Guilt-free hibernation here we come!
It’s winter, and we know that the one thing that’s harder than forcing yourself off the couch and out from under that cosy faux fur blanket after a long day at work is to then have to spend hours in the kitchen preparing dinner… Often, we choose the quick and easy meal options like pizza and ready-made pasta meals. You’re probably thinking, so what’s the problem? We heart pizza and pasta on a cold night!
You’re right, it’s not all bad and it’s a great idea to treat yourself once in a while with your favourite takeaways. But what if you could have both super tasty and healthy winter meals, that don’t take too long to prepare? Yes!
Eating correctly and healthily doesn’t mean ‘you’re on a diet’ so let’s just move past that word all together. It’s important to build a healthy relationship with food and to know what you’re eating and why. That way, once the colder months hit you’ll be so used to feeding your body the good stuff that a chill in the air won’t change that. Check out these healthy winter meals that will fill you up and keep you going throughout winter.
Beef stew with cauliflower rice - delicious and nutritious
A stew is the ultimate comfort food, and if you’re going to make one why not make it a big one? That way you can freeze half and just defrost away when the winter lethargy sets in! Beef stew made with carrots, potatoes, onions, garlic, tomatoes and fresh herbs is already healthy as is – but, if you want to make it even healthier you can use lean meat and a no-salt broth/stock.
For the cauliflower rice all you have to do is grate raw cauliflower and pan-fry it in olive oil or coconut oil and your choice of seasoning. Voila!
Chicken soup - nothing beats homemade soup!
Chicken soup is for the soul…and so much more and it’s full of immune-boosting ingredients like chicken (which contains cysteine, an amino acid which helps to thin mucus in the lungs), carrots (full of beta-carotene), celery (your dose of vitamin C) and onions (an antioxidant). Ah! Now you’re going to try your mom’s chicken soup recipe, aren’t you?
Cottage pie with sweet potato - a twist!
Swapping high GI potatoes for low GI, beta-carotene rich sweet potatoes is a quick way to create a healthy and still yummy cottage pie. Think about all the health-boosting vitamins, minerals and nutrients you can pack into a pie made from veggies and mince! Healthy? Tick. Yummy? Tick.
Lemon and thyme roast chicken and veg - a classic that's jam packed with nutrients
Making a whole roast chicken is simple; all you need are a few ingredients like lemon, thyme, olive oil and garlic. Roast the chicken surrounded by hearty winter veggies and you’ve got yourself a scrumptious and healthy meal.
Pilchard and parsley fish cakes - yum!
Or salmon and dill fish cakes, or hake and potato fish cakes… the options and the omegas are endless.
Warm oats with honey, almond and coconut flakes
Breakfast of champions…
Eggcellent choice
A breakfast of eggs, any way you like them, is going to kickstart your day with the right amount of energy and nutrients.
Don’t forget your sweet tooth
Treat yourself to a few blocks of dark chocolate and a glass of red wine, or poached pears and double cream yogurt. Just remember, it’s all about moderation when it comes to eating – even when eating healthily.