Wellness Coach Alara Malaz Shares Her Onboard Cooking Tips & Recipes: Dining on the Sea

As both a guide and a source of inspiration for making delicious and memorable dishes suited to the unique conditions on board, Alara Malaz shares her daily routines and favorite recipes ideal for preparing in tight quarters, with minimal ingredients and equipment.

This article was featured in the yachting magazine Numarine Insight.

Food is a very important part of my life, and appeals to all five senses. It is amazing to see the colors on my plate, to touch and feel ingredients, or to hear the sounds as I savor a tasty handmade recipe. Eating means feeding my soul, not just my stomach.

The boat is where I know how to do all things the best: eat, drink, entertain, chat, exercise, breathe, simply be happy. My father, who was an expert sailor, instilled a passion
for boating in me. I grew up in a small sailboat, which has always been such a pleasure for me. Now, my boat is a very peaceful home where I spend the better half of the year.

I always prefer to cook and eat my own food at home. Of course, my life on board is the same. In the mornings, I definitely have a large cup of lemon-and-greens-infused water. Sipping it slowly makes it a meditative ritual. After having
a piece of fruit, I take a long walk or jump into the sea for a quick swim. I must say, breakfast is my favorite time of the day: usually, a different style of eggs for each day, with plenty of greens on the side. I will always have avocado, fresh cilantro, mint, parsley, arugula, and dill or Aegean greens on the table.

“It is amazing to see the colors on my plate, to touch and feel ingredients… Eating means feeding my soul, not just my stomach.”

As it is usually crowded on the boat, from the initial provisioning of the boat through to the day-to-day supplies, it is important to plan. With good planning, your food waste should be minimized, consider getting food with the least packaging. That is the why I love to go to farmer’s market. Always consider fresh and organic fruits and vegetables.

Vegetables and fruits are our primary sources of nutrition. I love to serve different dishes in all colors of the rainbow. At the same time, protein is crucial for life on board and I prefer to include meat or fish in our diet alongside vegetables. Also, I prefer oven-cooked food to fried meals.

As a family, we share a passion for cruising and for enjoying meals at sea. We love to have our afternoon or sunset drinks on the fly bridge with a cheese plate and finger food. If we have a late lunch, we won’t eat again in the evening. Life on board offers the chance to dine whenever you want, with some of the best views the world has to offer. It is truly priceless.

Healthy Recipes for a Day Onboard

A holistic health and anti-aging consultant and wellness coach, Alara Malaz has extensive expertise on how to live a better life. Discover Malaz’s favorite healthy recipes that can be easily prepared onboard.

Gluten-Free Quinoa and Vegetable Ball

Ingredients:

· 1 cup quinoa (soaked in water for 24 hours)
· 3 tablespoons buckwheat flour
· 3 eggs
· 2 tablespoons of olive oil
· 1 bunch of chard leaves or spinach leaves
· Green part of 6 green onions
· 2 garlic cloves
· 1 grated carrot
· 1 grated beetroot (or 1 tablespoon powdered beetroot)
· 1/2 bunch parsley
· 1/2 dill
· 1 teaspoon baking soda
· 1/4 tsp cumin, sumac, turmeric, black pepper, salt (to taste)

Preparations:

After soaking in water for 24 hours, boil the quinoa in a pot. Chop all the vegetable, combine them with the remaining ingredients and the heated quinoa to make meatballs, cook (do not fry) in a pan with a little olive oil.

Mustard Lentil Salad

Ingredients:

· 1 cup of Beluga lentils (boiled after being soaked in water for 24 hours)
· 1/2 of bunch chopped parsley
· 1/2 of bunch chopped fresh coriander
· 1 small of chopped red onion
· 1 chopped tomato (seeds removed)

Dressing:

· Juice of 1 lemon
· 2 tablespoons of French Dijon mustard
· 4 tablespoons of olive oil

Preparations:

Whisk lemon juice with French Dijon mustard. Add 4 tablespoons of olive oil and continue to beat. Add salt to taste. Mix all ingredients together.

Baked Vegetables

Ingredients:

· 2 eggplants peeled and cut into circles
· 4 potatoes peeled and cut round
· 2 zucchinis not peeled, round chopped
· 2 red peppers
· 1 green and 1 yellow pepper with seeds removed
· Poppy seeds

Sauce:

· 4-5 diced tomatoes
· Garlic, fresh thyme
· Finely chopped celery stalk
· Black pepper, white, red pepper corns

Preparations:

Wash and dry all vegetables and chop as desired. Soak eggplants and potato in salt water for 1 hour. Grind all peppercorns. Add salt and olive oil and mix all the vegetables. Add poppy seeds on the baking paper by placing them without touching each other and cook at 180°C degrees. For the sauce on top, cook tomatoes, salt, garlic, fresh thyme, basil and celery stalks together. Add olive oil and simmer until it thickens. Pour over cooked vegetables.

Gluten-Free Kisir

Ingredients:

· 350 grams chopped cauliflower (The same recipe can be prepared with celery roots)
· 1/2 bunch finely chopped parsley
· 4 chopped spring onions
· 2 teaspoons of pepper paste
· 1/2 teaspoon cumin, red pepper, black pepper, sumac, salt
· A few leaves of sweet basil or basil
· Lettuce leaves

Dressing:

· Juice of 1 lemon
· 1/2 cup of olive oil

Preparations:

Mix lemon juice and half a cup of olive oil. Add half a lemon peel and mix all the ingredients. Serve by placing all ingredients on lettuce leaves.

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