When the temperature drops, there's nothing like reassuring comfort food to warm you up.
Stews are top of the comfort-food list as they're wholesome and easy to prepare. With the right ingredients, a pot of stew can also go a long way towards filling you up – without making too much of a dent in your food budget.
Beans and lentils, which work fantastically well in stews, are some of the world's most underrated food ingredients. They're a great substitute for red meat, as they're a source of protein without the added saturated fat. Legumes are also a rich source of disease-fighting antioxidants, and they're fairly inexpensive.
So combine legumes, meat and vegetables in your stews this winter. Dress your favourite recipe up with chilli, ginger, dried apricots or fresh coriander. And if you need more inspiration, try one of the stew recipes below.
These recipes were compiled by dieticians Liesbet Delport and Gabi Steenkamp in association with other dieticians for the Eating for Sustained Energy range of cookbooks. Apart from being rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, the low-glycaemic-index stews will also help keep your blood-sugar levels under control. If you're a diabetic, or trying to control your weight, this is important.
For more information on the glycaemic index, visit the website of the Glycemic Index Foundation.
View recipes:
- Mushroom and lentil stew
- Beef and vegetable stew
- Beef stew with green beans
(Carine Visagie, Health24, July 2009)