by Valerie Orsoni
Fonio is grown organically in Africa where it has formed an integral part of the local diet and culture.
The best way to cook fonio as a grain – to substitute couscous, for example – is steaming or boiling for about 20 minutes. It can also be used in a variety of other ways, such as ground and mixed with other flours to bake bread, popped and brewed for beer, or as a substitute for semolina in making pasta.
Free of gluten, fonio is a great alternative for gluten-intolerant people, in particular those suffering from Celiac Disease. Due to its high fiber content, this grain is also recommended for the elderly, and for people suffering from digestive problems. Moreover, because of its insulin secreting properties, sellers of fonio products have found that diabetics are their key customers.
Fonio is richer in calcium, magnesium, zinc and manganese than other grains. This grain also contains high levels of methionine and cystine, amino acids essential to our health which our body cannot produce on its own.
Available in health food shops and for purchase over the internet, fonio is more than just another exotic food; fonio is an important staple in the quest for a balanced and healthy diet.
Valerie is an entrepreneur, wellbeing expert, celebrity coach, author, contributing editor, mom and survivor. She created LeBootcamp, a fitness and weight-loss website. She is also the worldwide image of the Nintendo Wii My Body Coach, which launches in the US in spring 2010. She lives with her husband of 20 years and her teenager in the Silicon Valley.
As a transplant from New York, I found the food scene in L.A. a bit disappointing. Places don’t always serve food here – I’m used to being able to get a bite and cocktail whether it’s 4 p.m. or 4 a.m. That’s a rarity in L.A. But then I found Cecconi’s, nestled on the corner of Robertson and Melrose, where I can meet for a business breakfast or have an afternoon snack on Saturday after shopping with a friend. Here’s what I love about the restaurant:
The space itself: fresh Mediterranean colors (turquoise and white), al fresco dining (or indoors) and a nice big bar. There is a private dining room available as well. It’s large enough that you don’t have to kill yourself trying to get a reservation, but it’s not like a big beer hall either.
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