Winter eating
Beating the bulge can be tough in winter when we tend to crave high fat comfort food. Here are some great healthy alternatives.
Salads and steamed veggies can't quite cut it in winter. Fortunately, there are ways to get that sense of a soul satisfying comfort meal without the fat and kilojoules of standard winter fare. Soups are an obvious choice, but baked pasta dishes with loads of veg can also be great for the diet conscious, as can risottos made without high-fat cheese but instead using such flavour enhancers such as good stock, herbs, spices, parmesan, wild mushrooms or porcini powder.
Look East
When counting kilojoules it's often better to seek out recipes that are inherently low-fat rather than trying to find or create low-fat versions of high fat food. Asian cuisines offer a world of delicious, warming, diet-friendly choices, from Japanese and Thai noodle soups, stir-fries and hot pots to Indian dahls and vegetable curries.
Hot potato
Baked potatoes are a surprisingly low-cal, satisfying and filling meal if you stuff them with healthy toppings such as baked beans (great for protein); salsa and creamed corn; low-fat ricotta, cream cheese or cottage cheese and chives or other herbs; hummus or yoghurt and ratatouille. Be sure to pile some greens on the side.
Eggscellent
Eggs are one of the best super foods around, packed full of nutrients and they can easily be turned into healthy winter meals, such as frittatas, pies and quiches made with herbs and vegetables; omelettes stuffed with your favourite lean meats, low-fat cheese, veggies and herbs; or baked egg dishes.
Get Creative
Comfort staples can often be made healthier with a little tweaking. Use lean mince and add extra veg and lentils to your usual spag bog; substitute some of the high fat cheddar in your favourite mac ‘n' cheese for a low-fat ricotta and add greens, such as broccoli or peas; top Shepherd's Pie with sweet potato mash made creamy with low-fat sour cream and milk; and pad your meat loaf with grated veggies such as carrot and zucchini.
Comments