HEALTHY INDULGENCE - Is it possible?

Hello everyone! Welcome to another post on “Rejuvenatedlifebyashe”. I hope you are taking at least one step towards healthy living, one day at a time. Remember, healthy living is not just about stopping unhealthy habits but also about adding good ones. Today’s post is about one of my very favourite things, it’s one thing I wish I can have every single day. You may wonder why I don’t have it everyday if I like it that much. The answer is, it may just put me out of pocket. 

What can be healthy and indulgent at the same time? The answer will definitely vary widely for each of us. This post is not about wanting to have your indulgent cake and then eating it. It is about luxury entwined in healthy eating. Hmmmm, I like…………

Let me start from one of my foodie stories. Many years ago whilst searching through several recipes, I noticed Balsamic Vinegar. Being the foodie that I am, I did some research and found out that there are the supermarket balsamic vinegars and the real deal ‘BALSAMIC VINEGAR”. Please take note of the Capital letters. 

The knowledge I got on the subject matter led to a family vacation on a farm in Modena, Italy. I just had to visit a Balsamic Vinegar producing farm. We made it to Leonardi Balsamic Farm and Oh My! Oh My! the love for the product was sealed for good.

Balsamic Vinegar is made of grapes, specifically Lambrusco and Trebbiano and are only produced in Modena. It is the hallmark of a tradition that dates as far back as 1046. 

“Balsum” is Latin for ‘something healthy for the body”. It is obtained from grape juice ‘Must’ not wine and is reduced by cooking in copper cauldrons to get a very dense and syrupy liquid. The cooked must is placed in small barrels, where it ferments, slowly in winter, quickly in summer, causing a natural concentration. Every year, the content of each barrel is moved into another smaller barrel made of a different wood (oak, chestnut, cherry, ash, juniper etc). After a minimum of 12 YEARS in barrels, the result is a very thick, rich, complex and expensive vinegar. By law, this product is called “Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena DOP”. This brown and velvety syrup has a magical balance of sweet and sour flavour. Trust me, there is nothing like it. 

In the middle ages, Balsamic Vinegar was known as a miracle cure, from sore throat to labour pain. It was also used as a digestive, that I can certainly confirm. When I take a teaspoon last thing at night, I wake up with a very empty and flat belly.

On Leonardi Farm, I had the privilege of tasting a 100 year old vinegar and I have no other word for the experience but ‘heavenly’. Use this vinegar in any food and you are a 3 Star Michelin Chef.  Balsamic Vinegar will turn any ordinary meal into an exquisite one.

I will let you in on a secret; there is a cheaper cousin of Balsamic Vinegar called Saba. It is grape must without the ageing. This is what I use on my salads, meat and whatever else and the rich flavour is still achieved. The Vinegar is too precious so I take it as a tonic. 

According to research, some of the benefits of the Balsamic Vinegar include promotion of healthy digestion, lowering of blood sugar, lowering of cholesterol, improvement of skin health, promotion of blood circulation, reduction of acid reflux, treatment of wound, relieving congestion and weight loss. 

Too much of it can lead to upset stomach but at the prices at which they come, it’s highly unlikely that anyone will suffer that.

I encourage you all to try this healthy indulgence at least once and you will be glad you did.

Till next week, have a good one and live well. Ciao! 😊