In the midst of the pandemic, many people have become home chefs. As Hong Kong enters its fourth wave of pandemic and soon the Christmas season, many may choose to stay home and have a good time with their family.
As you prepare for your Christmas feast, you may want to consider a couple of “superfood”which you may rarely heard of, apart from a few recent popular items like imported seafood and meat. A warm, nutritious, and healthy Christmas is just within reach!
Chickpeas: the gem of the Middle East
Chickpeas, widely available in the Middle East, also common found in most supermarket in Hong Kong, does not only contain low calories and high protein, it is also rich in soluble fiber (¾ cups of chickpeas contains 2.1grams of soluble fiber). It can also slow down your body’s absorption of carbohydrates, make you feel full after eating, and what’s more, it can help stabilise your blood sugar levels, and lower your cholesterol amounts, making it a very healthy food for those who want to keep fit or are concerned about their blood health.
Chickpeas can be added directly into soup or salad as an appetising dressing. It can also be served with olive oil and sea salt, and baked into crispy snacks at parties at a low temperature in the oven. A veggie “meatball” popular with all ages, the Hummus sauce or the Chickpeas curry are more options for you to try your cooking hands on.
Hemp Hearts: Rich in protein!
The name may sound unfamiliar, but Hemp Hearts as a healthy food, has won hearts and minds all across Europe and America since a few years ago, which may also found in the organic grocery store in town.
Like Chickpeas, Hemp Hearts is also low in calories and high in protein. 2 full spoon of Hemp Hearts contains 6.6 grams of protein, or the rough equivalent of 2 egg whites. Few veggie food contain 9 amino acids essential for humans, but Hemp Hearts has them all.
Furthermore, Hemp Hearts are peeled, and can be eaten without being crushed into powder or soaked. Tender and small in size, they are best to be eaten with oat meals or yogurt. If you put more effort in it, you can even put it on a toast with butter and jam, and sprinkle some chili toppings on it, making it looks red and green and feel more Christmas.
Rooibos Tea: the national treasure of South Africa!
After a Christmas feast, a cup of coffee or tea could mark a good ending for the party. But if you don’t want to lose sleep over it, how about brew yourself and your family a cup of Rooibos Tea?
Rooibos Tea is a brand of flowering tea. Its biggest feature is it does not contain caffeine, so don’t worry about not getting enough sleep! It also contains multiple types of active flavonoids (vitamin P) and even help improve your quality of sleep.
Also, compared to other tea, Rooibos Tea has only a low amount of tannins, and does not much affect your body’s absorption of iron. It is also rich in anti-oxidation ingredients, and can be taken cold and hot, best for a Christmas drink!
Thinking where to buy it? In fact, Rooibos Tea is very common in most supermarket in town. Let’s grab it and have a healthy Christmas!
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