On those truly wintery days of late, we welcome anything that keeps us warm and comfortable. While some activity can keep the blood moving to reach those cold toes, we can also warm our bodies from the inside and stay healthy by eating right.
A lot of people automatically revert to classic winter favourites such as stews, casseroles, and soups for their dinner choices on these cold days. These meals are an ideal opportunity to add extra helpings of vegetables such as root vegetables (parsnips, swedes, turnips, carrots, celery ), pulses (beans, peas, lentils ), various type of cabbages (kale, brussel sprouts, green or red cabbage ), and also onions, leeks, and mushrooms. Not only are these in their best form this season but also grown plentifully in this country, so including these foods more this time of the year means good value for your purse and your diet!
The benefits of winter vegetables are plentiful because they:
- Are low in calories and fat and therefore waistline-friendly;
- Relieve the strained purses by bulking up meals at good value. Remember: frozen, tinned, and dried vegetables will do the trick as much as fresh;
- Contribute fibre, which keeps the digestive system on track, and can help balance blood glucose levels, lower cholesterol levels, and increase satiety;
- Increase your intake of vitamins and minerals, helping your immune system to keep the bugs at bay;
- Contain plant compounds or antioxidants, which no supplement can offer in the same way, which mop up harmful substances in the body;
- Contribute to your five-a-day - it is thought that by eating five portions of fruits and vegetables a day you can reduce your risk of heart disease, stroke and certain types of cancers by up to 20 per cent;
- Offer more kitchen economy: cooking water from vegetables contains some vitamins and minerals that have leeched out from the vegetables during cooking and this water can be used to make a soup, casserole, or sauce. Leftovers such as potatoes, rice, pasta, or meats can also find a new purpose in your casserole or soup, too.
Adding a little spice such as chilli, nutmeg, or pepper can increase the winter warming experience of your dinner! And why not finish your meal with some stewed or baked fruit such as apples, pears, bananas, or plums for extra comfort. Enjoy!
Give the following recipe a try and experience that warming effect from the inside!
Hot pot
Ingredients:
1lb/450g minced beef
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 carrots, sliced
Pinch of salt if desired
Pepper
1 can of cream of celery soup
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 pt/ 275ml milk
4 potatoes peeled and thinly sliced
Method:
Pre-heat the oven to 200°C / 400°F / Gas Mark 6.
Put minced beef and finely chopped onion into a large frying pan and fry until the meat is browned and onion is cooked (about five minutes ). Keep stirring.
Stir in the soup mixture, milk and Worcestershire sauce. Simmer gently for 10 minutes. Add pepper and salt, if desired.
Spoon mixture into casserole dish and top with sliced potatoes and carrots.
Bake for 30 minutes until the potatoes are tender.
For more tasty winter dinners, check out the safefood website at http://www.safefoodonline.com/en/Consumer/Recipes/Dinner/.
By Carola Diettrich, Community Dietitian, HSE Dublin-Mid Leinster. For more information on diet and nutrition, please contact Maria at Department of Community Nutrition and Dietetics, HSE Dublin-Mid Leinster on (044 ) 9353220 or email [email protected].
