Whip up healthier meals with FairPrice recipes while working from home

In the past month, many precautions have been taken by the authorities to limit the spread of the coronavirus. One of these would be social distancing, and as a result, some people have been told to work from home.

While we may rejoice at the thought of such an arrangement, the truth is we are bound to face more distractions at home than in the office, thus lowering our productivity.

With no pressing need to leave our homes, we may also start to feel lethargic due to a lack of exercise.

However, there is one big plus point - the availability of home food. Compared with ready-made meals, home cooking gives us the chance to personalise our food and eat our way to better immunity.

And it is an opportunity to save money too.

It allows us to relax our minds and take a much-needed break from staring at the computer screen the whole day.

Being able to control the exact type and amount of ingredients used also means that we can ensure we have balanced meals.

Unsurprisingly, those who frequently prepare and eat home-cooked meals have been found more likely to have a body mass index and body fat percentage that lie in the healthy range.

As long as you can find affordable ingredients to work with, all these benefits will come cheaper than a store-bought meal.

If you are unsure of what to make, check out FairPrice's easy-to-prepare recipes here.

So pick up a grocery basket and find all the different things you need for home cooking and healthy eating over at FairPrice.

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How to eat better while working from home

• Reduce your carb intake or switch to complex carbs. After all, the bed is just three steps away - if you are not already working on your bed. You really wouldn't want to be dozing off in the middle of a video call.
• Increase protein intake with quick, fuss-free cooking methods like steaming and pan frying.
• Always stand by healthy snacks like walnuts. Don't eat them while typing, but make a conscious effort to take mind breaks.
• Load up on fruits and vegetables for a better immune system. Eat the rainbow as more coloured foods improves your mood.

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Recipes to try if you are working from home

BERRY COCONUT SMOOTHIE BOWL

(SERVES ONE)

Preparation time: Five minutes

This yummy smoothie bowl is filled to the brim with nutrients that can help boost your immunity. Bananas are rich in vitamins and minerals such as copper that can help support the immune system by protecting cells from damage. Cashews and chia seeds contain zinc that regulates development and function of immune cells, while berries and orange juice are rich in vitamin C.

INGREDIENTS

Base

• 100g frozen berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries)
• 150g Greek yogurt
• 10g or 10 leaves of frozen baby spinach
• 1 frozen banana
• ½ cup unsweetened orange juice

Toppings

2 strawberries (sliced)

3-4 blueberries

1-2 blackberries (optional)

1 tsp chia seeds

1-2 tsp crushed cashews

1 tsp coconut flakes

METHOD

1. In a blender, add frozen berries, Greek yogurt, spinach, banana and orange juice. The amount of orange juice used will determine how thick you want the smoothie to be.

2. Blend till smooth.

3. Arrange sliced strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, chia seeds, crushed cashews and coconut flakes on top.

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SEARED SALMON WITH RAINBOW SALAD

(SERVES TWO)

Preparation time: Five minutes

Salmon is high in amino acids and omega-3 fatty acids, thus enhancing the function of immune cells. Cashews are high in zinc and red bell peppers are rich in vitamin C, which can help strengthen your immune system, fight off infections and regulate development and function of immune cells. Asparagus is a good source of fibre, folate and vitamins A, C, E and K.

INGREDIENTS

• 300g salmon
• ½ tsp salt
• 1½ tbsp olive oil
• 100g asparagus (each stalk cut into 4 pieces)
• Half a red capsicum (sliced)
• 50g broccoli (chopped)
• 2 tbsp crushed cashews
• ½ tbsp freshly minced garlic
• 100g asparagus (each stalk cut into 4 pieces)
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• ½ tsp cracked pepper (for garnish)

METHOD

1. Rub salt on salmon and leave aside for five minutes.

2. Add ½ tbsp of olive oil to the pan and saute asparagus, capsicum and broccoli, stirring regularly. Remove from pan and set aside.

3. Pat salmon dry with paper towel. Add 1 tbsp olive oil and garlic to the pan and wait till pan is smoking hot. Put salmon skin-side down in pan and leave to cook for three minutes.

4. When salmon skin is crisp, flip salmon and cook for another three minutes or longer if necessary.

5. Plate salmon on sauteed vegetables and cashews, and drizzle with lemon juice and olive oil. Add some cracked pepper on top if desired.

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CHICKEN CAPSICUM RICE BOWL

(SERVES TWO)

Preparation time: 10 minutes

You may not know that capsicum (bell peppers) and mushrooms contain abundant vitamins and minerals to help boost metabolism when consumed regularly. Garlic has powerful antimicrobial properties to help protect you from diseases, while protein from the chicken and egg help repair body tissue and fight viral and bacterial infections. Even olive oil provides antioxidants to protect your cells against damage.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup brown rice
• 300g chicken tenders
• ½ tbsp freshly minced garlic
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 tbsp soya sauce (can be substituted with light soya sauce)
• 4-5 chilli padi
• 2½ tbsp olive oil
• 2 eggs
• 150g red capsicum (sliced)
• 100g shimeji mushrooms
• 1 cup brown rice
• 1 tsp lemon Juice

METHOD

1. Cook brown rice in rice cooker.

2. Slice chicken tenders to bite-size pieces and season with garlic, pepper and soya sauce. Leave aside for 10 minutes.

3. Slice chilli padi and remove seeds.

4. Add 1 tbsp of olive oil and fry eggs sunny-side up. Remove from pan and set aside.

5. Add 1 tbsp of olive oil and stir-fry chicken tenders till slightly brown.

6. Add chilli padi and fry for two minutes. Put the chicken tenders, garlic and chilli padi on serving plate.

7. Using the same pan, add ½ tbsp olive oil and fry sliced capsicum and mushrooms till soft (approximately two minutes).

8. Assemble brown rice, chicken, capsicum, mushrooms and sunny-side up eggs in a bowl. Drizzle a bit of lemon juice on top.