Carnival 2020: Check Out 3 Practical and Tasty Snack Options

February 2020 – Carnival is just around the corner and preparations are underway. Street parties are taking over cities across the country, and millions of people are getting ready to have fun with friends and family. If you want to make the most of the long holiday—whether hosting friends at home or enjoying the festivities in the streets—paying attention to what you eat is essential.

To help revelers spend less time in the kitchen and more time celebrating, Marilia Zagato, nutritionist at the Umami Committee, the organization responsible for spreading the fifth taste, selected practical, easy-to-make recipes. “Preparing snacks at home is a practical idea for those who want to eat well and save money,” she explains.

The nutritionist chose three recipes: sweet potato chips, banana cookies, and whole-grain bruschetta. “If Carnival is at home with friends and family, whole-grain bruschetta is a great option. If you’re heading out to follow the street bands, just pack the chips and cookies in separate bags. They’re great for satisfying hunger and keeping meals balanced,” she concludes. Check out the recipes below—and bring on the glitter!

SWEET POTATO CHIPS

Ingredients

• 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled (410 g)
• 1 tbsp virgin olive oil (15 ml)
• 1 tsp fresh rosemary (3 g)
• ½ tsp salt (2.5 g)

Directions

1. Slice the sweet potatoes very thinly (some graters have blades suitable for this cut).
2. Soak in water for 10 minutes, drain, and pat dry with paper towels.
3. Brush the slices with olive oil and arrange them on a large baking sheet in a single, non-overlapping layer.
4. Sprinkle with rosemary and salt.
5. Bake at 200 °C/392 °F, preheated, for 25 minutes. Flip the slices and bake 5 minutes more, or until crisp.
6. Let cool before packaging.

Yield: 5 servings
Prep time: 1 hour

BANANA COOKIES

Ingredients

• 1 medium “nanica” (Cavendish) banana (135 g)
• 10 tbsp rolled oats (65 g)
• ½ tsp canola oil (2.5 ml)
• 5 drops vanilla extract
• 1 tsp honey or demerara sugar (6 g)
• 2 tbsp seedless dark raisins, chopped

Directions

1. In a bowl, mash the banana with a fork until it becomes a purée. Add the oats, oil, vanilla, honey (or demerara sugar), and raisins.
2. On a greased baking sheet, drop spoonfuls of batter, leaving 3 cm between each, and bake in a hot oven (200 °C/392 °F), preheated, for 15–20 minutes, or until lightly golden on the bottom.
3. Remove from the oven and cool on a rack.

Yield: 10 cookies
Prep time: 40 minutes

WHOLE-GRAIN BRUSCHETTA

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp olive oil (45 ml)
• ½ tsp salt (2.5 g)
• 6 slices whole-wheat sandwich bread (150 g)
• 1½ cups shredded mozzarella (160 g)
• 1½ cups cherry tomatoes, quartered (145 g)
• 1 cup roughly chopped arugula (100 g)

Directions

1. In a small bowl, combine half the olive oil with the salt. Brush the bread slices with half of this seasoned oil and arrange them on a medium baking sheet.
2. Toss the tomatoes with the remaining olive oil.
3. Divide the mozzarella among the bread slices and top with the seasoned tomatoes.
4. Bake in a medium oven (180 °C/350 °F), preheated, for 10 minutes, or until the mozzarella melts.
5. Remove from the oven, top the bruschettas with arugula, and serve immediately.

Tip: Before serving, drizzle the arugula with a thread of olive oil.

Yield: 6 servings
Prep time: 20 minutes

UMAMI

It is the fifth basic taste of the human palate, discovered in 1908 by Japanese scientist Kikunae Ikeda. It was scientifically recognized in 2000, when researchers at the University of Miami confirmed the existence of specific receptors for this taste in the taste buds. The amino acid glutamic acid and the nucleotides inosinate and guanylate are the main umami substances. The two main characteristics of umami are increased salivation and the persistence of taste for a few minutes after ingestion. To learn more, visit www.portalumami.com.br.