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Superpower foods
WORDS: Marie Hallett PHOTOGRAPHY Gustavo Yoshida (Recipes) & Zoltan Szekely (Book Cover Image)
Brazilian chef and nutritionist Ronaldo Fulieri is spreading the word about the ‘superpower of nutrition’ to keep your mind and body in shape — and it starts with getting back to basics.
Imagine a world without man-made medicines, where people can actually prevent disease by simply eating the right foods and the right amount of them.
That is exactly the world chef and nutritionist Ronaldo Fulieri lives in — and his mission is to help us to get back to basics following an ancient, science-based nutritional approach.
There is no such thing as a magic pill. Long-term, you can only benefit from real food ‘coming from the earth’.
Originally from Brazil but now settled on the Gold Coast for more than 12 years, Ronaldo has witnessed first-hand how lives can be changed by simply tweaking what and how we eat.
“In the fast-paced world we live in, something has changed us,” he says. “We have become greedy and somehow more complacent when it comes to what we put in our bodies. In most cases, this will result in people trying to find solutions to getting leaner faster and looking younger forever.”
Marketing is not always on our side when it comes to taking care of our body and wellbeing.
For Ronaldo, there is a better way to preserve your youth and protect yourself from disease all at once — it all comes down to education. There is so much noise about nutrition that we simply don’t have time to educate ourselves.
There are many diets out there — vegetarian, vegan, keto, and paleo to only name a few. There are good things in all of those diets — so which one to choose?
It can all become overwhelming, and in the end we often put it off. So where to from here?
Ronaldo’s approach is about identifying the food elements that are good for you and knowing what they do to your body. So here is your starting point:
- Is your food safe? The more processed foods you eat, the more toxins you put into your body. If ingredients are numbers, the food cannot be good for you. If salt content is past a certain amount (like it is in most ‘fat-free’ recipes), chances are you are not eating the right food.
- Are you feeling 100 per cent? When was the last time you had a health check? No matter your age, those readings are essential to knowing whether you are in fact 100 per cent okay. You are what you eat. “If you eat crap, you will feel like crap,” Ronaldo says (sounds better with the accent…). But sometimes it can also be even more serious. A yearly check-up will keep you on track.
- How many fruits and vegetables do you eat daily? Unlike what a lot of people claim, eating fresh is not more expensive, especially with those discount fruit barns popping up everywhere. Stock up and throw colours at your food (‘real’ colours with the added nutrients).
- Food supplements: how many do we need, and which ones? Another topic worth exploring when it comes to your health. Too many supplements will not do any good to your body, but some supplements are good for you. The question you need to ask is which ones should you take and which foods should you start eating to reduce the supplements and take the nutrients in naturally.
- What are my pantry essentials? We know how it goes: you have all the good intentions to try something new tonight, open the recipe book, but then realise within minutes that you are missing half the ingredients that are truly essential to the success of this recipe. ‘Right! I’ll try another time…’ Sound familiar? Ronaldo has created that perfect pantry list that will ensure you always have the vital herbs, condiments, and other add-ons ready to go.
If you’re looking to change your habits without being overwhelmed, get your hands on Ronaldo’s Kitchen: The Superpower of Nutrition. In this book, Ronaldo not only uncovers the truth about food and safety, stimulants, carbs, stress, sleep, supplements, and the benefits of superfoods you cannot get past, but he also offers an array of simple, delicious, nutritious recipes that anyone can follow.
Ronaldo’s passion for nutrition is infectious and thought-provoking. It’s time to take a real look at your lifestyle, the science behind the superfood, and a way to plan your meals ahead without much hassle. You will never look at food the same. And that’s a good thing.
* Purchase Ronaldo Fulieri’s latest book online:
https://thesuperpowerofnutrition.com/
Try some of these at home…
Ronaldo’s Kitchen: The Superpower of Nutrition
CHOCOLATE PORRIDGE AND BERRY SALSA
Makes around 1 serve
Ingredients:
½ cup oats
1 cup of almond milk
½ cup fresh strawberries or mixed berries or 2 tbsp berry salsa (see recipe below)
2 tbsp cacao powder or cocoa powder
1 tsp stevia powder, optional
1 tbsp maple syrup, optional
Pinch of cinnamon
Directions:
Add all the ingredients into a pan and cook in low heat for a few minutes, until creamy consistency. Serve with fresh berries or berry salsa on top.
BERRY SALSA
Ingredients:
500g fresh strawberries or your favourite berry
200g blueberries
1 cup Brazil nuts, chopped
2 tbsp maple syrup
Directions:
Add all the ingredients into a bowl and mix well. Serve with bircher muesli or porridge. Refrigerate if you are going to serve later.
TOFU SCRAMBLE
Makes around 4 serves
Ingredients:
500g extra-firm tofu
200 cherry tomatoes
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp chopped garlic
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground turmeric
¼ cup coarsely chopped fresh basil
1 tsp salt
Garnishes: salsa, chopped avocado, sliced scallions, and hot pepper sauce (optional).
Directions:
Using a fork or potato masher, smash the tofu. In a bowl, add the lemon juice, Dijon mustard, cumin, turmeric, and salt. Add the smashed tofu and mix all together.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium to high heat. Add garlic and cook for a few seconds.
Stir in the tofu and cherry tomatoes and cook for 3–4 minutes. Stir in the basil and serve it immediately.
DETOX BROCCOLI SOUP
Makes around 2 serves
Ingredients:
500g broccoli, preferably organic, cut into florets
4 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves
1 tsp salt
Black pepper to taste
Directions:
In a big saucepan, bring the water to the boil with a good pinch of salt. Add the broccoli and cook until soft and tender. Drain the broccoli, but keep the leftover water aside.
Add the hot broccoli to a blender with 1 cup of water. Add the garlic and olive oil.
Blend until smooth. Add more water if needed, salt and pepper to taste, and serve with wholegrain croutons, chicken pieces, or roasted nut.
RASPBERRY BOWL
Makes around 2 serves
Ingredients:
400g frozen raspberries
1 cup chopped banana
100ml coconut milk
2–4 tbsp roasted muesli
1 banana, sliced
Directions:
Add the banana and coconut milk to a blender and make into a paste. Then add the raspberry and blend until smooth consistency. Serve with roasted muesli, fresh sliced banana, and a dash of maple syrup if you like.
* Edited extract from Ronaldo’s Kitchen: The Superpower of Nutrition
by Ronaldo Fulieri. Available at https://thesuperpowerofnutrition.com/
