Hydrating and healthy, the humble jug of water has never tasted so good than with it’s infused with fruit, vegetables and herbs.

Before sugar-laden fruit juices and cooldrinks, our caveman ancestors sipped fresh water straight out of lakes and streams. Sure, they probably had minimal options for hydration, but the notion that water is one of the best things you can put into your body still holds today.

Water’s health benefits are well documented, from protecting your body’s organs to clearing your complexion. So there’s no reason you shouldn’t be drinking a couple of litres a day, especially when infused with delicious flavours.

A fresh start
After over-indulging in puddings and cocktails during the festive season, your body needs a detox. Key to this process is flushing toxins out of your body by drinking plenty of water and eating food with a high water content, such as fruit and veggies. Combine the two and you have a refreshing drink that cleanses your system and tastes delicious. Plus, by loading water with lots of fruit, veggies and herbs, you’ll be upping the vitamin, mineral and antioxidant content of your diet.

The basics
Start by cutting fresh vegetables or fruit into thick slices or chunks, removing leaves or stems is optional. Herbs can be added whole or picked from their stalks, just be sure to give them a good rinse first. Place all the ingredients into a glass pitcher, jug or jar (so it can be easily stored in the fridge), and top with filtered water. Add ice before serving.

Some ingredients, such as lemon, release their flavours immediately, while others require anywhere from an hour to a day to fully infuse. Bear in mind: the more you add, the stronger the flavour will be.

Infusions are best served on the same day, but can last up to three days in the fridge, as long as you don’t use carbonated water.

Flavour savers
Follow these tips for creating a delicious, fresh drink.

• Peeling fruit and veggies is optional, but after around eight hours, peels can give water a bitter taste.
• Use a muddler or spoon to bruise the ingredients. This will break down the natural structure, speeding up the release of flavours. If you’d prefer a more subtle taste and have the time to leave the water to infuse slowly, skip this step.
• Leave to infuse in the fridge to keep the ingredients fresh. Seal the opening with a lid or cling film to avoid fridge smells permeating the mixture.

Meet your match

Here are some of our favourite combinations and their added health benefits:

• Lemon and cucumber: This slimming concoction is great for cleansing the liver and assists with bloating.
• Mint and watermelon: Mint aids in the relief of allergies, colds and indigestion, while watermelon boasts plenty of vitamins, amino acids and antioxidants.
• Pineapple and grape: This tasty combination has anti-inflammatory benefits from the pineapple, and cleansing compounds from the grapes.
• Rosemary and orange: Rosemary releases some youth-boosting antioxidants and orange adds a dash of vitamin C.
• Sage and strawberry: Sage relaxes the body and studies suggest that the flavonoids found in strawberries promote heart health.

The post H2O with a twist appeared first on MyKitchen.

By Jana du Plessis

Whether it’s the nostalgic feeling of dipping a home-made rusk into a cup of sweet tea or the comfort of digging into a bowl of cheesy nachos after a tough day, we all have that one, two (maybe more like 5..) treats that we can’t see bidding farewell in pursuit of better health. The good news is that we can still have all those slightly less healthy foods by boosting them with healthful swaps while keeping our favourite flavours in tact.

Hide and sneak
The easiest way to add more nutrients (and not to mention flavour,) in any dish, is to sneak in as much veggies as you can. Making burger patties? Grate in some carrots, baby marrows or onions.  Eating pizza? Order the one with the most veggies, or,  better yet, make your own and fill it with a variety of caramelised onions, fresh tomatoes, roast veg or sauteed spinach. The key is to always see ways in which you can add a slice of tomato or a leafy green to your toasted cheese or swirl in some pumpkin or beetroot puree when baking a dessert bread . It’s not necessarily taking anything away, but rather bulking up with a squirt of vitamins, minerals and fibre.

Wholesome wholegrains
Always try to go for wholegrains when a dish includes a carby component. Take a burger on a wholewheat roll or a sandwich made with rye. The same goes for pastas and other grains – the less refined it is, the better it will be for your health. When eating Mexican, order corn tortillas instead of the wheat ones and steer clear of nachos made with store-bought crisps that’s loaded with extra additives and other infavourable add-ins.

The key is in the prep
If you want to avoid the energy slump and the feeling of excess after an indulgent meal, be aware of the way in which the food is prepared. Anything fried in lots of butter and oil will inevitably leave you feeling overindulged. Try baked fries with a little olive oil and flavourful spices, for example. And gravitate towards dishes that includes the fresh preparation of components like a raw tomato salsa. Remember that sauces usually contain either plenty of sugar and salt or a big dose of flour and cream – replace them with a single slice of cheese or a vinegar-based dressing like Tabasco sauce or balsamic vinegar.

Don’t overthink
There are plenty of tips to keep things healthy or make better choices in term of nutrients and ingredients, but when it comes down to it, food is there to give us an energy and to be enjoyed. Be mindful of what you put on your plate on a daily basis, but don’t forego the odd chance to truly savour a soul-comforting dish for the sake of health. Just as one salad won’t make you the healthiest person in a day, one cream-filled doughnut won’t result in a health crash. Keep control, keep the balance and feed your body with the nutrients that it needs.

The post Keeping comfort foods healthy with no compromise on taste appeared first on MyKitchen.

By Jana du Plessis

While doing our rushed mid-week grocery shopping, most of us probably don’t give the label on our meat a second thought. Despite the extra effort, knowing whether the beef you are putting in your basket has been grass-fed or not, can make quite the difference, to the quality of your meal and the environment! Choosing a grass-fed cut of meat means that it will be both tastier and healthier, it also gives you a chance to support more humane methods of farming.

Greener on the other side
Animals that are grass-fed are reared in a natural environment with a grass-filled diet and are only be exposed to supplementation in infrequent cases where nutrient deficiencies may occur. This ultimately means that farmers do not resort to using unhealthy antibiotics or growth hormones to plump up their animals. These grass-fed animals will take the natural amount of time to grow to the right size and weight for slaughtering. With their natural diet and stress-free environment, they are sure to grow into healthy and happy creatures, with more flavoursome meat.

Go for grass!
Besides the superior taste, grass-fed meat also has plenty of health benefits. They are free from any animal by-products and antibiotics which means you won’t be ingesting any potentially harmful chemicals or unknown substances. The fatty composition of the meat is said to have a better omega 6 to 3 ratio, as well as a lower count of cholestrol-inducing fatty compounds – factors that are a serious plus for any health-conscious carnivore.

Get it here
Although grass-fed beef can be a little bit more difficult to get your hands on in SA, some major supermarkets do stock it – just be sure to check the packaging! If you’re interested in learning more about South African farms and suppliers, visit the Grass Fed Association of South Africa for more insight into their regulations for farms and their partners.

The post Why going grass-fed is better for everyone, animals included! appeared first on MyKitchen.