Short Rice, Avocados, and Quinoa

At Mémé Café, you can always find something that’s healthy. To help keep you warm in the cold weather, try some of our short brown rice, avocados or quinoa.

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Short Brown Rice

Brown rice is an excellent source of manganese, selenium, phosphorus, copper, magnesium, niacin and in anti-oxidants. Manganese helps the body synthesize fats and is beneficial to our nervous and reproductive systems. Selenium reduces the risk of cancer, heart disease and arthritis. It’s high in fiber, and helps to keep your body warm. Short brown rice can be more starchy, ending up with a stickier rice that is perfect for soups and other dishes where the starch can act as a thickener.

I love to pair our short brown rice with our vegetable verrines and in our salads, to help fill your stomach and warm you up during the cold weather.

Avocados

Did you know that avocados are also known as “alligator pears” due to their skin and shape? Although most fruits are mostly carbohydrates, avocados are a fantastic source of healthy fats and are cholesterol-free. Avocados are nutritious, containing 20 different vitamins and minerals including: vitamin K, folate, vitamin C, potassium, vitamin B5, vitamin B6, and vitamin E. They tend to be high in fiber and have important benefits for weight loss. And eating avocados can increase the amount of anti-oxidants you take in, including those that are important for eye health.

I love to incorporate avocados into our sandwiches and wraps and our salads.

Quinoa

Quinoa is an awesome source of protein and lacks gluten! It’s referred to as a ‘superfood’ by some, with a very high complete protein content, with all of the amino acids we need. It’s been consumed for thousands of years in South America, and the Incas knew what they were doing! Quinoa is full of anti-oxidants and flavonoids, which have a number of health benefits, and it’s high in the minerals most of us don’t get enough of, like magnesium, potassium, zinc and iron. Easy to digest, it’s perfect for those who are lactose-intolerant and have a hard time digesting gluten.

Try our salads, full of vegetables and quinoa for a filling, healthy meal.

Mémé Café – C’est Bon, C’est Bio, C’est Fait Maison!

The name, Mémé Café, is in memory of my grandmother, Alice, who was an enormous inspiration for me, especially in the kitchen. My mother continued to inspire me with her delicious food and her love of healthy cooking.

My grandmother, Alice, the inspiration for Mémé Café
My grandmother, Alice, the inspiration for Mémé Café

When I opened Mémé Café, I wanted to create something simple, bringing together my ideas and inspiration from over the years. Additionally, I thought, why not make it vegetarian and gluten-free?

Mémé Café is one of the rare places in Brussels where you can have a tastey toasted sandwich without gluten or, if you prefer, with spelt flour. Spelt flour has very low gluten.

All the cakes are also gluten-free and dairy-free. It’s a healthy way to eat something lighter and to provide food for people who are gluten and dairy intolerant.

Even if you are not gluten intolerant or vegetarian, you will always find something nice and tasty.