Dominican cuisine, rich in flavor and tradition, offers a delightful array of dishes that can be adapted for a healthy lifestyle. This article explores some popular recipes and provides tips on making them even more nutritious.
A Culinary Journey to the Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic, sharing the island of Hispaniola with Haiti (locals often refer to the island as Quisqueya), boasts a vibrant culinary scene. From the bustling bodegas of New York City, often run by Dominicans and Puerto Ricans, to the resort towns of Punta Cana and Puerto Plata, Dominican flavors are enjoyed far and wide.
A Protein-Packed Dominican Breakfast: Desayuno Quisqueya
One of my best friend’s family since I was 8 years old is from the Dominican Republic so their cuisine is just as familiar to me as my own cultural cuisine. A classic Dominican breakfast, or "Desayuno Quisqueya," is a hearty way to start the day. This Latin Caribbean Protein Packed Breakfast of eggs, salami, cheese, bread and fruit. If you are following a high protein diet, you get a triple play of protein in this breakfast platter that is so quick and easy to put together. Maybe you are following a Keto or Paleo diet and looking for more ways to add protein in your diet. This week I have been presenting different cooking cheeses, that are sometimes overlooked in the protein diet with so many people always focusing on meat. Cooking Cheeses are a great way to get that protein in. This breakfast typically includes:
- Eggs: A staple source of protein.
- Queso de Freir: A Latin cooking cheese that is a great way to get that protein in.
- Dominican Salami: Dominican salami is not like Italian salami. You can find Dominican salami in a Dominican bodega and some supermarkets that are in neighborhoods with large Dominican populations like Sunset Park in Brooklyn.
- Bread: Provides carbohydrates for energy.
- Fruit: Adds freshness and essential vitamins. I often add tomatoes or fruit to add some freshness to it and the salami, cheese and egg was balanced perfectly with the tomato.
To make this a truly traditional Dominican breakfast, it would be accompanied with boiled yuca/cassava or plantain and avocado.
Classic Dominican Dishes with a Healthy Twist
Dominican cookery takes advantage of the wealth of vegetables and fruit that can grow in our country, it can be very easily adapted to your diet. You can find vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, keto and low-carb, and low-calorie recipes in our blog.
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La Bandera Dominicana: A Nutritional Powerhouse
La Bandera Dominicana (the Dominican flag), our traditional lunch meal is an outstanding combination of all the necessary nutrients.
Empanadas
Easy and tasty Dominican style empanadas filled with savory ground beef! An easy recipe for making empanada dough from scratch two ways! Empanadas are a way of life!
Locrio
Dominican Rice Recipe Made with Smoked Chops Locrios are one of my favorite Dominican rice dishes. They’re essentially Dominican style Jambalaya.
Air Fryer Chicken with Sofrito
Air Fryer chicken made with a homemade sofrito marinade that’s juicy and insanely delicious!
Flan
Simple and tasty flan recipe that comes out perfectly each time! Flan is a staple in Hispanic households.
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Tips for Healthy Dominican Cooking
Here are some tips to make your Dominican meals healthier:
Reduce Sodium Intake
If you follow a low-sodium diet, you don't need to add too much salt to your dishes, and most of our recipes leave that to your judgement. If you want to add some extra flavor, use herbs and spices instead.
Minimize Oil Usage
A common mistake some Dominicans make is using too much oil when cooking, which you may find takes away the benefits of the Dominican diet. Use a non-stick pan to cook your meats and pan-fry your arepitas and tortillas. That way, you will only need a minimum of oil.
Healthier Salads
The traditional Dominican fresh salad contains a wealth of nutritious vegetables: tomatoes, lettuce, beet, cabbage, etc. But if you must absolutely have your ensalada rusa we suggest that you use low-fat mayonnaise instead of regular, or substitute half the regular mayonnaise for sour cream.
Embrace Natural Ingredients
These days we take a lot of shortcuts trying to save time in the kitchen, but we can cook our foods with natural ingredients and put healthier food on our table without sacrifices. For other dishes, buy a whole chicken and use legs, wings, and breasts. Use the remaining parts and bones to make homemade chicken broth. This homemade vegetable broth recipe is quite versatile, and can conveniently made with bits of leftover vegetables you can keep in a jar refrigerated until it's time to get them in the pot. Use our recipes for seasoning paste (sazón) and keep it refrigerated.
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