EHL’s Institute of Nutrition R&D presents the season on a plate with a nutritious and delicious vegetarian menu to delight foodie fans of all types. As Hippocrates famously said, “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food”, here we are reminded that behind many seasonal recipes lie specific healing properties to help us best align with the time of year. Enjoy your meal as well as your health!
From starters to desserts, garden fruits and vegetables are bursting with color and flavor in summer. From the deep red of raspberries to the tender green of zucchini flower, the summer palette of tastes is on the plate to tantalize the taste buds and delight the eyes.
These beautiful zucchini flowers are rich in fiber, antioxidants, and potassium to optimize muscle tone. Vitamin K promotes blood coagulation and vitamin C boosts the immune system. To sublimate this beautiful velvety flower, what better than a stuffing with tasty Swiss shrimps, raised ecologically and without antibiotics, thus containing neither heavy metals nor arsenic, which are unfortunately sometimes found in certain foods! To brighten up the plate, a few flowers of blue borage with its fortifying virtues. Then a few petals of dazzling nasturtium to give a little pep and peppery notes. Finally, beautiful leaves of hyssop, otherwise known as agastache, for the aniseed touch. In short, a healthy cocktail full of color and medicinal virtues. And to complete the supply of nutrients necessary for the proper functioning of the microbiota, the piquant flavors of kimchi, fermented cabbage prepared according to Korean tradition, round off this appetizer. The lactic fermentation technique makes the nutrients more digestible, nourishing the body’s microbiota, and consumes some sugars contained in the vegetables, making the meal less calorie-intensive. The lively kimchi adds a touch of acidity to this delicious starter.
Fancy a barbecue with friends? Now's the time to start making your own marinade, containing numerous ingredients that provide the nutrients our microbiota needs. A piece of meat kept in marinade for several days allows nutrients to be transferred by capillary action and interact through chemical exchange. The flame and heat of barbecuing provide a slightly bitter flavor that the body needs in this summer period, according to the principles of traditional Chinese nutrition. The zucchini that accompanies this meat, steamed or just blanched, retains all its nutritional value and provides the fiber our bodies require, for a gut in top form!
And here comes lady raspberry, poking her nose into the undergrowth! It's packed with tannins, mainly anthocyanins, which give it its bright red color and neutralize free radicals, thus acting as an anti-inflammatory. Combined with the anti-inflammatory virtues of the caffeine contained in coffee, the duo is perfect! Not to mention the cardio-protective effect of coffee, which safeguards us from certain neurodegenerative diseases. A few hazelnut nuggets, rich in omega-9s, trace elements and vitamins, and you've got a healthy, gourmet summer dessert!
This menu was co-authored by Karine Dubrit, micro-nutrition doctor, Marianne Vellieux, micro-nutritionist, and Cédric Bourassin, Lecturer Practical Arts and Head Chef at the Berceau Des Sens (BDS), Michelin-starred teaching restaurant of EHL.
All the recipes and ingredients are for 4 people. Have a great summer and bon appétit!