is best accompanied by salad, guacamole, salsa, and/or a generous helping of vegetables. 2 tablespoons olive oil Heat the oil in a heavy-based pan. Add the onion and cook for 2-3 minutes, then add the garlic and bell pepper. Add the ground cilantro and cumin seed at this stage if you are using them. Cook gently or sweat for a further 5 minutes or until the vegetables are soft. Add the beans and then the rice, as well as the chili pepper, heat through, and season. Add a little of the bean liquid if necessary. Serve with a dollop of soured cream and the cilantro. This recipe also works well with a dash of Worcester sauce instead of cilantro seed and cumin. Serves: 2 |
| Pasta with Roasted Red Peppers |
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Perfect with a Greek salad or leafy green salad. 3-1/2 to 5 ounces (by weight) pasta (preferably whole-wheat pasta, brown rice pasta, corn pasta, hemp pasta, quinoa pasta, or other type of wheat-free pasta) Roast the peppers in the oven on a medium heat until they are soft and the skin is starting to peel off. When cool enough, peel off the skin (tip: placing them in a plastic bag for 20 minutes after cooking makes it easier to get the skin off). Remove the insides but keep the juice. Meanwhile, cook the pasta. When ready, toss with the olive oil, peppers and garlic. Season to taste and sprinkle with the Parmesan. Serves: 2 |
| Brown Rice Risotto with Mushrooms |
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Short grain brown rice is best for this recipe. It gives the risotto a full flavor and significantly increases the nutrient content; it also makes this a more filling, satisfying meal than risotto made with white rice. This goes well with a large salad or steamed green vegetables such as spinach, asparagus and French beans. 1-2 cups brown rice Boil the rice for 10 minutes to partially cook it (don’t skip this stage or you will find yourself stirring the risotto for a very long time). Strain and put aside. Cook half of the mushrooms in 1 tablespoon olive oil for 4-5 minutes and put aside. Gently sweat the onions in 1 tablespoon olive oil in a heavy-based pan for a couple of minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the celery and cook for a further 2-3 minutes. If using chicken, add it at this point. Add the uncooked mushrooms and cook for a minute. Raise the heat and add the brown rice. Let it crackle for a few seconds. If you are using wine, add it now and mix it into the rice, letting it sizzle. Add 1 ladle of the stock and stir it into the rice until it is absorbed. Keep adding the stock one ladle at a time in this way. Keep the heat on medium/low so that the risotto is just simmering. Keep stirring all the time. When the rice is cooked (this will take about 45 minutes) add the rest of the cooked mushrooms and stir through. Add herbs, black pepper, and serve with the Parmesan cheese. Serves: 2 |
| Buckwheat Wraps |
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Buckwheat flour is useful for making wraps if you wish to avoid gluten – it folds over better than rice flour wraps (buckwheat is not technically a grain, but a seed, and may cause allergies in some people). Rye flour also works well and is a good substitute for wheat, but is not gluten-free. Buckwheat or rye flour (1/2 cup makes 2-3 wraps) Place the flour and a pinch of salt in a bowl and add a little water. Mix together with a fork into a paste. Add more water and keep mixing until you have a fairly thin pancake-like mixture. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a frying pan. Put the mixture in to make a fairly thin layer and cook until the wrap is starting to turn golden on each side and a little crispy round the edges. |
| Spinach and Feta Wraps |
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The Hunzakuts eat lots of spinach, which gives them anti-cancer beta-carotene, eye-protective lutein and zeaxanthin, bone-building calcium and magnesium, blood pressure-lowering potassium, and blood-friendly iron and vitamin K. 2-4 wraps – use tortillas, whole grain wraps or buckwheat wraps) Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a heavy based pan. Add the onions and sweat on a low heat until soft. Wash the spinach and add it to the pan. Cook for around 2 minutes until the spinach is wilted. Sprinkle the feta over the spinach. Fold the wrap over itself so that the spinach is inside. Serves: 2 |
| Buckwheat Wraps with Black Beans and Feta |
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1 cup buckwheat flour Put the flour in a bowl and, using a fork, mix about 1 cup water to make a fairly thin pancake-type batter. Set aside. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a heavy-bottom pan. Add the onion and gently cook for 2-4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes more, stirring to prevent burning. Add the vegetable bouillon or chicken bouillon cube, tomato paste, and a little water if necessary to mix it. Add the tomato and cook for 2-3 minutes more or until soft. Add the beans and herbs and simmer gently for 3 or 4 minutes, then mash them up with a potato masher (how mashed up you want the mixture is up to you). While the beans are heating, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Pour in enough pancake batter to make a thin pancake. Cook for approximately 5 minutes on each side so that it is starting to turn golden. Place the buckwheat wrap on a plate and put the bean mixture down the middle. Sprinkle with the crumbled feta and black pepper to taste, and fold the sides of the wrap over the top. Serves: 6 |
| Wheat-Free Lemon Zest Pancakes |
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Truly delicious little pancakes which make a great breakfast or teatime snack for kids! 1 cup buckwheat flour Mix the buckwheat flour, oat flour, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest in a bowl. Melt the butter or ghee in a frying pan. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour the butter or ghee in. The frying pan should be left with a little butter or ghee in it, which you can use to cook the pancakes. Put the lemon juice, yogurt and raw honey in the well and add a little water. Mix, then add more water until you have a pancake mixture with a slightly thicker texture than half and half. Put the frying pan on medium heat and, when hot, spoon in approximately 2 tablespoons of the pancake mixture. If you use a large pan, you should be able to cook 4 pancakes at a time. Cook for around 2-3 minutes on each side. Serve with raw honey, maple syrup, cinnamon, or all-fruit apricot jam. Serves: 6 |
| Healthier Toasted Cheese Sandwich with Salad |
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2 slices whole grain bread (such as whole wheat or rye bread) Drizzle a little olive oil on your bread then spread with tomato paste. Spread the crushed garlic into the tomato paste and sprinkle with herbs. Add the cheese and tomato slices. Either cook in a toasted sandwich maker or under the grill. Serve with a large helping of salad. |
| Grilled Polenta with Spinach |
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Polenta is a popular Italian food and corn is eaten in Nicoya and in Bama; whilst leafy greens are also a Hot Spot food, so this combination fits well with Hot Spot eating principles. This can be eaten on its own as a starter or light supper; it also goes particularly well with lamb or tomato-based dishes. 3-1/2 ounces (by weight) polenta flour Bring the water to boil in a heavy-based pan. Slowly pour in the polenta in a steady stream, whisking it at the same time. Turn down the heat as low as possible and simmer very gently for a few minutes (cooking times vary so use the instructions given with the polenta). Stir in the cheese. Transfer the mixture to a small, shallow dish and leave to cool. Cut the polenta into good-sized wedges and brush a little olive oil on either side. Grill the polenta wedges for a few minutes on each side until they start to go golden. Steam the spinach for 1-2 minutes until just wilted, then drain, pressing out excess water with the back of a spoon. Heat the olive oil in a pan, add the garlic, cook for a few seconds, then add the spinach and stir in. Serve with the polenta, a good grind of black pepper, and a few extra shavings of Parmesan cheese. Serves: 1 to 2 |
| Pasta with Asparagus, Chicken and Mushrooms |
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Asparagus, chicken, tarragon and mushrooms make a very harmonious group and go well with pasta – try whole-wheat pasta or, if you are a wheat-free zone, try brown rice pasta, corn pasta, hemp pasta, quinoa pasta. If you wish to avoid chicken, asparagus and mushrooms also make a very happy taste match. 1 bunch of asparagus, cut into 2 inch pieces Boil a pan of water and cook the pasta according to the instructions. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a frying pan or saucepan. Add the onions and cook, stirring, for around 2 minutes. Add the chicken and stir for another 2 minutes, then the mushrooms and cook for around 5 more minutes. Add the asparagus and cook for 4-5 minutes until it is cooked but not mushy. Add the lemon juice, cream, mustard, seasoning and tarragon and heat through. Serve with the pasta, Serves: 2 |
| Miso Soup with Noodles |
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7 ounces (by weight) rice noodles – use brown rice noodles if you can get them) Heat the sesame oil and groundnut oil in a heavy-based pan. Add the onions and gently cook for one minute, then add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds. Add the water and chicken cube if you are using it, and bring to the boil. Cook the noodles until they are about ¾ cooked. Add the vegetables and cook for 2-3 minutes so they are still crunchy. Add the tamari sauce and dashi if using and bring to a boil. Take off the heat, stir in the miso until it is completely dissolved, and serve garnished with the spring onion.. Serves: 1 to 2 |
| Pad Thai |
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This Thai classic is easy to make and goes well with a good helping of vegetables, either raw or lightly steamed. Try pak choi, carrots, cucumber, mangetouts (snow peas), broccoli and/or green beans. Green tea also goes well with this (as do white wine and Thai beer, if you want to go for a less virtuous option). 5 ounces (by weight) rice noodles (the classic recipe uses flat white rice noodles but for a more healthful alternative you can substitute brown rice noodles) Soak the noodles in a large bowl of just-boiled water for about 10-15 minutes or until they go soft, then drain. At the same time, soak the dried shrimp in just-boiled water for 10 minutes and drain. Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan. Add the onion, chili and garlic and stir-fry for about 10-20 seconds or until it starts to turn golden. Add the shrimp and prawns and stir-fry for about 2 minutes. Add the fish sauce and the lime juice and stir in. Add the noodles and bean sprouts, tossing them with a fork or tongs to prevent the noodles from sticking to each other. Pour the beaten egg evenly over the mixture, let it sit for about a minute until it starts to set, then stir so that it breaks up into shreds. Add the peanuts, most of the cilantro and scallions and stir once through. Serve with lime or lemon wedges and the rest of the chopped cilantro sprinkled over the top. Serves: 1 to 2 |
