Thursday, January 27, 2011

Winter fuel

Winter....

Most people find it difficult to keep up a healthy lifestyle during the winter months. The cold, unpleasant weather , coupled with holiday indulgences and seemingly incessant desire for comfort food makes for a pretty formidable challenge.

Likewise if you're a person that is dieting or has been suffering from an eating disorder all the situations you are thrown into can be extremely anxiety inducing. Not to mention the "Lose the holiday pounds" and "Detox diet" ads that we are bombarded with - whether we like it or not. All those things combined can make us feel like "not eating" is the simplest path to choose.

The secret in my opinion is moderation and having just enough of the right things. If you need to lose weight - starving yourself is not a solution. Nor is a "cold salad" only detox diet.

Your body actually NEEDS more fuel during the winter months to heat you up and keep you going. This is a scientifically proven fact. So an increased appetite and craving "comfort food" is normal and par to the course and shouldn't be fought off

But comfort food doesn't have to be deep fried, cream based or "unhealthy" in order to qualify for that title.

One of my favorite comfort foods in the winter months is a thick soup or stew. I never thought I'd say this, because in the summer I'd rather eat a shoe then suffer through a steaming bowl of liquid. But I've made a 360 degree turn around since then, and I am a converted soup lover. Not only are they warm, filling and comforting but they are an excellent way of getting in your vegetables, which are far to easy to neglect in the realm of comfort food.

I had this soup for lunch today, and absolutely LOVED it. And since it looks oh so appetizing (note the sarcasm which is meant more as an apology for my poor photography skills) I decided to share the recipe with you all.






1 cup cooked white beans
2-4 cups chopped broccoli crowns (depends how green you want it to be)
1 cup vegetable broth
1-2 cups water (depending on how thick you want your soup)
salt and pepper to taste.

Throw the beans, liquid and broccoli in a pot. Bring to a boil and let it simmer there for 30 minutes or till the broccoli is really soft. Blend and season (adding more water/broth) till it reaches your desired consistency. Serve hot topped with shredded cheese and something to chew on the side :P

This soup is tasty, filling, full of protein and vitamins. I'd say that's a pretty good deal for a comfort food - wouldn't you agree?

1 comment:

  1. Uh, yes! Comforting and healthy? The best deal around. I don't think the picture is bad at all, and I LOVE that you can see the steam rising off the top.
    As for soup, I'm all for it. I'm half Hungarian, and we've got as much soup as paprika running through our veins. Give me a bowl of cukorborso leves nokedlivel (sweet pea soup with tiny dumplings) and I'm set for winter!

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