The winter season is one of the most stressful times for me in terms of food preparation . Unlike winter, summer food is easy to make. You have light meals during the day to keep yourself cool. For instance, in summer I would retire to bed with only having a smoothie and nuts for dinner. Well that’s just me. I usually eat heavy in the morning!
For winter, you tend to want to eat a bit more warm things to keep the blood pumping and that steamy aroma from the food going down your nostrils. You need something hearty, frothy and rich in flavour.
Below are a few ideas of what foods you could have in winter. Food that is easy to prepare and doesn’t require overwhelming techniques :
SOUPS:
You can have soup anytime of the day. I usually like my soup in the morning with a bit of toasted bread. When you have soup first thing in the morning, you:
Boost your metabolism as the soup has to be digested.
Soup contains a high quantity of water that nourishes your body cells and keeps your skin fresh.
Soup is healthy and nutritious especially vegetable soups
Soups satiates you and as a result help you eat less and lose some pounds. I know that in winter people tend to bulk up but how about loading up on some healthy soups to shed the weight or maintain that weight that you worked so hard to get during summer!
My favourite soup is the BROCCADO SOUP ( BROCCOLI & AVOCADO).
broccado soup
INGREDIENTS:
1 Avocado
300 grams broccoli
10 ml canola oil
1 tsp moringa powder
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup full cream milk
1/2 tsp salt
1 block vegetable stock
1/2 tsp pepper
PREPARATION:
Boil the broccoli and vegetable stock for 10 minutes on medium heat until fully cooked. Season with salt, pepper to taste. Also add some oil to the pot.
In a blender , put 1/2 avocado, milk, broccoli and vegetable stock, moringa powder and blend until smooth
Enjoy with some fresh carrots and beetroot
BAKED WRAPS:
Tortilla wraps
Another easy food prep for anytime of the day are these baked tortilla wraps. I stuffed them with avocado, mayonnaise and eggs. Goodness they taste divine.
Wraps take no time to bake, they will be ready in as short as 5 minutes! You can even store these wraps in a lunch box or sealed bag so that when you get hungry you can just warm them up and enjoy.
Make your winter stress free with these easy meal prep ideas.
INGREDIENTS:
1 Avocado
3 large eggs
Mayonnaise 2 tbsp
1 tsp moringa powder.
Tortilla wraps
20 grams Butter
INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat the oven at 150
degrees Celsius for 5 minutes
Boil the eggs for 10
minutes
Spread some butter on to
the tortilla wraps.
In a bowl, beat the
avocado until smooth, add the boiled eggs, mayonnaise and moringa powder
Add the avocado mix to the
tortilla wraps, roll the wraps and bake for 5 minutes or until your desired
crispiness.
What do you have to keep yourself warm in winter? Comment below!
Put a smile on the face of your family
with this gorgeous, nutritious and delicious potato curry salad.
Do you have neighbors whom when they
cook you smell something wonderful? It makes you hungry and you wish they invited
you for dinner. Now, imagine opening your oven and being greeted by an aroma of
well grilled thyme and potatoes infused with all sorts of spices that rev up
your appetite! If you have children who lose their appetite during dinner time,
this salad will make them want to eat more. Problem solved.
The best thing about this salad is
that even though it smells appetizing when you eat it ,you get full really
quickly.
The main Star spice of this dish is
the cut chilly spice. Below are a
few benefits.
Weight Loss- According researchers at Harvard University, cut chillies contain capsaicin which is known to promote weight loss by reducing appetite and increase fat burning.
Fights Inflammation- The substance called capsaicin has been studied to be an effective treatment arthritis and diabetes.
Improves Heart Health- Chillies can impact your health by helping to boost circulation and also act as a thinner to help protect against strokes. Therefore, consuming food with chillies every day is all you need to do to enjoy the multiple and important health benefits they have to offer.
INGREDIENTS: Serves 4.
640 grams of potatoes
2 tsp cut chillies
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp turmeric powder
2 garlic cloves
Cherry tomatoes
100 grams mushrooms
Thyme
Red pepper
Green pepper
Spring Onions
Olive oil
1 Lemon
Vinegar
1 tsp salt
INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat the oven at 150 degrees Celsius for 10-15 minutes
In a pan, sauté the mushrooms until golden
Cut the potatoes into cubes or halves ( do not remove the skin)
Cut the garlic and cherry tomatoes
Mix the spices in a bowl
Pour some olive oil into the spices and rub them onto the cut potatoes
Grease your baking tray and put your potatoes, garlic and cherry tomatoes
Grill the potatoes for 30 minutes
Remove tray from oven and let it cool for 5 min
10. Mix the grilled potatoes, mushrooms and pepper
11. Squeeze some lemon juice and sprinkle your potatoes with vinegar
Make your winter full of goodness
every time you wake in the morning!
Are you a fan of desserts? Imagine having a dessert for breakfast. Goodness me, I bet you will wake up with all the energy you have got (despite the cold) only for that bite of goodness to fill your belly with wonders. This wonderful cocoa oatmeal parfait will keep you & your family warm and happy this winter! Your kids will be motivated to go to school since they look forward to that delicious breakfast, you will experience improved focus and energy.
Winter parfait
Let’s explore thebenefits of having cocoa
in oatmeal.
Cocoa lowers high blood pressure– when you consume cocoa, there are more positive
changes in the systolic and diastolic blood pressure compared to when you
consume black and green tea. This
helps in maintaining a healthy circulatory system.
Cocoa is packed with antioxidants– According to the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, cocoa exhibits higher
antioxidant activity than black tea,
green tea,
and red wine.
The zinc present in cocoa helps protect you against oxidative stress, which
is a major cause behind accelerated ageing. If you want to keep ageing
at bay, you better start having cocoa oatmeal for breakfast.
Cocoa improves brain health- Doyou want
your child to perform brilliantly at school? Then you have found your aid. Cocoa
contains a high number of flavonoids which are known to maintain a healthy
brain and have a positive effect on learning and memory functions.
Cocoa relieves bronchial asthma- Are you suffering from asthma or shortness of breath?
Do not worry, cocoa contains xanthine and theophylline, which aid in relaxing
bronchial spasms and opening constricted bronchial tubes. You will breathe well
in no time.
Cocoa makes your skin
beautiful- Consuming cocoa helps in decreasing the
effects of UV-induced erythema and reducing skin roughness as well as scaling. Do
you want skin elasticity? Cocoa is shown to enhance skin elasticity, hydration,
and density.
Winter parfait
Nutritional value of Cocoa~ According to the USDA, cocoa is rich in minerals such as
potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium. It also contains vitamins like
thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folate, and vitamin B6, E, and K. It is also a
good source of zinc, iron, and sodium while providing the body with energy,
carbohydrates, protein, and dietary fibres. It contains 0 cholesterol.
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup of chocolate oats
with cocoa
2 cups of full cream milk
1 ripe banana
¼ teaspoon salt
100 grams raspberries
3 strawberries
1 teaspoon chia seeds
Mint leaves
200 grams strawberry
yoghurt
INSTRUCTIONS:
In a pot, pour the milk & salt and bring to boil.
Add the chocolate & cocoa oats and stir
continuously for 5 minutes
Once the oats are thick
and creamy, cool the oats for 10 minutes
In a cup or bowl layer the
oats first, followed by fresh strawberries, strawberry yoghurt and raspberries
until you build a beautiful parfait.
Sprinkle some chia seeds
and mint leaves.
Enjoy!
Winter parfait
All thanks to The Refillery SA for the best quality ingredients!
Are you tired of eating potatoes? Are you out of side-dish ideas to serve your family? Are you at the verge of giving up preparing a hearty winter meal for your guest coming over? Well, have some little Faith (me), here is a little treat for you! The winter butternut squash is where you begin. The nutrition and health benefits of butternut squash are plenty, and you can enjoy it—baked, boiled, or sautéed on its own, or added to stir fries and salads. It’s the perfect side dish to any entrée. Before we delve into the recipe, let me give you some 10 amazing health benefits that the butternut squash can bring to you, your family and guests!
The Health & Skin Benefits of Butternut Squash
1. HEALTHY BONES
Have you been experiencing some leg or joint pains? Have you been struggling to go for those morning runs because your legs start aching when you run that first kilometre? The solution lies in including butternuts in your diet! The winter squash contains plenty of manganese and vitamin C. Manganese helps to maintain a healthy bone structure, calcium absorption and enzyme creation. Vitamin C is involved in the production of collagen, which is vital for building bone mass. Magnesium also contributes to the health of joints and bones. The squash contains minerals such as iron, folate, zinc and phosphorus which contributes to healthy bones and protects them against osteoporosis.
2. REDUCES PMS SYMPTOMS
Have you been suffering from excruciating cramps before or during your monthly period? Well, some people rely on the pills to subside the pain, but, how about approaching this differently. How about you try to adjust your diet, start to eat healthily or exercise more often? I believe that doing things the natural way will lead you to the perfect you. When you do so, you will experience fewer period cramps and have an immune system which is less prone to viruses (airborne). A study proved that the women who consumed high amounts of this mineral as part of their daily diet suffered fewer mood swings and cramps than others. Therefore, eating squash is a great way to increase your intake of magnesium.
Butternut squash
3. ASTHMA PREVENTION
Butternuts contain high levels of Beta-carotene: an antioxidant. Studies have found that people who have a high intake of beta-carotene have a lower risk of developing asthma. This delicious orange vegetable can prevent the emergence of asthma in you or your loved ones.
4. MAINTAINS A HEALTHY SKIN
As mentioned earlier, squash is an excellent source of vitamin A. It has beta-carotene that gets converted into vitamin A within the body. Being a powerful antioxidant, vitamin A is required for maintaining proper health and integrity of the skin. The butternut squash also contains nearly half of your daily dose of vitamin C, which has been linked to healthier skin.
5. PREVENTS SKIN AGING
A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition examined links between vitamin C and skin ageing in 4,025 women aged 40-74 and found that higher intakes of the vitamin were linked to a lower likelihood of wrinkles and dryness. The squash protects your skin from the damaging effects of sun exposure and prevents dehydration. Regular consumption of squash keeps your skin hydrated. Look younger!
6. BEST FOR WEIGHT LOSS
The butternut squash is the best choice for healthy and sustainable weight loss. It is fat-free and very low in calories. A cup of yellow squash contains about 36 calories, 7 grams carbohydrates, 1-gram protein and less than 1-gram fat besides being cholesterol free. The squash has low-calorie content due to fewer carbohydrates. Thus, if you want to lose weight, you can easily replace higher calorie vegetables like potatoes and corn with yellow squash.
Butternut squash
7. PREVENTS & FIGHTS CANCER
The high antioxidant content in the butternut helps in eliminating free radicals from the body. The beta-carotene present in the vegetable protects the body from pollutants and chemicals that can lead to cancer.
8. PERFECT FOR YOUR EYE HEALTH
The squash contains lutein antioxidant which plays a huge part in preventing the emergence of cataracts and macular degeneration, which often leads to blindness. If you want healthy eyes and improved eyesight, then start eating!
9. PERFECTS YOUR HEART HEALTH
Butternuts reduce the risk of heart disease as they contain negligible fat and almost no cholesterol. They also contain magnesium which has been shown to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke. Magnesium along with potassium helps in reducing high blood pressure. The vitamin folate present in butternuts helps in removing an unhealthy metabolism which is responsible for heart attack and stroke. Moreover, folate lowers cholesterol levels, and this reduces the risk of atherosclerosis and heart disease.
10. FIRES UP YOUR DIGESTION
Doctors recommend that you should consume plenty of fibre-rich foods to aid the body’s digestion process. The squash contains good amounts of dietary fibre, and you can include it in your diet to facilitate bowel movements. If you have been having digestion issues such as constipation or bloating, the butternut squash can relieve those symptoms.
RECIPE TIME!
Butternut squash
INGREDIENTS: • 800 grams of butternut • 350 ml of water • 125 ml of full cream • 10 grams of chia seeds • ½ grapefruit • ¼ teaspoon of black pepper • Cucumbers • Cooked beetroot • Mint leaves
INSTRUCTIONS:
Chop the butternut into cubes
In a saucepan, put the butternut pieces, pepper & water, then bring to boil.
Boil for 20 min.
Put the boiled butternut into a food processor.
Add cream, squeeze the grapefruit juice into the food processor and blend until smooth and creamy
Decorate your soup with sprinkles of chia seeds, cucumbers and cooked beetroot. Enjoy! Prep time: 25 min
Butternut squash
I would like to thank The Refillery SA for the wonderful chia seeds!
