It is one thing to eat just to eat and quite another to savor the food, enjoying each bite if you are in a hurry. That is what mindful eating consists of, a trend championed by Arla foods that for some years has been claiming something as simple as taking our time to become aware of what we eat. In this way, we are attentive throughout the entire process, from when we choose the ingredients in the supermarket, until we prepare and consume them. The Danes know a lot about enjoying these simple and tasty snacks, who have been enjoying Havarti cheese since the 19th century.
This strain, as Danish as the Little Mermaid in Copenhagen, was born on a farm called Havarthigaard, in Øverød, north of Copenhagen. The farmer who created the formula, Hanne Nielsen, could not even imagine that two centuries later her peculiar buttery cheese would even have its own “Protected Geographical Indication (IGP)” seal. This certification distinguishes products that follow their original recipe of only four ingredients: milk, salt, lactic ferments and rennet. In addition, it serves to differentiate those that follow the original recipe from those that have jumped on the bandwagon of fame with products of very different quality and composition. In Arla, in addition, it is produced from the highest quality milk from its farms, obtained in a sustainable and responsible manner.
Knowing the history of the food we bring to our table is one more way to enjoy each bite. Others, like Chef Bosquet, enjoy cheese by coming up with creative recipes and sharing them on his Instagram profile where he has a million followers.
Roberto Bosquet didn't even think of becoming a chef. And much less, in a kitchen influencer. A firefighter with nine years of profession and two children, he cooked rich dishes for pure pleasure and for his own. One day he prepared a paella so delicious “that a friend uploaded it to Instagram and tagged me Chef Bosquet. He allied with my wife and they began to insist that I open an account on that social network to share my dishes. I did it and… well, since then I have helped with my recipes to show people that food can be enjoyed in a healthy way”, he points out.
He recognizes that many people have been found who believe that eating well has to be boring, complicated or 100% controlled. The latter occurs a lot among athletes. “When I started, it was a long triathlon and everyone went with their recovery shake with protein powder and carbohydrates. I was looking to recover from training with real food. For proteins you can eat cheese, for example, and for carbohydrates you have bananas, potatoes…”, confesses this chef.
He has no doubt that “food is your gasoline. It helps you to recover, to be more active during the day, to rest better…”. That is why he claims conscious eating, “realizing that what you eat has effects on your body. That is why it is so important to eat quality food, to take a good look at what ingredients it has, ”she comments. And that includes not just the ingredients, but how they were produced. At Arla, the milk for the cheeses comes from a cooperative of European farmers committed to good environmental practices and animal welfare. A more natural and sustainable production model that is indicated by the Farmer Owned seal on the packaging.
There are those who believe that eating consciously and worrying about food means spending a lot of time shopping and cooking. Bosquet insists that, if we organize ourselves with the famous batch cooking, eating well does not have to take so much time. Also, this way we will avoid that usual scene of coming home tired and devouring whatever. “Spend half an hour every Sunday planning your weekly menu and knowing what you need to buy. That way you don't waste time in the kitchen”, points out this chef for whom preparing balanced dishes following the instructions of the Harvard Plate (50% fruit and vegetables, 25% protein and 25% carbohydrates) already comes out alone.
But that skill is acquired over time. For those who are new to healthy cooking, he recommends not improvising. "If you organize all the menus, you do not have to be thinking if you have run out of protein or if you have to put more." The next thing is to cook with fresh and as natural food as possible. “Avoid ultra-processed foods and foods with many additives,” he explains.
Let's not get complicated: the basics always triumph. And among that list of foods that are always a hit is the cheesecake. Hers has a creative touch that turns the simple cheesecake recipe into an explosion of 100% natural flavors.
With a date jam previously prepared based on dates and blueberries, create a bed on a plate. Next, beat cream and Arla Natural Cheese Spread and place a ball of the mixture on that bed. “Cream cheese helps us stabilize the cream and give it consistency. It also adds a touch of flavor and extra protein so it's not just fat,” she says. In addition to Natural, there are Light varieties, Fine Herbs and Lactofree for those who are lactose intolerant. The entire range is free of additives or preservatives.
The final point is added by a homemade granola with cashew nut biscuit, coconut oil and dates to which are added raisins, coconut, goji berries, cinnamon and ginger”. To decorate you can add some blueberries and that's it. “It doesn't take more than 10 minutes to prepare it and you'll end up like a super chef,” he declares. A sign that eating healthy, rich and without wasting hours in the kitchen is within everyone's reach.
