3 HEALTHY QUARANTINE COOKING TIPS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH EPICA (AD)
Disclosure: This is a paid partnership with EPICA by NORAC FOODS UK. All opinions expressed in this blog post are my own and I was in no way influenced by the company.
Like so many of you, I too have been practicing social distancing, living in self isolation with my family and contributing as much as I can to the shared goal of flattening the curve! Cooking during these crazy times, where news about the coronavirus is everywhere, has been my way of escaping the chaos and controlling the few elements in my life that I can. Furthermore, for me cooking is an act of love and one that brings me so much joy especially now, when things feel uncertain. It’s why I’m delighted to be able to share a delicious vegan recipe as well as some healthy quarantine cooking tips with you today, in partnership with EPICA.
As some of you long term readers might know, I qualified as a nutritional therapist back in 2016 and much of the knowledge I obtained during my 3 years of studying nutrition are coming in rather handy during this COVID-19 crisis. Want me to share my top 3 quarantine healthy eating and cooking tips with you? Then please read on….
3 HEALTHY QUARANTINE COOKING TIPS
EAT THE RAINBOW
Our mental and physical health is being put under a lot of pressure at the moment and a great way to support our body and mind whilst it is under intense stress is by ensuring we eat as many colourful foods as we possibly can get ahold of. EPICA’s vegan tapanades - such as their red pepper tapenade (available at Sainsbury’s), their kalamata olive tapenade and their cherry tomato tapenade used in today’s recipe - are a great addition to your colourful salads and vibrant vegetable rich meze platters. EPICA only uses the freshest of ingredients meaning that a few tubs of EPICA in the house will make eating the rainbow that much more enjoyable and colourful too.
DON’T FORGET ABOUT FIBRE
If you find comfort in reaching for the pasta and long-life bread during this pandemic, please do! If it soothes you and makes you feel safe, then there’s nothing wrong with having some extra carb rich comfort foods in your pantry. However, I urge you not to forget about your fibre. Fibre rich foods will keep your gut healthy and your gut is the epicentre (;)) of your immune system, the one that will help you when the go and gets tough. EPICA’s tapenades are naturally fibre-rich, free from the most common allergens and vegan. Plus, they go SO well with allllll the carbs :). In fact, in today’s recipe I paired EPICA with fibre rich foods, some delicious breads and crunchy crackers. There’s nothing stopping you doing the same.
FOCUS ON FLAVOUR
Much as I hope we’ll be able to go about our normal lives very, very soon, the reality is that we’re likely to be at home for a little while longer. This means that your pasta and those canned chickpeas could start tasting rather boring and bland. If being stuck indoors isn’t taxing enough, eating flavourless food sure is, wouldn’t you agree?
To ensure eating continues to be a source of joy, even whilst tucked away safely during the quarantine, focus on introducing as much flavour in to your foods as you can. It will lift your spirits and make your tastebuds as well as your tummy super happy :). EPICA’s red pepper tapenade won the Great Taste Award and in fact, all of EPICA’s products focus on flavour and quality meaning that ever bite you take tastes utterly delicious.
You can find EPICA’s red pepper tapenade in Sainsbury’s as long as stocks last. EPICA’s kalamata and cherry tomato tapenade aren’t yet available in the UK, but will be very soon. Now be sure to include a tub or two when you arrange your home delivery service and enjoy the little pleasures, you deserve it!
To get the recipe for the healthy vegan meze platter which is full of colour, fibre and flavour, please scroll down! Stay well everyone and see you soon.
HEALTHY VEGAN QUARANTINE MEZE PLATTER RECIPE
This vegan meze platter recipe is adaptable to what you have available in your pantry as well as to what’s in season. The main things to include when putting a meze platter together so that it’s colourful, fibre rich and flavoursome are to include:
something warm, like roast veggies
something fresh, like crunchy vegetables
something sweet, like dried or fresh fruit
something salty, I used EPICA’s kalamata tapenade, but you can also reach for salty nuts or olives
something carb-rich, like crackers, breadsticks or bread (omit for a gluten-free and grain free plater)
something for dipping, I used EPICA’s red pepper and cherry tomato tapenade
Total time: 45 minutes
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Roasting time: 30 minutes
Serves: 6-8 as an appetiser
INGREDIENTS FOR ROASTING:
200g radishes, washed
3 medium sized onions, peeled and cut into 1/8
3 beetroots (about 500g), washed, peeled and cut into 1/4
1-2 tbs olive oil
a good pinch of salt
A few slices of pitta or toasted bread
A handful of crackers
1 tub of EPICA’s red pepper tapenade
1 tub of EPICA’s kalamata tapenade
1 tub of EPICA cherry tomato tapenade
OTHER INGREDIENTS:
100g baby carrots, washed
100g candy beetroot, washed, peeled and cut into slices
100g radishes, washed and sliced
100g strawberries, washed and halved
100g raspberries, washed
200g baby tomatoes, washed
INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 185C/365F. Take your prepared radishes, onions and beetroot, place them in a roasting tin, cover with olive oil and a sprinkle of salt. Mix so that all the vegetables are evenly coated, then place your roasting tin in the oven and roast for 30 minutes.
Whilst the vegetables are roasting, take your other ingredients, prep them as outlined above and arrange them on a serving platter. When the radishes, onions and beetroot are done, remove them from the oven and add them to your serving platter. Enjoy!
Looking for more recipes using Epica’s red pepper tapenade? The why not try my vegan roast cauliflower salad or my vegan home-made easy pasta dough recipe. I’m sure you’ll enjoy them both!