Traditional cuisine of Terrassa and Vallès: healthy local dishes

Does Terrassa cuisine fit into a weight-loss plan?

Yes, because it is Mediterranean cuisine. A review of studies that followed groups of people over several years found that closer adherence to the Mediterranean diet is associated with a 9% lower risk of overweight or obesity [2]. It is also associated with gaining somewhat less weight over time [2].

What matters is the overall eating pattern, with plenty of vegetables, pulses, fruit and olive oil, and little processed meat. No single food has this effect on its own.

To lose fat, you also need a moderate calorie deficit, enough protein and movement. We explain this in our guide to losing weight and keeping it off. Local cuisine offers something else: it makes the eating plan resemble what you already eat at home, which is what makes it sustainable.

What do mongeta del ganxet beans and Mura chickpeas offer?

Mongeta del ganxet is the Vallès region’s emblematic pulse, with the protected designation of origin Vallès-Maresme. It is a flat white bean, hook-shaped and with very thin skin. Mura chickpeas come from Bages, the neighbouring county. They are small, thin-skinned, not very floury and full of flavour.

Pulses are among the most useful foods when you want to lose weight. They are filling and provide fibre, plant protein and carbohydrates that are absorbed slowly. AESAN recommends eating at least four servings a week and gradually increasing this to daily consumption [1]. Their protein works well alongside cereals, eggs, fish or dairy products eaten over the course of the day.

Both also provide iron and magnesium. Iron contributes to the normal transport of oxygen in the body, and magnesium helps reduce tiredness and fatigue [3].

Mongeta beans are traditionally served with butifarra sausage. We suggest having them more often with fish, or using them as the base of a cold salad in summer. Mura chickpeas work just as well in a winter vegetable stew as in a salad in July.

Local olive oil, cheeses and mushrooms

Extra virgin olive oil is the go-to fat, used daily with main meals, for cooking and as a dressing [1]. In Vallès Occidental, there is a local variety: becaruda olive oil. This native variety was brought back into cultivation in Ullastrell. It produces a mild, sweet oil that is very good raw on bread with tomato. It is still oil, though. One tablespoon per dish is usually enough, and that is the measure we suggest in consultations .

Ullastrell cheeses are another classic. Semi-cured goat’s cheese is best eaten in small portions because it is concentrated in fat and salt. Fresh mató, light and slightly grainy, is much easier to fit in, as a dessert with fruit or in a salad.

Mushrooms such as rovellons, llenegues and camagrocs arrive in autumn. They provide fibre and volume with very little energy, so they make a stew or rice dish go further without making it heavy. Buy them at the market. If you pick them yourself, have someone who knows mushrooms identify them, because a misidentified mushroom can be toxic.

Can you eat Terrassa butifarra if you want to lose weight?

Yes, occasionally. Butifarra terregada is made with pork, onion, tomato, garlic, almond, aged wine, salt and black pepper. It is a sausage, which means it is processed meat. The recommendation is to keep processed meat to a minimum and limit meat in general to no more than three servings a week [1].

The way to include it is to give it a supporting role. A slice quickly fried in a pan with a drizzle of oil can accompany grilled vegetables or a dish of mongeta beans.

Terrassa cuisine already has almost everything an eating plan for weight loss calls for. What changes is how the food is divided across the plate.

Rosemary and thyme for flavour without adding fat

The area around Sant Llorenç Savall is full of rosemary and thyme. Both help as part of a weight-loss eating plan because they add flavour without adding fat or salt. They go well with fish and citrus, grilled meat and baked potatoes. When cooking pulses, a sprig of each with a couple of garlic cloves transforms the dish.

Where can you buy local produce in Terrassa?

At the municipal markets. Mercat de la Independència and Mercat de Sant Pere bring together seasonal fruit and vegetables, pulses, cheese, fish and locally sourced meat. Shopping there makes it easier for your basket to consist mainly of fresh produce. If you find it hard to organise the week, a healthy weekly menu that is easy to prepare gives you meals that have already been planned.

What mistakes do we see in consultations?

Almost always the same three things.

• Avoiding pulses for fear of carbohydrates. They are among the most filling foods, and the local area produces excellent ones.
• Cooking separate meals to lose weight. It is hard to stick for weeks to dishes that are unfamiliar to your usual habits.
• Saving mató and mushrooms for special occasions. They are among the lightest foods in local cuisine and can be included every week.

Three lighter versions of Terrassa recipes

These are traditional recipes, with approximate quantities per serving. Adjust the pulses and oil to your eating plan.

Mongeta del ganxet bean salad with thyme and rosemary

Ingredients per serving.

• 60 g dried mongeta del ganxet beans (about 150 g cooked)
• 1 small tomato
• ¼ green pepper
• ¼ onion
• A handful of rocket (about 20 g)
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• Thyme, rosemary, 1 garlic clove, lemon, pepper and salt

1. Soak the mongeta beans overnight
2. Cook them with the thyme, rosemary, garlic and salt over a low heat for about two hours, until tender.
3. Dice the tomato, pepper and onion finely
4. Drain the mongeta beans and mix them in a bowl with the vegetables and rocket
5. Dress with the oil, a squeeze of lemon, pepper and salt

Ullastrell mató salad with lamb’s lettuce and strawberries

Ingredients per serving.

• 100 g mató
• 30 g lamb’s lettuce
• 2 strawberries
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• Vinegar and salt

1. Wash the strawberries and cut them into thin strips
2. Put the lamb’s lettuce in a bowl and add the strawberries
3. Dice the mató and scatter it over the top
4. Dress with the oil, vinegar and salt

Mura chickpeas with salt cod

Ingredients per serving.

• 60 g dried Mura chickpeas (about 150 g cooked)
• 100 g desalted salt cod
• ¼ onion and ¼ red pepper
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• Parsley

1. Soak the chickpeas overnight
2. Cook them over a low heat, keeping them at a gentle boil, for two to three hours.
3. Flake the salt cod or cut it into small dice
4. Finely dice the onion and red pepper
5. Serve the chickpeas with the salt cod, onion and pepper on top, along with the oil and parsley.

The classic version has homemade aioli on top and is browned in the oven for a few minutes at 200 °C. It is very tasty, which is precisely why it is best saved for special occasions.