Have you heard of 'gallo pinto'? This dish consists of rice mixed with black beans, plantains, fried or scrambled eggs, minced meat, and tortillas, which can be replaced by whole grain rice, boiled plantains, and nopal tortillas, providing only 350 kcal being a nutritious and delicious dish. Yes, even though it is a dish traditionally used for breakfast, it can be a delicious and light lunch due to the richness of its components.
On the other hand, there is the 'casado' which consists of beans, rice with peppers and chopped onions, cabbage salad with carrot and tomato, fried plantains and a protein option that can range from beef, chicken, fish, pork, or veal depending on the choice, this dish contains 600 kcal for a portion of approximately 300 g, but how to make it healthier? The rice can be replaced by whole grain rice, plantains instead of being fried can be boiled or baked, and the protein can be a lean piece of pork as it is one of the meats with the lowest caloric content, thus the dish is reduced to only 427 kcal, a drastic change and equally delicious.
To finish there is the 'olla de carne', a delicious stew made with pieces of meat, corn, plantains, sweet potatoes, potatoes, carrots, yuca, and chayote with a caloric content of 600 kcal but this can be a minor concern when looking for a high source of protein and nutrients that come with all these vegetables and tubers. One way to reduce the caloric content is to remove the fat from the meat, reduce the portion to consume and the sodium added when seasoning.
Costa Rican food can be your ally if you want to recover muscle and have a diet rich in proteins and various nutrients.
