We're always skeptical of food fads, and now that the term superfoods has become a marketing tool to sell processed junk and sugar-laden drinks as 'health food', we're over it. The truth is that many everyday supermarket items are jam-packed with the nutrients we need to live healthier lives. Simply avoid processed foods and shop in the produce aisle, or better yet at whole foods markets, to look and feel better and live longer.

Making it work in the real world

Of course, it's one thing to know what's good for us in theory, but quite another to incorporate these healthy ingredients into our daily diets. Sometimes in the mad dash of an industrious day, we simply reach for what's convenient. But, aside from the obvious health benefits of incorporating more wholesome foods into your cooking, doing so is also much more delicious than popping a vitamin pill.

That's why we've created a list of recipes incorporating many of the most nutrient-packed ingredients you'll find at your local supermarket. Our list contains ideas for soups, salads, mains, sides, snacks and even a few desserts. Many of the recipes come from the Dutch kitchen, but we've also borrowed a few recipes from around the world. 

Allium Recipes

While alliums such as onions, leeks and garlics are most loved for the full-on flavor they bring to our food, they're also packed with antibiotic properties and can help to reduce blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and fight cancer.

• Pan-Fried Pointed Cabbage with Leeks & Bacon
• Pickled Pearl Onions
• Red Onion, Belgian Endive & Chevre Tart
• Tarts with Goat's Cheese, Leeks & Mushrooms
• Grilled Spring Onions
• Gratineed Onion Soup Recipe
• Low-Fat Leek & Potato Soup

 

?Carrot & Sweet Potato Recipes

Orange veggies, such as sweet potatoes and carrots, are loaded with beta-carotene, which may lower the risk of certain cancers, and they're flush with vitamin A, an essential nutrient for healthy skin and hair. Sweet potatoes are rich in vitamins C and E, as well as antioxidants, which fight aging free radicals in your body. And, sweet potatoes contain phytonutrients that are said to boost your immune system and improve the health of your heart and eyes.

• Steamed Cod with Carrots & Leeks
• Carrot & Potato Mash Recipe 
• Raw Rainbow Carrot Salad Recipe
• Roasted Hutspot Recipe
• Sweet Potato & Caraway Soup with Argan Oil
• Pumpkin, Butternut, Carrot & Saffron Soup
• Glazed Carrots
• Roasted Root Vegetables
• Mussels with Carrots, Leeks & Samphire
• Carrot Soufflé with Watercress Salad Recipe
  

 

?Recipes with Cruciferous Veggies

Cruciferous vegetables, including cauliflower, cabbage, Brussel sprouts and broccoli, are said to contain a powerful range of cancer-fighting properties. Here are a few of our favorite ways to use these health boosting ingredients:

• Brussels Sprouts Slaw 
• Stir-Fried Savoy Cabbage with Harissa & Garlic
• Salad of Roasted Cauliflower with Lentils & Tahini Dressing
• Cauliflower Salad
• Spring Vegetable Soup
• Steamed Cauliflower with Pastrami, Goat's Cheese & Arugula
• Pan-Fried Pointed Cabbage with Leeks & Bacon
• Two-Cabbage Coleslaw
• Low Carb Cauliflower Mash
• Stewed Red Cabbage with Apples

 

?Dark Chocolate Recipes

Filled with flavonoids, a powerful antioxidant, dark chocolate is now considered a health food. Incorporate it into your cooking with these recipe ideas:

• Dark Chocolate Mousse
• Dark Chocolate Fondue with Fruit
• Hazelnut & Dark Chocolate Sandwich Spread
• Chocolate-Covered Kruidnoten Cookies
• Double Chocolate Christmas Cookies Recipe
• Classic Dutch Hot Chocolate Recipe

 

Recipes with Dark Leafy Greens

Dark, leafy greens such as spinach, (curly) kale, watercress, purslane, turnip tops and Swiss chard are an excellent source of vitamins A and C. They're also rich in iron and omega-3s, and contain powerful cancer-preventing compounds.

• Sauteed Curly Kale
• Chicken with Purslane and Crispy Bread Salsa 
• Creamy Nettle Soup Recipe
• Healthy Green Smoothie
• Curly Kale Salad with Cranberries 
• Pan-Fried Salmon with Witlof, Spinach & Fennel
• Omelet with Turnip Greens, Goat's Cheese & Chili
• Lemony Chicken Breasts with Brown Bean & Spinach Salad
• VOC-Spiced Duck Breasts with Turnip Greens & Asparagus

 

Egg Recipes

Forget those old wives' tales about not eating too many eggs, they're one of the most nutrient-dense foods around. Rich in protein and packed with essential nutrients such as vitamins D and B12, eggs are also a good source of iron, selenium, choline and biotin. And, according to new research published in the Nutrition and Food Science journal, eggs can even help you to lose weight.

• Farmer's Omelet (Boerenomelet)
• Uitsmijter (Dutch Fried Egg & Ham Breakfast)
• Scrambled Eggs with Shrimp
• Telor Besengek Recipe (Eggs in Coconut Sauce)
• Omelet with Turnip Greens, Goat's Cheese & Chili
• White Asparagus Soup with Ham & Egg
• Spring Salad Mash with Fried Eggs (Stamppot Sla)
• Steamed Asparagus with Ham, Egg, Potatoes & Butter Sauce

 

?Recipes with Fatty Fish

We probably don't have to tell you that oily fish varieties such as herring, tuna, salmon and mackerel contain omega-3s, which play a beneficial role in cardiovascular health. But did you know that these nutrients are also essential for glowing skin? You could say that eating fatty fish is like slathering on moisturiser from within.

• Salmon Tartare Recipe
• Pickled Herring Salad with Sour Apples & Potatoes
• Trout in Foil with White Wine & Tarragon Sauce
• Smoked Mackerel Salad
• Spelt Sandwich with Smoked Trout, Watercress, Apples & Pecans
• Crispy Herring with Mustard Sauce
• Poached Salmon with Chive Sour Cream & Fresh Potato Salad
• Herring & Herb Relish
• Pan-Fried Salmon with Witlof, Spinach & Fennel
• Flemish Style Asparagus with Smoked Salmon

 

Red Fruit Recipes

Almost any edible fruit with a blue or red hue is good for you. This includes familiar fruits such as blackberries, blueberries, redcurrants, strawberries, raspberries, red grapes and cranberries, but also the more exotic pomegranate, acai berry and goji berry. These foodstuffs contain so-called phytochemicals, which are said to have cancer-fighting properties and are a rich source of antioxidants, which fight damage from wrinkle-causing free radicals.

• Rhubarb-Raspberry Granola Parfait
• Witlof salad with blue cheese, red grapes and hazelnuts
• Strawberry & Chevre Salad
• Redcurrant Relish
• Hangop with Raspberries
• Redcurrant & Feta Salad
• Roast Pigeon with Black Grapes
• Summer Berry Soup
• Ostrich Steak with Mashed Potatoes & Blackberry Sauce
• Blackberry Bluff (Haagse Bluf)
• Blackberry Meringue Mess

 

Lean Beef Recipes

Beef has received a lot of bad press in recent years, but lean beef is actually one of the best sources of iron, which you need to build healthy red blood cells and strengthen your muscles, bones and nails. Lean beef cuts are often quite tough, which makes them ideally suited to stews. The longer cooking time allows for the meat to become tender, juicy and full of flavor.

• Draadjesvlees (Traditional Dutch Slow-Braised Beef)
• Braised Beef with Bischopswijn & Boerenjongens
• Rendang Padang Recipe (Beef in Spicy Coconut Sauce)
• Slow-Braised Beef with Brown Beer
• Dutch Beef Stew with Bockbier & Winter Vegetables
• Jachtschotel (Hunter's Dish)

 

Legume Recipes

Legumes, such as brown beans, broad beans (fava beans) and split peas are a good source of fiber and phosphorus, which is important for healthy bone and hair growth. Many beans are also packed with protein, an essential nutrient for good health.

• Traditional Dutch Split Pea Soup
• Brown Bean Soup
• Crostini with Borlotti Bean Puree
• Beluga Lentil Salad with Skeapsrond Cheese
• Foamy Fava Bean Soup with Basil-Avocado Cream
• Bean Salad with Redcurrants & Lime Dressing
• White Bean Salad with Tuna
• Brown Bean Salad
• Sweet Potato & Caraway Soup with Fava Beans
• Healthy Harira Soup 
• Chili Sin Carne
   
  

Red Beet Recipes

The much maligned beet is actually a nutritional superstar, thanks to a phytonutrient called betacyanin, which is not only a powerful antioxidant, but also happens to give red beets their vibrant color. Beets are also high in fiber and beta-carotene and packed with folate, which protects against birth defects, osteoporosis and some cancers.

• Beet & Pear Smoothie
• Roast Beet Salad with Chèvre
• Pink Beet & Orange Soup
• Pickled Beet Salad with Ash-Coated Goat's Cheese
• Roasted Root Vegetables
• Forgotten Vegetable Soup

 

Recipes with Red Wine

When enjoyed in moderation, red wine can actually do your health some good. The magic property that makes it good for you is known as resveratrol, which has cancer-fighting benefits. Here are a few of our favorite recipes with red wine:

• Dutch Hare Stew with Red Wine
• Bischopswijn (Mulled Wine)
• Braised Beef with Bischopswijn & Boerenjongens
• Pears Poached in Red Wine
• Venison Stew with Red Wine
• Red Cabbage in Wine
   
  

Spice Rack Recipes

The amazing nutritional benefits of common herbs and spices are often overlooked. Did you know, for instance, that cinnamon, perhaps the most beloved spice in the Netherlands, is packed with antioxidants and helps to regulate blood sugar levels? Or that ginger and black pepper contain gingerols, piperine and capsaicin, which are said to boost metabolism? We've also heard it said that one teaspoon of dried oregano has about the same level of antioxidants as six cups of spinach.

• Baked Butternut Squash with Speculaas Spices & Chili
• Dry Rub with Spices from the Dutch East India Company
• Glazed Carrots with Cinnamon
• Apple & Pear Chutney with Speculaas Spices & Ginger
• Baked Quinces with Cinnamon-Spiced Hangop & Honey, Vanilla & Lemon Syrup
• Baked Sardines with Oregano & Garlic
   
  

Tomato Recipes

Tomatoes contain lycopene, which is believed to have certain anti-aging effects. It is also said to lower cholesterols and prevent heart disease and certain cancers. While eating tomatoes in any way, shape or form is probably a good idea, lycopene has been proven most effective when cooked.

• North Sea Gurnard with Grape & Tomato Salsa
• Braised Beef with Bischopswijn & Boerenjongens
• Thousand-Tomato Salad with Homemade Ricotta & Basil Oil
• South African Tomato Stew
• Keftas with Tomatoes
• Turkish Kisir Recipe
• Easy Tomato Gazpacho
• Homemade Sun-Dried Tomatoes

 

Recipes with Whole Grains

Whole grains, including buckwheat, barley, oats, rye, quinoa, brown and wild rice, and whole wheat (including varieties such as bulghur and spelt), are high in fibers, B vitamins, magnesium and manganese.

• Whole Wheat Bread
• Healthy Raw Granola Bars (Gluten-Free, Lactose-Free and Sugar-Free)
• Classic Buckwheat Poffertjes
• Turkish Kisir Recipe
• Taboulleh (Bulghur Wheat Salad)

 

Yogurt Recipes

Buy real, unsweetened yogurt to benefit from probiotics, the good bacteria that are said to boost your immune system by helping your digestive system function better. Yogurt is also a healthy source of protein, and contains high levels of calcium and phosphorus, for stronger bones and teeth, and vitamin A for beautiful skin.

• Herbed Hangop
• Baked Quinces with Spiced Hangop & Honey, Vanilla & Lemon Syrup
• Strained Yogurt with Raspberries
• Superfood Breakfast Bowl 
• Easy Gazpacho with Basil Yogurt
• Lamb & Yogurt Curry
• Quick & Easy Frozen Yogurt
   
  

Nut Recipes

High in protein, fiber, and healthy fats, most nuts are excellent little energy bombs, bursting with goodness. Almonds are rich in antioxidants and vitamins A, C and E. Brazil nuts contain selenium, a mineral that helps the body to make glutathione, which is said to slow down the skin's aging process. Walnuts are packed with antioxidants, magnesium, selenium and vitamin E and contain alpha-linolenic omega-3 fatty acids, which are known to lower the bad (LDL) cholesterol and may reduce arterial inflammation.

• Green Beans with Almonds
• Macerated Walnut Salad with Pickled Chilli Peppers
• Gluten-Free Olive Oil & Almond Cookies Recipe
• Witlof, Walnut & Goat's Cheese Bites
• Chestnut Soup Recipe
• Roast Beet Salad with Chèvre & Walnuts
• Gluten-Free Pistachio Cookies Recipe
• Surinamese Peanut Soup Recipe

 

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