Chicory is mainly added to salads and salads, but it tastes equally good when stewed or baked. Though it appears brittle and inconspicuous, it is an excellent source of vitamins, potassium, iron, magnesium, copper, zinc, and folate. In addition, chicory is perfect for people on a slimming basis, because it has little calories. How to eat chicory?

Contents:

  1. Chicory - where to buy?
  2. Chicory - he alth properties
  3. Chicory - how to make chicory?
  4. Chicory - recipes for chicory dishes
  5. Recipe for green endive salad

Chicoryis a winter plant, it is on sale from November to April, which is when fresh vegetables are scarce. So go ahead and give up the low-value lettuce at this time of the year in favor of this fragile and delicate plant.

Chicory - where to buy?

It's best to buy chicory at the fair. You can also get it from supermarkets and smaller shops. When choosing chicory, try to look for the whitest heads possible - green leaves indicate that the vegetable has turned bitter when exposed to light. It is important to know that chicory is grown in a dark place, thanks to which it owes its color and taste. Our tables receive only flower heads with a diameter of about 3-4 cm and a length of up to 15 cm. The smaller the head and the more adherent the leaves - the tastier and more expressive the taste. Wild chicory is green - it looks like lettuce.

See what green chicory looks like

Mikołaj Rey visiting Elżbieta Pyra-Włoczkowska, the owner of an organic farm in Mazovia. Source: Dzień Dobry TVN / x-news

Chicory - he alth properties

It is worth reaching for because it contains a lot of valuable ingredients, incl. vitamins and minerals such as sodium, potassium, magnesium, manganese, iron, copper, zinc, phosphorus, carotene and vitamins B1, B2, C,folic acid . Chicory owes a delicate hint of bitterness to the taste of two ingredients: lacticin and lacticrin, which additionally stimulate the appetite and have a good effect on the liver by stimulating it to secrete more bile. Chicory has a great pro-he alth effect - it affects the formation of red blood cells, improves the functioning of the digestive tract (improves digestion) and kidneys.

Chicory also affects beauty - thanks to its contentbeta-carotene improves skin tone, and the vitamin A contained in it has a good effect on the skin - rejuvenating it. Good news for those who care about their figure: chicory is low in calories - one head has only 30 kcal.

Chicory - how to make chicory?

Chicory tastes best raw as an addition or main ingredient in salads. It goes perfectly with vinaigrette sauce, as well as nuts, cheeses (gorgonzola, goat, parmesan, feta), fruit - apples and pears or cold meats. It can be a decorative element of the table during a meeting with friends - chicory boats filled with delicacies look exceptionally original. This vegetable also works well as an ingredient of casseroles or stewed dishes (e.g. with meat or other vegetables).

Before use, rinse the chicory in cold water, remove the outer leaves and cut a bitter sponge. Most often we eat it raw - in salads. Firm heads are better for baking, but looser heads are good for salads. The leaves must be firm, crunchy and without a trace of brown spots.

We recommend raw salad for winter dinners:

  • chicory, apple, celery, pickled cucumber, chives, mayonnaise and garlic sauce;
  • chicory, kiwi, almond flakes, natural yoghurt, lemon juice, s alt and pepper sauce;
  • chicory, apple, spring onion, cream and mustard sauce.
We recommend

Author: Time S.A

A balanced diet is the key to he alth and better well-being. Use JeszCoLubisz, the innovative online dietary system of the He alth Guide. Choose from thousands of recipes for he althy and tasty dishes using the benefits of nature. Enjoy an individually selected menu, constant contact with a dietitian and many other functionalities today!

Find out more

Chicory - recipes for chicory dishes

As a starter, you can prepare chicory boats with any filling. See the recipe for tuna boats.

For dinner, we recommend baked chicory wrapped in ham with cheese sauce, and for a light dinner, we recommend a recipe for an easy salad with endive, apple and walnuts.

Recipe for green endive salad

Source: Dzień Dobry TVN / x-news

Category:

What do you eat