According to the New Zealand Ministry of Health, there are 28 vitamins and minerals essential to our good health and we should include them in our daily diet.
By having a widely diverse diet we can obtain all the nutrients we need.
The best foods to get all of these goodies from are wholefoods – fresh fruit and vegetables, meat, seafood, nuts and seeds, eggs, whole-grains and dairy.
It is very easy to get stuck in a food rut and just cook and eat the same thing day-in and day-out.
Eating seasonally and trying something different or new is a great way to broaden our diet and boost our nutrient intake.
This can be tricky for those with special dietary requirements as food restrictions add limitations. Rather than just cutting out foods, it is important to find good alternative options in order to get the variety of nutrients we need.
Then there is fussiness. Sometimes you might simply dislike certain foods, whether it is a taste or textural thing. That is perfectly fine, but when was the last time that you tried those foods?
If it was when you were a child, your tastes may have changed. There may be something that you really hated as a kid, but now you might like it – or at least be willing to have it if it is well hidden in a recipe.
I’m like that with Brussel sprouts. I think that they are horrible, bitter wee things, but... if they are finely slices and mixed into something like vegetarian chilli or savoury mince I can’t taste them so I’ll happily eat them. And it turns out if they are well-seasoned and roasted then I’m willing to choke a couple down. I am willing to find a way to include them simply because I know they contain lots of vitamin K (important for proper blood clotting) and fibre, and my husband loves them!
Another food that seems to divide people between those who love them and those that hate them are – chicken livers.
Now, I really like them but I know of many that won’t go near them. Liver often have connotations of a plateful of something horribly grey and rubbery that is tasteless and unpalatable. But it really doesn’t have to be like that.
Chicken livers are an excellent source of iron and vitamin A. We need iron to transport oxygen around our bodies and it is also an important part of many enzymes and muscle protein. Vitamin A is required for healthy eyes, but it also helps maintain healthy skin and is a powerful antioxidant. They are a good budget meat option and they are very versatile. Most of us know of their use in pâté, but there really is more to a chicken liver than blending it to a paste.
Here is a recipe that might alter your perception of chicken livers, Chicken Livers with Onion and Port . Please do give it a try if you are looking for something highly nutritious and new to add to your cooking repertoire.