[taste for fit] – how to cook healthy. Pieces of advice from hotels’ chefs.

Healthy eating, healthy lifestyle, healthy cooking – these words more and more often appear in the media and on the lips of an average Joe. However, many people still think that healthy cooking is more difficult and takes more time (because it is easier and faster to fry pork chops than to prepare cauliflower chops), and that such food is … tasteless. Nothing could be further from the truth! Our chefs have some tips for you on how to cook healthy, tasty and quickly. Read and then take part in the competition [taste for fit]!

Tip 1: Give up frying

Marcin Socha, Chef at andel’s by Vienna House Cracow: “During frying nearly 60% of the fat from the pan is absorbed by the food and during cooking fruit and vegetables lose up to 50% of vitamins and minerals. I suggest steaming – and not only vegetables (though it is better to cook broccoli and the greens in a little water to maintain their colour and flavour), but also soft meat, poultry, fish and even rice. It is worth investing in a pressure cooker, which will prepare food faster by up to 70% (potatoes ready in 9 minutes). And the less and in lower temperature we cook, the more vitamins we eat At home, if you have a little time, you can bake foods in the oven at a temperature of 50-80 degrees (home sous vide). If you have to fry, do it on a Teflon pan without fat.”

Tip 2: Replace salt with spices
Małgorzata Strzelecka, Vienna House Easy Chopin Cracow: “Salt has been in our menu forever and we really need it to live. However, today we can find it everywhere, even in sweets, so it is important to limit it. Try to minimize its use, e.g. when cooking pasta, rice or vegetables. To season our dishes, we can replace salt with numerous herbs, e.g. thyme, basil, marjoram, garlic, dill, rosemary. Instead of salting chicken, add lemon juice and a bit of mustard.”

Tip 3: Let the cooking be your passion
Sebastian Sikorski, Vienna House Amber Baltic Miedzyzdroje: “For me, being fit is a lifestyle … interests, cuisine and physical activity. A balanced diet combined with a healthy lifestyle allows you to enjoy well-being, slows the aging process of the body and prevents the development of lifestyle diseases (obesity, atherosclerosis, hypertension). However, cooking cannot become a duty - after all, it has to be fun! Healthy cooking means cooking with passion, looking for your own tastes and then slow eating and enjoying a meal in good company.”

Tip 4: Choose seasonal and good quality products
Mirosław Jabłoński, andels by Vienna House Lodz: ” According to me, a healthy diet is a complementary approach to your own health and the surrounding environment. We should use seasonal products of good quality, preferably from local suppliersWhen preparing meals, try to avoid joining the so-called “macros” – carbohydrates, protein and fat. First of all, we should not eat starchy foods and sugars (carbohydrates) with protein products and sour fruit.

Tip 5: Take care of the energy balance and remember about the food pyramid
Rafal Pacon, angelo by Vienna House Katowice: “When composing different meals and an all-day diet, you should be aware of the recommended food pyramid and energy balance. Each of us has a different requirements in terms of nutrients, micro- and macroelements, but some rules are common to all of us. Vegetables and fruit should form the basis of our diet. Carbohydrates: yes, but preferably in the form of whole grains. Protein should complement your diet, as well as oils and healthy fats. We should not forget about the latter, because we do need them– some vitamins are soluble only in fats.

Tip 6: Eat healthy
Alexander Koppe, andel’s by Vienna House Berlin: “You should not only cook, but also eat and serve dishes in accordance with the rules of healthy eating. Meals should be served 4-5 times a day at regular intervals (not more often than every 3-4 hours). The main course should provide you with 20-30% of energy and snacks – with 5-10%. Beverages should be served before or after a meal – never during, as it interferes with the natural process of digestion. Water is preferable.”

 

And how does it work in practice? Below you will find a healthy, tasty and easy recipe submitted by Rafal Pacoń from angelo by Vienna House Katowice. Share your recipe with us and take part in the competition [taste for fit]! You may win a 5-day stay at Vienna House Easy Berlin with a delicious and healthy dinner at andel’s by Vienna House Berlin and the culinary and cultural tour of the German capital. Join the competition!

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Salad of roasted beets, millet, avocado, cashew nuts with currant vinaigrette

Ingredients:
400 g beet
½ pack lamb’s lettuce
½ package arugula
1 pot thyme
150 g millet
1 avocado
100 g cashew nuts
1 pomegranate
150 g red currant
5 tablespoons honey
100 ml linseed oil
4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
A bit of salt and pepper to taste
Recipe:
Wash beets, sprinkle them with oil and wrap in aluminum foil with a sprig of thyme. Put them in the oven preheated to 160 degrees and bake for 1.5 h. After cooling, peel them and cut into quarters. Cook millet (at first, rinse it with cold water, then pour water at a ratio of 1: 2) for approx. 20 min. Rinse arugula and lamb’s lettuce and dry with a paper towel. Peel the avocado and cut into quarters. Roast cashew nuts in a frying pan and cut pomegranate in half and hit it with a spoon to place juice pomegranates in a bowl. Put all the ingredients on a plate in layers, starting with the arugula and lamb’s lettuce. At the end, mix red currants, honey, linseed oil, and vinegar, then season to taste and pour over the salad. Bon Appetit!