Maintaining a healthy weight is important. The diet menu often contains sugary foods and snack foods such as tasteless potato chips or low-calorie snacks, which eliminate the urge to persevere in the process even before you start it.
Mia Ben Ephraim, a clinical dietitian, believes that dieting or maintaining healthy eating habits should not necessarily lead to suffering. “There are quite a few foods that people tend to treat as enemies of the diet, but including them in the regular menu encourages a feeling of satiety, contributes to important nutritional values for the body, and most importantly – does not cause obesity if you know not to overdo it in it,” she says.
We asked Ben Ephraim not to keep these foods a secret and she also agreed to share her great recipes:
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1. Coconut cream (or coconut liquor)
Coconut Cream is a product made from the coconut fruit. It is very similar to coconut liquid but contains less water so it is high in fat. Although it is saturated fat, unlike artificial saturated fat, the fat in coconut cream is natural, so it is better than products like margarine for example that are rich in artificial saturated fat.
The medium and short-chain fatty acids in coconut cream pass from the digestive system directly into the bloodstream and are available for energy production. In other words, saturated fats of this type cause less obesity and are more available for energy consumption.” The fat in the coconut liquid is lauric fatty acid (also found in breast milk) which benefits the immune system.”
Coconut cream is excellent for making creamy sauces, it is vegetarian and therefore suitable for kosher watchers, excellent for combining chicken, excellent for desserts, snacks and even for enriching smoothies and drinks.
Chicken red curry and coconut cream recipe
the components:
- onion
- Kohlrabi 1
- zucchini 1
- 5 – 6 fresh mushrooms
- Handful of thawed frozen broccoli
- 500gm of chicken breast or chicken fillet
- Coconut Cream 16 – 18%
- 1 teaspoon full of red curry puree
- Chicken Grill Spice / Philadelphia
- spoon of crushed garlic
- 1 tablespoon of sesame oil / 1 tablespoon of soybean
- a little ginger
- 4 cherry tomatoes
directions:
Fry all vegetables with a little oil, add chicken cubes, coconut cream, curry and spices and continue frying until golden. Cover, wait 5/6 minutes and serve.
2. Peanut Butter
It is rich in high-quality fats and thus contributes to a feeling of satiety and helps in the production of good cholesterol (HDL) in the body, which ultimately contributes to the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. Peanut butter is rich in minerals like magnesium, potassium and tryptophan, which contribute to good sleep, among other things.
You can spread it on a slice of bread, mix it with bread and fruit at breakfast, make homemade snacks for the midnight hours, combine it with salad dressing, and stir it with tofu or chicken and vegetables.
Chicken recipe with peanut butter, garlic, soybeans and sesame oil
the components:
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil
- Handful of thawed frozen broccoli
- A handful of cauliflower (or any other vegetable such as zucchini)
- 500 1gm chicken breast cubes/300gm tofu cubes
- 5-6 cherry tomatoes
- spoon of crushed garlic
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons soybeans
- 2 tablespoons natural peanut butter
- a cup of water
- coriander for garnish
directions:
Heat the coconut oil in a skillet. Add vegetables and after a few minutes add chicken or tofu. Fry for 5 minutes. Add peanut butter, water, sesame oil, soybeans, and crushed garlic. Mix all the ingredients and fry for a few more minutes until cooked.
3. Natural maple
Pure maple syrup, extracted from maple wood resin, without added sugar, stabilizers, flavorings and other chemicals. It contains potassium, magnesium, iron, zinc, amino acids, calcium, folic acid and B vitamins. Maple was used by Indians for food and medicine. It’s great with yogurt and fruit at breakfast, and is perfect for making salad dressings, broths or meat dressings, stir-fries, as a substitute for teriyaki, long stews, oatmeal pancakes and smoothies.
Almond and Maple Flour Snack Recipe
the components:
to the base
- cup almond flour
- Half a cup of oatmeal
- 3 tablespoons of natural maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon melted coconut oil
- Handful of compound nuts or one type (cashews, hazelnuts, pecans)
To the peanut butter layer
- A cup of dripping natural peanut butter
- 3 tablespoons of natural maple syrup
- Coconut oil tablespoon
to the chocolate layer
- 3/4 cup chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil
directions:
In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix the almond flour, syrup, and coconut oil into a sticky dough. Transfer the dough to an English muffin tray covered with baking paper (for easy extraction of the snack after cooling). Tighten the dough well to a uniform thickness. In a saucepan, heat the peanut butter, coconut oil, maple extract, and vanilla until a uniform consistency is obtained. Pour over the dough. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons of nuts.
For chocolate: Heat the dark chocolate with coconut oil in the microwave for 60 seconds. Stir until the mixture becomes homogeneous. Pour the melted chocolate over the layer of peanut butter and distribute evenly. Place the mold in the freezer for 30 minutes, then transfer it to a cutting board and cut it into 24-26 freezer units. Take it out of the freezer before serving.
4. Tahini
Tahini is actually sesame seed puree. It is rich in omega-6 polyunsaturated fats that are beneficial for health, as well as protein, calcium and many minerals necessary for the body. Ben Ephraim recommends buying sprouted tahini, which is considered to be of better quality, because it absorbs minerals better (it is also more bitter).
Tahini has dozens of culinary uses: It’s great on baked cauliflower, it’s the perfect choice for eggplant, it’s great as a meat seasoning, it can be made into snacks during the in-between hours, and here’s an excellent recipe for delicious, protein-rich, gluten-free bread.
tahini bread recipe
the components:
- cup raw tahini
- 2 tablespoons natural maple or sesame
- 4 eggs per liter
- One teaspoon of baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
- 3 tablespoons flax seeds
- 3 tablespoons sesame seeds
- english cake mold
directions: Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Put all ingredients in a bowl (or mixer) in order and mix. Transfer the mixture to an English cake mould. Bake for 30 minutes until the bread is golden and set. Cut it into slices only after the bread has cooled. Bread will store for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
5. Almond flour
Almond flour is actually almonds ground to a fine texture. Its nutritional value remains similar to that of almonds, hence its great benefit. Almonds contain unsaturated fats, vitamin E, which is a powerful antioxidant, calcium and magnesium, which is important for the muscle contraction system, as well as vitamins of group B. In addition, the flour does not contain gluten and is therefore suitable for those who suffer from digestive disorders. But Ben Ephraim explains that this is a product that contains portions of natural fats, so it is important to use it sparingly.
Almond flour is suitable for making snacks, pastries, healthy biscuits, pancakes, homemade vegetable pies, and even making schnitzels and nuggets that children especially like.
Almond flour nuggets recipe
Chicken Mix Ingredients:
- 500gm chicken breast cubes
- Half a teaspoon of garlic powder
- Half a teaspoon of salt.
- 1 teaspoon roasted chicken seasoning
- Spoon Philadelphia / Cajun
for the shell:
- Half a cup of almond flour
- Pizza
- teaspoon crushed garlic
- mustard spoon (optional)
directions: Mix all chicken ingredients. In a separate bowl, mix eggs, mustard and garlic. In another bowl, put the almond flour. Roll the nuggets in the egg mixture, dip again in flour and place in a hot oven for 12-13 minutes. Take it out and serve it up.
6. Goat cheese 9 – 26%
Cheese made from goat’s milk is usually less acidic than other cheeses and is recommended for those diagnosed with lactose intolerance. True, this cheese is not particularly fat-free, but it contains a large amount of protein, and a small amount of it gives wonderful flavor to pancakes, stuffed mushrooms, pancakes and even inside an omelet.
Omelette recipe with cherry goat cheese and herbs
the components:
- 2 eggs
- 40 grams of goat cheese, cut into rings
- 2 tablespoons water
- Handful of chopped parsley/cilantro
- a pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil
directions: Mix two eggs well with 2 tablespoons of water. Heat a frying pan with a little coconut oil. Put the egg mixture in the pan, add the cheese slices on top, and garnish with cherry tomatoes (you can roast them in the oven before) and a pinch of parsley. Cover the pan for a few seconds and serve hot.
7. Cashew
A cashew is actually a seed that grows at the base of a fruit that is similar in shape to an apple. It is rich in nutrients and herbal compounds and can be used as an addition to almost any meal, and is particularly suitable for making plant-based alternatives to dairy products.
Cashews retain their value even when roasted, and of course they are best lightened in a home oven or skillet. You can add cashews to yogurt and fruit in the morning, along with fruit meals, snacks, stir-fries, stews, and of course, plant-based alternatives.
Cashew, chocolate and coconut cream recipe
the components:
- Half a cup of roasted cashews (preferably roasted at home)
- 200 grams of high quality dark chocolate 70% cocoa solids
- 120 ml coconut cream 16 – 18%
- english cake mold
directions: Cut cashews. In a small saucepan or microwave, melt dark chocolate and coconut cream for 3 minutes. Mix well to get a smooth texture. Pour the cashews over the English cake pan and pour the melted chocolate with coconut milk on top. Place in the freezer for at least 4 hours, cut into 18/20 units and then freeze again. Take it out of the freezer before serving.