We have just returned from the holidays and, naturally, during these days we ate a little more than usual. Socializing, large meals in good company, and celebrations are important for the soul and spirit, contributing to creating moments of joy and connection. However, it is understandable to feel slightly more tired, weighed down, or fatigued, both in the body and at an organ level.
To regain lightness and well-being, it is useful to follow some simple but effective practices:
Sleep also plays a fundamental role in our physical and mental well-being. It is during nightly rest that the cells and tissues of our body regenerate, the immune system strengthens, and the mind frees itself from the emotional burdens of the day. It is not only important to sleep a sufficient number of hours (7-9 hours for most adults) but quality of sleep also matters.
To favor regenerative rest:
Daily movement is also essential: a walk of at least 30 minutes a day helps the body reactivate and stimulates the mind, while sports activities practiced in company favor sociality, lighten emotional loads, and create moments of shared joy.
Beyond the body, it is important to nourish the mind and spirit as well: practicing meditation, reading a book that enriches the mind, but also sitting at the table with the people we love, enjoying healthy foods, contributes to living a more balanced and joyful life.
As Ludwig Feuerbach said, “we are what we eat”: what we bring into our body profoundly influences how we think, feel, and live.
This daily menu was created with the specific goal of offering you energy, lightness, and well-being, helping you start off on the right foot in the new year, nourishing the body, mind, and heart with awareness and pleasure.
(Remember to start this 12 hours after the end of dinner!)
Ingredients: Warm water, a slice of fresh ginger (grated or sliced).
Benefits: Anti-inflammatory, stimulates digestion, reduces free radicals.
Preparation: Let the ginger steep for 5-10 minutes, filter, and drink.
Ingredients: Warm water, ½ teaspoon of turmeric powder, a pinch of black pepper.
Benefits: Antioxidant curcumin, powerful natural anti-inflammatory; the pepper increases its bioavailability.
Preparation: Dissolve the turmeric and pepper in warm water, mix well, and drink immediately.
Ingredients: Hot water, 1 cinnamon stick or ½ teaspoon of powder, juice of half a lemon.
Benefits: Cinnamon is an antioxidant and regulates blood sugar; rich in vitamin C and minerals.
Preparation: Infuse the cinnamon in hot water for 5 minutes, add the lemon juice at the end of the infusion.
1 glass of plant-based milk without added sugars and fortified with calcium and vitamin D.
2 slices of toasted whole wheat bread with a thin layer of hazelnut cream, peanut butter, cashew butter, or hazelnut butter (100% pure without added sugars) and a teaspoon of honey.
Ingredients (1 portion):
40 g rolled oats
200 ml plant-based milk (almond, oat, soy)
1 small apple, cut into small cubes
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon flax seeds or chia seeds
1 nut butter of choice (almond, hazelnut, cashew, peanut)
Procedure:
Put oats and plant-based milk in a small saucepan.
Cook over medium heat, while stirring.
Halfway through cooking, add the cubed apple.
Continue cooking until the desired consistency is reached (5–10 min for small flakes, 10–15 min for large flakes).
Remove from heat and add cinnamon, seeds, and a teaspoon of spreadable nut butter of choice.
Serve hot.
Nutritional value: The combination of carbohydrates and sugars with a source of fat helps lower the glycemic index, as does toasting the bread, in order to provide the right energy throughout the morning.
(If you are not used to drinking water, take advantage of the meal to drink at least a couple of glasses of water, even at the start of the meal!)
For 4 people
Ingredients:
800 g boiled black beans (drained weight)
800 g red cabbage (leaves only, cut into strips)
160 g whole wheat pasta
100 ml (8 tablespoons) extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves of garlic
Chili pepper, salt, and pepper to taste
20 g (4 teaspoons) parmesan cheese
Procedure:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
Add salt, the whole garlic cloves (lightly crushed), the red cabbage strips, and the already cooked black beans.
Add the whole wheat pasta and cook for the time indicated on the pasta package, stirring occasionally.
Drain the pasta together with the vegetables and beans, keeping a little cooking water if necessary.
Season with extra virgin olive oil, chili pepper, salt, pepper, and parmesan to taste.
Serve immediately, strictly hot.
*In general, try to use fresh and seasonal ingredients and dried legumes (to be rehydrated by soaking them in water overnight) as much as possible.
Suggestions:
Red cabbage cooks well directly in water, without the need to sauté it beforehand.
For a creamier dish, you can blend half of the beans with a little cooking water and mix into the pasta.
If you want a color contrast, you can add a few leaves of green Savoy cabbage.
For 4 people
Ingredients:
4 whole wheat tortillas*
8 tablespoons spreadable nut butter (100% pure, no added sugars)
4 bananas, sliced (or apple slices)
240 g berries and other chopped nuts or seeds (optional)
Procedure:
Spread the nut butter on the tortilla. Add the sliced fruit, berries, nuts, and seeds (optional), avoiding the edges. Fold two sides of the tortilla inward, then roll up to form a burrito. Store the burrito in an airtight container or wrap well in aluminum foil. Enjoy as a meal or snack to take with you, on the same day, or store in the refrigerator for up to a week.
For 4 people
Ingredients for the radicchio:
400g radicchio, cut into strips
500 ml water
30 g salt
Coarsely chopped desalted capers
Fresh lemon juice
Ingredients for the sea bass:
4 sea bass fillets, 200 g each
Salt
Extra virgin olive oil
Lemon juice
Procedure:
For the radicchio:
Cut the radicchio into strips.
Place the radicchio in a bowl with water and salt and let soak for about 30 minutes to soften and flavor it.
Drain and dry well.
Season with chopped capers and fresh lemon juice.
For the sea bass:
Season the sea bass fillets with salt, extra virgin olive oil, and lemon juice.
Cook the sea bass in the oven, steamed, or in a pan, depending on preference, until the meat is tender and cooked evenly.
Serve the sea bass fillets accompanied by the seasoned radicchio.
*This dish can also be accompanied by two slices of whole wheat or multigrain bread as a source of carbohydrates.
