You shouldn’t give up the delights of this season, the secret is not to overdo it
June has arrived bringing with it the most anticipated celebrations of the year, with lots of dancing, games and, most importantly for many, the most delicious food. Yes, Festa Junina is synonymous with many delicacies, such as pamonha, curau, hominy, rice pudding, paçoca and drinks such as mulled wine and quentão. Since the celebrations take place in a month with mild temperatures, or even lower, and our body needs to warm up, many people use this excuse to overdo it and end up gaining a few extra pounds.
But this doesn’t mean having to give up fun, typical foods. According to nutritionist Renata Guirau, of Oba Hortifruti, an important strategy to not overdo it is to give priority to the foods or preparations that we like the most. “Moreover, since we often attend more than one party during the month, it is worth not overdoing it at any time. To put it into practice, one piece of advice is not to go to parties very hungry or to stay for many hours without eating”, he teaches .
Emphasizes that alcoholic beverages should always be consumed in moderation (and never by minors or pregnant women). This means that mulled wine and mulled wine can be consumed, but it is important to monitor the quantities. And it is worth considering that there are similar and fun recipes prepared without alcohol and that they can also be good options.
Corn, the most present
Renata recalls that a very traditional typical dish is the little man; “It is a preparation rich in calories and carbohydrates and also provides us with fibre, some minerals such as calcium, zinc and phosphorus, as well as group B vitamins.” Below, the nutritionist teaches practical recipes in case you want to prepare this delicacy at home for your family or in case you are invited and need to bring a dish to a party.
Another food you mentioned, and which is perhaps the most present in the celebrations, is green corn, a food rich in fiber and natural sugars, as well as minerals such as iron (which prevents anemia), phosphorus (which contributes to bone health), potassium (which prevents cramps, helps regulate blood pressure and muscle contraction) and zinc (which has an antioxidant action and strengthens the immune system). Corn is present in festivals in various forms: simply cooked and used in preparations such as curau, tamales, desserts and juices.
Good fats and fiber
“Peanuts are also widely consumed during the June holidays. Rich in good fats and fibre, they are a food with a high energy content, which helps the supply of B complex vitamins, as well as vitamin E (antioxidant). They are generally consumed roasted, in the form of pé de moleque, paçocas and cakes”, says Renata.
And we also have pine nuts, rich in good fats and fibre, but less caloric than peanuts, and are an excellent source of vitamins A and E (antioxidants). It is generally consumed in naturecooked only with salt, but can also be part of more elaborate preparations.
The ones mentioned above are the most common, however, since Brazil has continental dimensions, many other foods and preparations end up on the menu, such as pastries, hot dogs, cocadas, pumpkin desserts and popcorn, for example. And menus can also vary greatly depending on the region of the country.
“The most important thing to avoid compromising nutrition is to monitor the quantities ingested, avoiding exaggerations. Some recipes with alternative versions of these preparations may be welcome, as long as they do not distort the preparation, especially since they are often traditional” recipes An important characteristic of the preparations of June is that most of them require homemade, artisanal preparation, which reduces the possibility of consuming ultra-processed foods”, concludes Renata.
Below, Renata Guirau teaches some simple recipes to prepare at home:
Simple little man
ingredients
250 grams of white hominy corn
50 grams of grated dry coconut
3 tablespoons brown sugar or powdered culinary sweetener
2 tablespoons green banana biomass
200ml coconut milk
400 ml of water
750 ml of skimmed milk
4 branches of cinnamon
Ground cinnamon to taste
1 pinch of salt
Preparation method
Leave the little man to soak for a few hours. Place it in a pressure cooker with the milk, water, green banana biomass and brown sugar. Leave to cook for about 40 minutes and turn off the heat. When the contents of the pan are cold, add the grated coconut, coconut milk, cinnamon and a pinch of salt. Mix everything and put it back on the heat, this time without pressure. Once the mixture is creamy, remove it from the heat, place it on a plate and sprinkle it with cinnamon powder.
Salty hominy
ingredients
1 onion chopped
2 cloves of grated garlic
1 jar cream cheese (cream cheese, ricotta cream)
1/2 cup grated parmesan
500 g cooked hominy corn
Olive oil
Preparation method
Brown the onion and garlic in oil. Reduce the heat and add the cream cheese and cook over low heat until it melts and forms a cheese sauce. Remove from the heat and stir well with the parmesan and corn previously cooked in the pressure cooker, for about 30 minutes. Transfer to a greased baking sheet and place in the preheated oven for 10 minutes.
Simple treatment
ingredients
4 ears of wheat
2 cups whole or skim milk
1 cup sugar or powdered sweetener
Ground cinnamon to taste
Preparation method
Grate the cobs and blend the corn in the blender with the milk. Pass the contents through a sieve until it is well filtered. Bring to the boil, adding the sugar and mixing well until a consistent cream is formed. Pour into bowls and sprinkle with cinnamon.
Baked tamale
ingredients
4 large ears of wheat
1 cup whole or skim milk
1 cup sugar or powdered sweetener
3 heaped tablespoons of grated cheese
Preparation method
Grate the corn and blend it in the blender with the other ingredients until the grains have broken down.
Grease a medium ring pan with butter and sprinkle with sugar. Arrange the dough, cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes or until the dough is cooked (toothpick test).
Pine nut candies
ingredients
150 g of pine nuts
100 g dark chocolate (70% cocoa)
Preparation method
Cook the pine nuts in the pressure cooker until very soft (about 30 minutes). Let them cool and peel them one by one. Melt the chocolate in a bain-marie or in the microwave.
Dip the peeled pine nuts in the melted chocolate and place them in the freezer for 10 minutes.
Pine nut flour
ingredients
1 ½ cups cooked pine nuts, peeled and chopped
1 cup cassava flour
1 cup grated carrot
1 tablespoon butter
1 onion finely chopped
Salt, green chilli and black pepper to taste
Preparation method
In a pan, melt the butter and brown the onion. Add the other ingredients, mixing well, leaving the green perfume for last.
Source: Renata Guirau He has a master’s degree in Science from Unicamp (State University of Campinas) and is a nutritionist at Oba Hortifruti.
Source: Terra
Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.
