Easter is a great opportunity to get together with loved ones over a good meal. But it's also often synonymous with over-consumption of greasy foods and sweet treats, even those full of additives!
So what can you do at Easter to limit excess and opt for healthy, balanced foods when you don't want to deviate too much from your good habits?
In this article, we'll share with you a few healthy and tasty recipes that will help you enjoy this festive season without excess!
Whatever recipe you decide to make, give preference to organic, seasonal, local and minimally processed foods!
Low-temperature roast chicken, potatoes and fresh spinach
As an alternative to the traditional Passover lamb, choose a roast chicken cooked at a low temperature to preserve vitamins and minerals, while keeping the meat as tender as possible. Poultry is an ideal choice because it's a lean meat, rich in satiating proteins, easily digestible and low in allergens.
If you really want to keep with tradition, choose a Leg of Lamb, which is one of the least fatty parts of the lamb, but keep the cooking temperature low to preserve as much of the meat's nutritional qualities as possible.
This recipe is based on oven cooking, but if you have a low-temperature "vitaliseur" cooker, it's even better!
Ingredients (serves 4)
- 1 chicken weighing about 2 kg
- 2 large onions
- 500g small potatoes
- 4 large handfuls fresh spinach leaves
- 5 garlic cloves, "unpeeled
- Thyme
- Rosemary
- 2 bay leaves
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Realization
- Leave the chicken at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours.
- Preheat oven to 140°c.
- Peel and chop onions.
- Lightly oil the bottom of a roasting tin and place the onions on top. Add the chicken, lightly basted with olive oil, garlic, bay leaves and a few sprigs of thyme and rosemary. Pour in a glass of water and season with salt and pepper. Cover the dish.
- Place the chicken in the oven at half-height and lower the temperature to 90°c fan-assisted. Cook for around 5 hours, basting regularly with cooking juices.
- About 2 hours before the chicken is finished cooking, add the washed and halved potatoes to the dish (or to a separate dish).
- At the end of cooking, let the chicken rest for a few minutes, basting with its juices.
- Meanwhile, remove the stems and wash the spinach, then fry in a pan with a little fat.
- Cut up the chicken and serve.
Brouillade with asparagus
Prefer a vegetarian option for your meal? Here's a delicious recipe for scrambled eggs with asparagus, the star vegetable of Spring!
Asparagus promotes good intestinal transit, stimulates kidney function and is a source of antioxidants, helping to combat skin aging and the progression of certain cancers. They are also rich in vitamin B9 (folic acid), iron and copper.
Ingredients (serves 2)
- 6 medium green asparagus spears
- 6 small eggs
- 1 heaping tablespoon coconut milk (or heavy cream of your choice)
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- Olive oil
Realization
- Cut off the ends and peel the "hard" parts of the asparagus. Steam in a basket for 3 to 4 minutes, depending on thickness.
- Drain. Cut into 1-2 cm lengths.
- Break eggs into a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Mix for a few moments.
- Put a little olive oil (or ghee) in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Pour in the eggs and whisk continuously, making figure 8s and scraping down the sides (very important for creamy eggs).
- When the desired consistency is reached, remove from heat and immediately add a spoonful of cold coconut milk to stop the cooking process. Add the asparagus pieces.
- Serve with a side dish of your choice (green salad, potatoes, rice, etc.).
Spring vegetable risotto
Looking for a vegan alternative for Easter? You're in for a treat with this revisited risotto.
Ingredients (serves 4)
- 4 Carrots
- 2 onions
- 2 leeks (or asparagus, broad beans, fresh peas, if you prefer!)
- 300g risotto rice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 vegetable bouillon cubes (or 1l homemade bouillon)
- 20g vegetable butter
- 4 tbsp chopped parsley
- Pepper
- Salt
- Optional: 20cl white wine; 6 tbsp vegetable Parmesan cheese
Realization
- Boil 1l of water with the vegetable bouillon cubes. Set aside
- Cut carrots and onions into small cubes and slice leeks (or other greens of your choice) into thin rings. Sweat vegetables in a large frying pan (or saucepan) with olive oil.
- Add the uncooked rice to the pan, stirring well until translucent.
- Add the white wine (optional) and cover with stock to the level of the rice.
- Cook, stirring regularly, until the liquid is absorbed. Gradually add the remaining stock until the rice is sufficiently cooked.
- Add the vegetable butter, vegetable parmesan (optional) and parsley, then mix.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- To serve.
Chocolate treats
Here are a few simple recipes to help you indulge without overdoing it!
For chocolate, choose dark chocolate with a minimum cocoa content of 70%.
It is rich in fiber, which stimulates intestinal transit.
It also contains polyphenols that help strengthen the intestinal mucosa.
It is one of the foods richest in flavonoids, antioxidants that play a role in the prevention of certain diseases and limit the appearance of bad cholesterol and the risk of cardiovascular disease.
It's an excellent source of magnesium. It helps combat fatigue, stress and anxiety. And finally, it contains tryptophan, a precursor of serotonin, providing a feeling of calm and well-being.
Dark chocolate sand roses
Ingredients (serves 4)
- 200 g dark chocolate
- 70 g coconut oil
- 150 g unsweetened cornflakes
Realization
- In a double boiler, melt the chocolate with the coconut oil.
- Pour the corn petals into a large bowl and add the melted chocolate. Mix well to coat the petals.
- Form small heaps and place in paper boxes.
- Chill for 1 hour.
Chocolate-banana bites
Ingredients (for about 15 chocolates)
- 30 g no-sugar-added peanut butter
- 2 bananas
- 60 g dark chocolate
Realization
- Cut bananas into thick slices.
- Melt the chocolate in a bain-marie.
- Spread half the banana slices with peanut butter, then close with the other halves.
- Dip into melted chocolate
- Place on greaseproof paper and leave to harden in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
- Enjoy!
Dark chocolate beggars
Ingredients (serves 4)
- 200 g dark chocolate
- 50 g pistachios
- 50 g almonds
- 50 g cranberries (or other toppings of your choice)
Realization
- Crush pistachios, almonds and cranberries.
- Melt the chocolate in a bain-marie.
- Using a small spoon, place small mounds of melted chocolate on the parchment paper. The aim is to form chocolate circles.
- Arrange the pistachios, almonds and crushed cranberries on the chocolate circles.
- Leave to harden in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
It's almost inevitable, you're probably going to overindulge on this occasion and that's perfectly normal, so enjoy it without feeling guilty!
It will be good for morale ;-)
If you're experiencing digestive discomfort or need to detox after the holidays, don't hesitate to consult our dedicated sheets on the Natflow app, as well as our article on Spring detoxification!