3 Blue Zone-Approved Spring Recipes
With farmers market season in full swing, springtime is a great opportunity to boost your consumption of fresh produce. If you’re looking for some spring recipe inspiration, look no further than these plant-focussed Blue Zone recipes.
Developed from the findings of 150 research studies, Blue Zone recipes draw inspiration from global societies known for longevity. The following recipes meet Blue Zone criteria by drawing 95 per cent of their ingredients from the plant kingdom. Here, carbohydrates provide roughly 60 per cent of calories. Plant-derived fats or oils and protein, mostly from plants, make up the balance of remaining calories.
Beans play a central role in Blue Zone eating. This bean salad recipe requires some planning because the beans need to soak for 8 hours, but otherwise the dish is easy to make.
The blend of black turtle beans, lima beans, navy beans, red beans, pinto beans and green lentils creates a colourful salad packed with vitamins, protein and fiber. Red quinoa adds to the colours and bumps up the carbohydrate content.
After soaking and cooking the legumes, you’ll need a food processor to blend the vinaigrette ingredients. Flavours from cilantro, paprika and basil enliven this hearty salad that would be perfect to take on a spring or summer picnic, or to bring to work for lunch.
The society on Okinawa, a small Japanese island known for having some of the most long-lived individuals on the planet, inspired this Blue Zones recipe. A firm white fish, like halibut, gives you a break from strictly plant-based ingredients while providing healthy oils. Cubes of tofu increase the protein content. A marinade of soy sauce and fresh ginger on the tofu give this dish a pleasing flavour. Sweet potato and broccoli add vibrant colour and plenty of nutrients.
Even the healthiest eaters deserve to indulge in a sweet treat every so often, and these oatmeal cookies, which rely on banana for sweetness, make a Blue Zone-approved snack. Blue Zone recipes often include nuts which provide healthy plant proteins and oils. In these cookies, walnuts deepen the satisfying flavours and increase protein content. Finally, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground ginger and a bit of unsweetened cocoa make these chewy cookies addictive.
Keep in mind that for this recipe, you’ll use a blender to grind the oats into oat flour. Store cookies in an airtight container to preserve freshness.
Healthy, tasty meals represent one of the pillars of wellness. Residents at Tapestry can give these recipes a try by cooking for themselves in their own suites, or they can enjoy a variety of dining options at our on-site restaurants.
