What healthy food do you eat and why- I want new foods to try.

[jellyjelly]

I am generally pretty healthy and eat lots of lentils and veg. What healthy things do you eat and why?

I have recently started eating quinoa and i have oat groats in the cupboard to try after a visit to a health food shop.

Thanks

We've just started having smoothies for breakfast so the night before I bung some frozen fruit in the blender to defrost over night, add some natural yoghurt, I use sainsburys basics because it's cheap and has a long life, 1 500g pot lasts me 3/4 days, I then chuck in some bananas and a bit of honey and have just started using tofu for a bit of protein, works really well. Apologies if u already have a smoothie recipe or u were after something else!!

I am after all sorts of things to be honest.

I dont eat tofu, what sort do you buy, does it last, how much does it cost, which brands are good/not so good. Please talk to me about tofu!

Have started to eat the basic yoghurt. Have given up squash too in order to be healthier.

What fruit do you buy thats frozen? Does it still taste frozen or mushy after defrosting?

Salad. I love salad. I love the crisp texture and fresh tastes. I love adding nuts for crunch and zingy dressings.

Roasted vegetables with cous-cous
Halloumi and chick pea salad
Stir fried marinated tofu
Asian noodle soups with lots of veg and marinated or smoked tofu

Healthy foods that I genuinely enjoy to the point of cravings are:

eggs
avocados
grapes
really dense stoneground wholemeal bread
broccoli
cauliflower
cabbage
home made soup
brazil nuts

who makes really dense wholemeal bread? Please talk tofu to me! I have never cooked it and havent eaten it for about 15yrs.

I am currently loving spinach.

Either raw in a salad - or a veg on its own - or wilted into curries, stews, pasta dishes.

I have started buying frozen fruit - from Aldi/Lidl - usually raspberries, or 'fruits of the forest'. Nice to defrost a small portion and serve with a good dollop of natural yoghurt. I find buying fresh fruit too often results in a too muchwaste. I still buy fresh fruits such as apples, bananas, pineapples etc. But the soft fruits don't keep.

Cranks (supermarket) or any artisan (poncey) bakery on your high street.

Don't buy plain tofu. Look for marinated or smoked. It has a firmer texture and more taste. I use it in stir fries.

I know you already do lentils but I am currently obsessed with this recipe for dal from the Guardian. It's a really good series - the writer tries out loads of different recipies for the same dish and works out the perfect one. I cannot stop eating this and it is the cheapest thing ever (500g of split yellow peas cost 59p and that's in Waitrose! And you could live for a week on the amount it makes) www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2011/jun/02/how-to-cook-perfect-dal

I'm also a fan of those Innocent veg pots for dinner.

Come summertime I'll be eating a lot more watercress and smoked fish. Not right for rainy Aprils but good for summer dinners.

Oooh, yes, watercress = yummy.

And I am going to try that dahl recipe too, I cut it out of The Guardian but have somehow never got round to making it.

Fruit is usually from sainsburys because it seems to be on offer all the time and I buy peaches which defrost really well and I use in smoothies and have with yoghurt, and they do a frozen strawberry and banana smoothie mix, only ever used tofu in smoothies because I read it was good to throw in for added protein, I use silken tofu but only in smoothies, I've no idea how to cook with it!! Need to stop using the word smoothie now!!

This rocks [[http://thevegankitchen.net/2012/03/12/the-generals-tofu-a-love-story/
Tofu]]

I have two bread makers, I make white, whole meal and rye breads, dense fruit bread, date& walnut loaf as well as cake, carrot is scrummy but tends to fall apart, banana usually good and I make a fabulous whole meal and banana chocolate cake.
Have also made gluten free versions for friends. Brilliant bit of kit especially if you like to experiment :)

tip for you bibbity - you can at least double the amount of tarka that you make to put on top. It's what turns it from ordinary vegetarian fare to amazingly delicious butteryness! Although I know butteryness is not exactly the point of the thread!

Oh also have slow cooker, tonight had carrot& sweet potato soup with home made bread. Love soup. Do a lot of chicken stock based soup, sling in noodles, sweet center, mange tout or whatever takeaway your fancy and microwave til hot, I season heavily (soy sauce is my friend ) but I do quite a lot of physical exercise & need the salt

Sweet corn that is

I also love quinoa as an alternative to rice/pasta & roasted sweet potatoes instead of ordinary potatoes. At the moment I can't get enough of soya beans (the ones you soak for 8 hours) which I have only been able to get in Tesco & Co-Op.
This all adds texture to salads as I rarely eat hot food.

Also toasted pine nuts but why are they so expensive? (£3 for a small bag)

Thanks, OP.

Avocados
Fritatta

I've started eating lots more fish recently, mackerel is super healthy and really tasty. Ocado do a bag of frozen fillets that are a really useful standby, bake them in foil from frozen with a bit of marinade made out of soy sauce, sesame seeds, garlic, serve with rice and veg, or just have them plain.

I'm also eating smoked mackerel with watercress and a bit of vinaigrette for lunch (not on the same day) or sardines on toast.

Our local market has recently been selling the big Spanish plums really cheap, about 24 in a bag for a £. Some of them are a bit over-ripe and there's not much taste but, if stewed with a very small amount of sugar, they are delicious. Really nice with natural yogurt (home-made yogurt easy to make in a flask or slow cooker using skimmed milk).

I also buy frozen strawberries, raspberries and fruits of the forests from Tescos to bung in a smoothie. I also add tinned fruit (in juice not syrup) such as grapefruit and pineapples.

Grow your own wheatgrass on the window sill - that is a superfood that I genuinely believe in.