EASY SUMMER RECIPES FOR MINDFUL EATING

Eating wholesome and nutritious meals nourishes our bodies and soul. Research has shown that mindful eating can lead to greater psychological well-being, increased pleasure when eating, and body satisfaction. Paying attention to what you eat can help you improve your diet, manage food cravings, and even lose weight. Mindful eating involves observing how food makes you feel and how your body sends signals about taste, satisfaction, and fullness. It requires you to simply acknowledge the bodily sensations you observe. The feeling will extend towards the process of buying, preparing, and serving your food as well as consuming it.

Mindful meals consider the whole experience of eating – from seed to table, flavour to finish line. Whether you prefer your steak plant-based, or rare, we have curated some of the best dishes to fuel you. The key to a perfect bowl dish is a balance of elements, textures, and flavours. A bit of fresh, something hearty, colour, acid, and a crunchy element are the usual suspects for a nourishing bowl.

“Put together things you want to eat in a bowl, make sure to season each element well, and add some beautiful herbs or greens for brightness and beauty”, says our talented gourmet chef at Parallel Hotel, Udaipur.

These easy recipes put together by the chef let the hero ingredients shine and are perfect for summer. Discover them below.

(SERVES 2)

INGREDIENTS

Broccoli microgreens – 300 gms
Snow Peas – 100 gms
Asparagus – 200 gms
Cherry tomatoes – 100 gms
Pumpkin, Sunflower, Flax seeds – 100 gms
Chopped walnuts – 100 gms
FOR DRESSING

Lemon juice – 1 tbsp
Salt – to taste
Crushed black pepper – 1 tsp
Aromatic olive oil – 1 tbsp

METHOD:

Season the fresh vegetables with lemon juice and salt in a large bowl. Add them to the chopped leaves and vegetables in another bowl. Season with salt, black pepper, and lemon juice. Add a table spoon of olive oil before serving. Dig in!

(SERVES 4)

INGREDIENTS

Dried Soba noodles – 220 gms
Basic vegetable stock – 6 cups
Kombu (dried kelp) – 1
Fresh ginger, peeled and smashed – 1
Garlic, peeled and smashed – 1
Baby pok choy – 2 bunches
Black trumpet mushrooms – 200 gms
Silken tofu, sliced, cut into cubes – 350 gms
White miso sauce – 2 tbsp
Black sesame seeds, halved – 1 tsp
Cured radish halves - 2
FOR DRESSING 

Sesame oil – 1 tsp
Sriaracha sauce – 1 tbsp

METHOD:

Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Add the noodles and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or according to the package instructions. 
Drain and rinse well under cold water. Set aside in a bowl with a bit of cool water to keep the noodles from sticking while you prepare the dashi.
In a large pot, combine the stock, kombu, ginger, and garlic and bring to a simmer over low heat. 
Add the bok choy, mushrooms, and tofu and simmer just until the mushrooms are tender and the bok choy has wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. 
Remove the pot from the heat. Spoon one ladle of the hot dashi into a small bowl.
Add the miso and whisk until thoroughly incorporated. Add the miso mixture to the pot and stir to combine.
Ladle the dashi and vegetables into serving bowls, add noodles, and garnish with the cured radishes, sesame seeds, sesame oil, and sriracha as desired.