Stay Warm with Warming Foods: Embrace the Comfort and Nourishment
Winter is the time when we crave warming and cosy foods. There is nothing quite like curling up with a blanket and a steaming hot bowl of soup on a chilly day. There is science behind why we want these types of foods during the colder months as when we consume our favourite winter comfort foods, dopamine is released in our brain, leading to a sense of contentment and happiness.
Before the comforts of housing and supermarkets, humans needed to increase their body weight to survive the winter months, so craving carbohydrates and sugary foods was key to survival. This said, warming winter meals don’t have to be unhealthy or high in calories. Let’s look at an excellent selection of healthy body-warming foods that are nourishing as well as comforting.
What are the main warming foods
Winter is a time we need to stay warm and choosing warming foods is a great way to do that. One way to know if you are choosing the right foods for winter is to follow what is in season. See what is growing in the allotment or what fruit and vegetables are available at your greengrocer to ensure that you are eating seasonally. Think of vegetables that are dense and take longer to grow such as sweet potatoes and swedes as opposed to lighter vegetables that have a higher water content such as lettuce or tomatoes. Who wants a salad when it’s cold outside? Root vegetables are great for keeping warm, veg like carrots, beets and potatoes. Other winter vegetables include leeks, onions, pumpkin, mustard greens and chard. Think of a lovely leek and potato soup bubbling away on the stove, while it’s cold outside.
On the other hand, there are spices, excellent for keeping warm and warding off winter colds. One superstar among them is ginger, which is a great addition to stir fries or soups and is an excellent way to stay warm from the inside. Ginger is said to be one of the best warming foods. Chop it up and simmer in water for 20 minutes to create a lovely winter infusion, add honey, which is another great winter warmer and enjoy! Grate into stir fries for some extra heat or add to a carrot and coriander soup for some extra flavour and heat. Another contender this winter is turmeric, which will spice up any curry or add some colour and heat to your soups. Other spices such as cayenne and black pepper are great for warming up the body during the colder months. Consider adding them to your dishes this winter.
On the other hand, there are spices, excellent for keeping warm and warding off winter colds. One superstar among them is ginger, which is a great addition to stir fries or soups and is an excellent way to stay warm from the inside. Ginger is said to be one of the best warming foods. Chop it up and simmer in water for 20 minutes to create a lovely winter infusion, add honey, which is another great winter warmer and enjoy! Grate into stir fries for some extra heat or add to a carrot and coriander soup for some extra flavour and heat. Another contender this winter is turmeric, which will spice up any curry or add some colour and heat to your soups. Other spices such as cayenne and black pepper are great for warming up the body during the colder months. Consider adding them to your dishes this winter.
Using warming foods for winter recipes
There are plenty of different winter recipes you can make with warming foods. For instance, there is nothing like a hot bowl of soup in winter and they can be blitzed up easily with the blender attachment of your Stand Mixer. Or what about a deliciously comforting lasagna using the Lasagna Roller attachment. And for dessert a chocolatey steamed pudding made easy with the Kmix and its Creaming Beater. Who could resist? Let’s see some other interesting recipes.
Courgette and Garlic soup
This winter warmer can be made easily and hassle free with the help of a Kenwood Food Processor. Chop onions, courgettes, potatoes and garlic and simmer along with chicken stock and basil. Garnish with more fresh basil leaves and enjoy.
Cheese and Chilli Naan
This recipe pairs excellently with a hot bowl of soup. Combine mozzarella, garlic, coriander, cheddar cheese and finely chop a chili with an easy to make naan dough. Fit the Folding Tool to either the Cooking Chef XL or the Titanium Chef Patissier XL to make the dough and fold in the tasty seasonings. The specially designed Fold Tool perfectly scrapes and folds, with the paddle lifting the ingredients as it rotates in the bowl. Brush with ghee and sprinkle with nigella seeds before placing in a pre-heated oven. Cheesy, spicy and delicious! What’s not love?
Vegan Pumpkin and Ginger Soup
Chop an onion, add to a pan and cook over medium heat until soft, then add minced garlic, chopped chili, ginger, turmeric, pumpkin, carrot, coconut milk, stock and tamari into the saucepan. Bring this to a boil and cook for 15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. To make this lovely soup you can use a hand blender such as the Triblade XL Hand Blender.
Have some fun with warming, nutritional foods this winter, try some new recipes, and keep warm and cosy.
Have some fun with warming, nutritional foods this winter, try some new recipes, and keep warm and cosy.