Create a healthy lunch recipe for your family

The staple food is rice + quinoa + sweet corn crumbs multigrain rice in a ratio of 7:2:1, the main dish is stewed beef tendon with tomatoes, the side dish is stir-fried broccoli mixed with arctic scallops, and the soup is winter melon and shrimp skin soup. The total calories are controlled at about 4,200 kcal, with a single serving of about 1,100 kcal for adult men, about 850-900 kcal for women and the elderly, and about 700 kcal for children aged 6-12. The macronutrient ratio is fully in line with the recommended requirements of the "Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents (2022)".

Don't tell me, my family has been eating this formula for almost a year and a half. My mother, who had previously had slightly higher triglycerides in her physical examination, followed it for more than half a year and then went for a re-examination, and the index has dropped back to the normal range. My 7-year-old son, who used to be a good picker of vegetables, can now eat half a bowl of multi-grain rice in one meal, and even actively wants to eat broccoli.

Of course, I also know that in the current healthy eating circle, this formula will definitely be criticized by different schools: supporters of the ketogenic diet will say that the proportion of carbohydrates is too high, which is not conducive to body fat control.； Vegan advocates say red meat intake increases metabolic burden ； Some people who are strict about sugar control will say that the GI value of tomatoes is not low and should not be used as the main ingredient of the main dish. In fact, these statements have their own applicable scenarios: the ketogenic diet can indeed help people with a BMI over 28 to quickly control their weight in the short term, but ordinary people who insist on it for a long time are likely to suffer from problems such as increased uric acid, hair loss, and lack of energy. ； There is absolutely no problem if a pure vegetarian diet can supplement B complex, iron, and zinc, but it is difficult for ordinary families to make such a precise combination, especially families with elderly people and developing children. A moderate amount of red meat can prevent iron deficiency anemia. The core logic behind why I chose this recipe is, to put it bluntly, "it can be eaten for a long time." If the whole family doesn't like to eat it, no matter how healthy the recipe is, it will be nothing.

Talking about the little ideas for each dish, I learned them through many pitfalls. Let’s talk about the proportion of multigrain rice. At first, I followed the trend and made whole grain rice. My dad had a bad tooth and complained that his cheeks hurt after eating two meals. Later, I gradually adjusted it to rice accounting for 70%. It has the dietary fiber of multigrain rice and the softness of white rice. The sweet corn crumbs also have a natural sweetness, so I can eat two bites without having to eat vegetables. If you have family members who need to control sugar, you can increase the proportion of quinoa to 30% and reduce the proportion of rice to 60%. You don’t have to eat the same thing for everyone. It is very flexible.

For tomato stewed beef tendon, I deliberately chose beef tendon instead of beef brisket. The fat content is nearly half less than beef brisket. There is no need to add any extra oil when stewing. After frying the tomatoes, add enough water to cover the beef tendon. Put the rice cooker in the rice cooker and simmer for an hour and a half. When it comes out of the pot, all the sour and sweet flavors are soaked into the texture of the meat. My son has to pick out the tendon part to chew every time. If there is a gout patient at home, just replace the beef tendons with boneless longli fish fillets and put less tomato paste. The stew will be just as fresh and the purine content will be much lower.

Oh, by the way, for the stir-fried broccoli mixed with arctic clams, I have tried boiling or stir-frying with garlic before, but it was either too bland and the baby didn’t like it, or it was too soft after being stir-fried for too long. Then I figured out the rules: break the broccoli into small florets and cook in boiling water for 1 minute, then take it out and put it in a hot pan. Sauté some chopped garlic with a little olive oil, turn off the heat after tossing twice, put thinly sliced arctic scallops with the internal organs on them, and drizzle a little light soy sauce and sesame oil. It is very crispy and refreshing. The retention rate of vitamin C can reach more than 80%, which is much more nutritious than broccoli that has been fried for a long time.

The last one is the winter melon and shrimp skin soup that I specially added to relieve greasiness. There is no need to add any oil. Cut the winter melon into thin slices and cook for 5 minutes. Then grab a handful of unsalted shrimp skin and throw it in. Sprinkle some chopped green onion and it is done. It is very fresh and the sodium content is not high. A friend once said that he should make bone soup for his family to replenish calcium. In fact, more than 90% of bone soup is fat and purine. If you really want to supplement calcium, it is better to drink half a cup of milk and eat two bites of beef. This soup is just for clearing the mouth, and you don’t have to worry about drinking two bowls.

There is another point that many people debate: Should I use low-sodium salt when cooking? I specifically asked my friends in the nutrition department that if there are no patients with renal insufficiency at home, low-sodium salt can indeed reduce sodium intake by about 30%, which is very good for controlling blood pressure. ； But if there is a patient with kidney disease in the family, the potassium in the low-sodium salt cannot be metabolized normally, and there will be risks. There is really no unified standard answer to this matter, and it must be adjusted according to the physical condition of the family member.

In fact, after making family meals for so long, my biggest feeling is that there is never a "perfect template" for healthy recipes. I followed the perfect recipes online for more than half a month. Either the ingredients were too unavailable, or the taste was too weird, and the whole family complained. What is more important than sitting together as a family, eating happily and comfortably, and being able to stick to it for a long time? Right.