It's been a tough year for everyone, and January 1, 2021, cannot arrive fast enough! Resolutions for eating healthier, getting fit, or being kinder to others, is how many of us kick start a new year. A common thread shared among these personal goals is the desire for a better quality of life.
One surefire way to tackle this challenge is through the food that you eat. Simple dietary tweaks for curating snacking options and increasing your protein make a substantial difference in how you feel. While Parmigiano Reggiano is widely known as the sprinkle on top of pasta, its qualities as a superfood are less well known. It is made with three simple ingredients and packed with vitamins, minerals, and nutrients. On its own, this masterpiece of Italian cuisine conquers hunger pangs, satisfies cravings, is lactose-free and easy to digest. Made with just milk, salt, and rennet, the absence of lactose occurs naturally during the first 48 hours of the production process, unchanged for 1,000 years.
It seems too good to be true that a singular cheese product is a nutritional goldmine even though its decadent flavor tastes like a significant diet cheat. Yet, a little goes a long way, and its health benefits are prevalent with every bite. Just one serving of Parmigiano Reggiano (25 grams) consumed as part of a healthy and balanced adult diet of 2000 kcal accounts for 36% daily calcium and 24% daily phosphorous requirements.
Should your snacking tastes skew sweet or savory, Parmigiano Reggiano is available in various palette-pleasing flavors naturally created through the aging process. A sweeter, delicate taste persists with a less mature piece than when the cheese ages; it acquires a more salty, complex quality.
Adding more protein like Parmigiano Reggiano to your diet means you'll stay fuller longer since it takes more time to digest than carbs. As such, it's a great energy source for providing the body with fuel to regenerate muscle tissue. A 100-gram chunk has 32.4 grams of protein, plus it contains zero carbohydrates and zero sugar. In Italy, Parmigiano Reggiano is a popular snack with athletes and among students during the school day. It's backpack friendly since room temperature is how it’s best served.
Many imitators exist, so be knowledgeable about what you are buying. Look for the pin-dot pattern on the side of the cheese rind with the name Parmigiano Reggiano spelled out.
Make Parmigiano Reggiano a part of your healthy New Year with this easy recipe.
Tricolore Salad with Parmigiano Reggiano
Ingredients:
4 cups arugula
6 Belgian endives
1 head radicchio
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 tbsp champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. thyme freshly chopped
1/3 cup olive oil
12 oz. Parmigiano Reggiano
Method:
Prep your salad ingredients in three separate bowls. Remove any woody stems from the arugula leaves and put into the first bowl. Halve the endives lengthwise, slice into half-inch pieces and put into the second bowl. Halve the radicchio and then slice each half into thin ribbons. Put into the third bowl.
In a mixing bowl combine the lemon juice, vinegar, salt and thyme. Whisk well to combine. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil until the dressing is fully emulsified and the flavor is somewhat acidic but balanced.
Dress each of the three salad components separately and season with salt to taste.
On each plate, form three bands of the different salads (like the Italian flag) and, using a vegetable peeler, shave thin “curls” of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese over the top.
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