Lisbon

and black eyed peas, on multigrain bread with veggie kimchi and greens

I am in Lisbon! Yum. Each time I land I anticipate all of the delicious food I will be eating and kind people I will meet. To start my trip off, my daughter had a pot of garbanzo beans on the stove when I arrived. A bowl of beans with pickled beets on top hit the spot. Katherine and I had a reservation for Garrincha on Friday night. It’s a Mediterranean restaurant focusing on fish and fresh veggies. We shared all of the five veggie plates and Kat insisted I try something from the fish options. So I did.

Artichokes with aioli sauce, fish and eggplant cigars, and salad with Thai chili dressing

Everything was fresh, crisp and I think the mushrooms cooked in a cream sauce over the focaccia bread were even better the second day when I heated it up with beans and greens for breakfast. This past weekend we drove to Figueira da Foz, a beach town for a little weekend away together. I returned to the airport the day after I landed and rented a car. Portugal is a driveable country; the roads are cared for, tolls are collected the same way as at home, signs are understood, and Google maps easily connects to the car’s screen. Off we went. We made a pit stop on our way to a farm about 30 minutes outside Lisbon to go to their store, we bought tea and were on our way.

We spent two lovely days at the Malibu Foz Hotel. I would recommend the hotel based on the service and pleasant dispositions of all with whom we encountered. To add to it their breakfast is superb and a unscheduled dinner at their hotel restaurant, Mensa, was a treat Kat and I had no idea we were in for. It has been unsettled weather with off and on rain. We had little Taro with us who enjoyed his walks on the beach each day. Can you imagine how happy we were to return to our room, get out of damp clothes and slide into the luxurious terry robes. 

After lounging around a bit we decided to eat a late lunch. Kat swears by Google reviews and looked up the area and found Cafe Mercado. We had just enough time to jump in the car and drive there. If we had planned it better it was only a 25 minute walk, no problem. They welcomed all three of us. Taro came along. If you are planning to visit Figueira da Foz please be sure to add this restaurant to your list. It is owned by a couple, the chef is Portuguese and grew up in France and we were welcomed by his husband who had spent his career in many large hotels. They decided to downsize a couple of years ago and came back to where the chef had some family. How fortunate to open their cafe right in the market. They have access to the freshest produce and fish and we were the lucky recipients. 

I started with an octopus salad. Ridiculously delicious with a warm dressing. It was hard for me to stop eating it but I had to save some room for a delicious fresh cod dish prepared the chef’s way. See below.

For those who do not choose to eat from the sea they also had chicken and ribeye steak. Katherine had the chicken skewers grilled with whipped potatoes and veggies. She said it was absolutely devine, cooked to perfection. While we were enjoying ourselves we noted that although the newer, modern restaurants we often frequent have tapas or shared plates, we enjoyed, I mean we luxurated over, our lunch and felt taken care of eating the chef’s specialties and chatting with the proprietor. It felt like family and there was no grandfatherly vibes emanating from them, just a familiar, familial feeling. We finished with a salted caramel cheesecake and it was as good as you think it was. The lunch stayed with us. It’s been a few days and I know it will be a highlight from the trip. 

Another peak has been meeting Kat’s friends. She speaks of them often and I have to keep them all in mind. I knew I would be meeting some of them but I won the lottery yesterday. After Kat was finished working for the day she contacted me to meet up at a wine bar. While we were there with her friend, three others passed by and two joined the group. How fun! After a while we had to excuse ourselves because we had a night planned previously to attend another event. I met additional friends and some whom she didn't know were back in town. I was welcomed into both spaces and enjoyed conversations getting to know these wonderful humans who are part of my daughter’s days in Lisbon. Being in their company I couldn’t help but be reminded of my time as a teacher and principal. If you have had the good fortune to be in a position where you work around many, many younger people you will know what I mean. The energy to take on the world is most often positive and I never seem to be amazed by their genuine need to do good. I always come away rejuvenated and thankful for the experience.

I have decided that this next week I will spend most of my time learning about my neighborhood. I have not had the opportunity to do this since we purchased our apartment last fall. My daughter pointed out multiple shops and places as we were walking a few days ago. Now I am taking my time to visit some of them. I made my way to the bakery (Lully) minutes from the house for multigrain bread. This morning, I took some time to make a pot of black eyed peas. And now (a bit later) I am writing at Curva, a cafe that is friendly to those with computers. I am enjoying a hibiscus tea with mint and a piece of banana bread with blueberries, almonds and drizzled peanut butter. I am looking forward to the rest of the days as they unfold. I hope you are enjoying your day, today, also.

Recommended Recipe

At home, beans are a cornerstone of my diet and key to keeping my digestion happy along with a diverse amount of veggies, grains and fish. While in Portugal, if I stray from my bean routine, whatever is in the ground and however the food is grown, it is clean, seasonal, and thoughtfully prepared so that my stomach doesn’t complain. It may be a testament to the quality of ingredients and the slower pace here.

From the pot to the bowl, beans with grilled bread always hit

While this is true, I am a creature of habit and I like to take a morning to make a pot of beans and get situated so that is what I did this morning. We took a long walk across town Monday evening and ended up at Lojo Sao, an adorable organic shop and gathered a few items until we hit the market. The greens and the prepared vegan kimchee are from there. This allowed me to create a breakfast bowl in minutes once the beans were done.

If I did not have time to make the beans I would have bought a jar or a can that had the pull top to easily open. Then, I would have heated them up with some garlic, olive oil and salt and pepper. If I was somewhere without condiments and garlic I would have scooped up a couple of spoonfuls from the can and been on my way. Instead, because I did have access I poured into the bowl and added greens and the vegan kimchee as you see above. So whether you have 10 minutes or 10 hours you can make a bowl of beans to start your day. If you do not do beans I suggest you grab whatever you need that grounds you into the day. Maybe plain yogurt with peanut butter, blueberries, with a little hemp seed or toasted buckwheat on top. Maybe pumpkin seeds or poppy if you have them on hand. Or another berry, you choose. Whatever is best for your taste and will make your stomach happy, that is for you.

After you eat a good breakfast, wherever you go on your day you know you can indulge and enjoy without regret. Don’t forget, start with beans!

Banana cake with almonds, blueberries and peanut butter sauce with hibiscus tea at Curva

Contact

If you have any questions on eating beans consistently for gut health now and into the near future, please email me at Denisemancieri1@gmail.com. If you want to “Pick My Brain” we can schedule a time on the phone to talk. Feel free to comment below if there are topics you would like to see.

Please share this newsletter with others if you find it may assist them in adding beans to their diet. Or click the heart, below left, so I know you were here. Thank you!

Note: I am not a doctor. I was a teacher and an educator with an earned doctorate in educational leadership. I enjoy research and I can distill large amounts of information into easily understood and digestible pieces allowing people to understand what is happening to their body and possible steps to reverse it with food as medicine. I have healed my own GI issues through choices with food. I followed Karen Hurd’s bean protocol diet, I meditated and still do and I healed. I feel compelled to be in service and educate others as the more people eating beans, alongside a healthy diet and sharing their stories the more people will live a healthier existence. Joy, peace and freedom abound. Please see your doctor and discuss nutritional options before you change any course of action with your health.