Leticia Moreinos Schwartz - Latin Superfoods: 100 Simple, Delicious, and Energizing Recipes for Total Health

Copyright 2019 by Leticia Moreinos Schwartz

Photographs by: Luciano Bogado

All remaining photos shot and styled by Leticia Moreinos Schwartz

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available on file.

Cover design by Laura Klynstra

Cover photos by Michelle Fonseca and Leticia Moreinos Schwartz

Print ISBN: 978-1-5107-4595-7

Ebook ISBN: 978-1-5107-4597-1

Printed in China

To my parents, who instilled in me the love for food and health; to my husband Dean, and my beautiful children who fill my life with love; and to all immigrants, from all over the world, who like me, came to this country with a dream of a better life for themselves and their children .

Contents

Introduction

Welcome to my world a world in which healthy cooking is oxygen!

Many people associate healthy cooking with boring taste and flavorless foods. Im on a mission to prove that healthy eating can be not only absolutely delicious, but also that food is medicine, and that by living a healthy lifestyle you can take control of your health and of your life.

Having a personal connection with type 2 diabetesmy grandfather died from complications of the diseaseIve learned to pay attention to nutrition, eating habits, and lifestyle. For the past five years, Ive been on an incredible journey as the spokesperson for Americas Diabetes Challenge, a campaign that raises awareness about diabetes and management techniques through healthy living. I see firsthand that unhealthy eating habits can contribute to serious health issues.

What I quickly realized while traveling around the country, is that immigrantsincluding myselfare especially vulnerable to dietary and lifestyle diseases. Once we move to the US, our habits change for the worse, along with our health. We no longer shop at farmers markets or cook home-made meals. Instead, we buy take-out and pre-packed foods. The road from a healthy Latin culture to the North American table became a tough one somewhere along the way.

The Latin Revolution

The good news is that maintaining a healthy diet has never been easier, in part because of the influence of Latin culture in this country.

Lets start with juices and smoothies. Fruits and vegetable juices have always flowed in the veins of Latinos. Jamba Juice pioneered the trend in the US, and many clones have since invaded American cities. You will find tons of healthy juices in this book! See for more.

Tacos, tapas, quesadillas, and guacamole are no longer exclusive to Latin culture, but are familiar to most Americans. They are here too! Quinoa (typical to Peruvian cooking) is sold in just about any supermarket, along with plantains, yucca, and cilantro. Try my Quinoa Risotto with Peas and Turkey Bacon () and youll be making it over and over again. What about kale, avocados, and aa? All Latin. All healthy. All Superfoodsand all here in this book, with amazing recipes to showcase their super powers.

In Search of Flavors

I was born and raised in Brazil, a country that neighbors almost every other country in South America. Having had the chance to travel through South America and immerse myself in Latin culture, Ive met chefs and home cooks from all walks of life. After graduating from the International Culinary Center in New York (formerly the French Culinary Institute), I was lucky to work with amazing chefs and learned an incredible amount from them.

At La Caravelle in New York, we cooked elaborate recipes from the French repertoire; today its all about simplicity. Recently, I helped Chef Eric Di Domenico, La Caravelles former chef, prepare a dinner party where he served a delicious tapioca pearl pudding that was light, healthy, and full of tropical flavors (you can try my version on ).

As a food writer, Ive also had the chance to work with and interview chefs and home cooks in Latin America. Chef Daniel Biron from Teva, a restaurant in Rio small in space, but huge in cultural impact, urged me to taste his farofa. He prepares a mixture of garlic and Brazil nuts that transforms the whole taste of farofa (see for my healthy take on this dish).

My radar for treasured recipes is always on, and sometimes the most amazing Latin chefs are cooking recipes that dont necessarily have a Latin stamp on it. When I ate at Estella in New York City, my heart pounded for every bite of food, and I was overjoyed to discover that Ignacio Mattos is Uruguayan. Thats the beauty of cooking: finding the light in every ingredient, even the most ordinary oneslike celery.

In fact, most of the recipes in this cookbook are prepared with ingredients just like celery: simple, ordinary, easy to find, but with amazing super powers! Precisely because they are so trivial, they are also overlooked and underexplored. In my way of cooking, its just a matter of doing interesting things with them. The Orange Salad with Pumpkin Seeds and Crumbled Queso-Blanco on , and many more throughout the book!

This cookbook is my contribution to more healthful eating, with fully tested and re-tested recipes, some gluten-free, some vegan, and lots of lean proteins. I take traditional Latin dishes and find ways to make them even healthier.

The Home Cooking Revolution

Beyond offering a range of recipes to fit any palate, this book imparts a philosophy of joyful cooking. My mission is to inspire you to take full responsibility of your own well-being and to eat better and cook frequently, so that you can generate health, energy, and vigor for yourself and your family.

Healthy is for everyone! Whether youre just starting to cook, or refreshing your cooking repertoire, these recipes have everything you need to create a lifestyle you love.

The process by which I selected the recipes for this book descends into a few main issues that are an integral part of my life: taste, health, convenience, culture, education, and lifestyle. As a true bi-continental chef, I want to provide life-changing, long-lasting accessible recipes. Yes, that is a great recipe, but can I really say that it will change your life? Yes, thats the goal! Small changes add up! Cook up! Wise up!