Eating well is important 365 days of the year. During winter, it seems that so many of the foods we associate with warmth and comfort tend to be higher in fat and calories and not always high in goodness, but this does not have to be so. So, here are my picks for healthy winter foods.
All lentils and legumes — foods like chickpeas, kidney beans or black beans are inexpensive, versatile and are great in winter soups and stews. They are low in fat, a great source of inexpensive vegetable protein, high in fibre, loaded with vitamins and minerals, including B vitamins, calcium, potassium and iron. For example, a 3/4 cup (175 ml) serving of cooked lentils contains 170 calories, 13 grams protein, 6 grams of fibre, more than half of your recommended daily folate and 4.9 mg iron and a 3/4 cup (175 ml) kidney beans contains 165 calories, 10 grams protein and 12 grams fibre, 45 mg calcium and almost 25% of your daily folate. The soluble fibre found in beans and lentils helps lower cholesterol levels and their low glycemic index is helpful for blood sugar management. You can buy them canned (look for ones that are lower in sodium or rinse them before using) or packaged and they have a nice long shelf life so you can buy extra when they are on sale.
Stews and casseroles are perfect for cold winter evenings and they can be made healthier by slightly altering their ingredients. For example, if you make Shepard’s Pie, use the leanest meat or chicken, add lots of vegetables and add sweet potatoes to the topping; and if making chili, besides all the beans, add peppers, mushrooms and even corn. When you make a meat stew, again use the leanest cuts, lots of vegetables and if you refrigerate it after cooking, you can remove the extra fat from the top.
Soup is a warm, delicious comfort food and it’s a food that can help with weight management. Research has shown that foods with volume, like soup, can help fill you up so you will likely eat less at that meal. The best ones are those made from lots of seasonal vegetables. It’s an easy food to make and you can cook lots at one time and freeze it for later. You can buy soups in cans, bottles or packages but be aware of the sodium content. Read labels and compare. Campbell’s, for example, has reduced the amount of salt in many of their brands. If you buy canned soups, you can increase their nutrition by adding some extra vegetables.
Grains like bulgur, buckwheat, kamut, wheat berries and quinoa are available all year round, but on a cold day, these high fibre, nutrient loaded foods add goodness to pilafs, stews, stir-fries, soups, as a side dish or in salads. And, for me, the best breakfast on a cold winter morning is hot oatmeal.
Local foods
When it comes to fruits and vegetables, there are some local foods available. Apples, beets, cabbage, carrots, onions, leeks, parsnips, squash, sweet potatoes, rutabaga and rhubarb are still available from Ontario growers and they are packed with nutrition.
Frozen vegetables are another option. Picked at the peak of ripeness and frozen quickly, they are rich in nutrition and make lots of variety possible. If you opt for canned, buy vegetables that are canned with less salt, and fruit that is canned without sugar. And, if you want a little taste of summer, you can buy frozen fruit like berries and mangoes that help you think about warmer days ahead.
fran.berkoff@sunmedia.ca
