Healthy Eating - Quick and Easy Winter Meal Ideas For Busy People

Busy Lifestyles and two income families often result in takeaway being the easiest option for evening meals several nights a week.

One Pot meals are an excellent way to make quick, healthy and nutritious food while saving time on excessive preparation techniques. Many meals can be set up ready to cook in the morning and simply switched on when arriving home.

Healthy Casseroles

Soups, stews, casseroles and Pasta Bakes all make excellent one pot meals. Most require minimal preparation time and have a wide range of nutritional value.

Thick rich vegetable soup can be made by combining one cup each of diced carrot, zucchini, onion, celery, potato and swede. Add two cups of diced pumpkin and cover with water (or chicken stock). Add a dash of curry powder, and a pinch of sea salt. Stir through and leave standing while your away ensuring all vegetables are covered with water. Cook until pumpkin breaks down and thickens soup and remaining vegetables are tender.

Stew can easily be made using the same method above with the addition of two cups of diced beef, lamb or pork. Boil until liquid reduces and stew thickens. Serve with garlic bread or crusty bread rolls.

Prepare casseroles similar to a stew and place ingredient. in a suitably sized casserole dish. Casseroles have the added benefit of being able to be cooked the day before, and reheated the following day.

Pasta bakes have many variations. All revolve around Penne, Spiral or Macaroni pasta with various sauces, fish, meat and cheese. Tuna Pasta bake is a favourite in many households. There are many commercially available pre-made sauces available for pasta bakes but these generally contain high levels of sodium, preservatives and artificial flavours. A simple home made white sauce and cheese is just as easy as opening a bottle and does not contain added artificial ingredients.

Winter is a time when we consume more food and gain extra pounds. Food in winter is as much about comfort as it is about nutrition. We look for "comfort food" during the colder months of the year as a result we tend to eat too much of the wrong things.

Out of season fresh Fruit and Vegetables during winter are usually imported. If you have bulked up on supplies when food has been in season may have stores in the freezer.

There are many vegetables in season throughout different months of the year. Winter is traditionally a time for Carrots, Brassica's (Cauliflower, Broccoli, Swede etc.) with stores of potatoes usually available throughout the winter months. Farmers Markets are also an ideal place to buy local fresh fruit and vegetables.

Healthy Eating - Quick and Easy Winter Meal Ideas For Busy People

Eric J Smith describes himself as being "Passionate about Organics". He is committed to Educating people on the importance reducing the chemical load on our bodies and the Environment. Eric is Married and has 2 Children. Eric and his wife Narelle represent Miessence Certified Organic Skin Care, Cosmetics, Home & Nutritional Products. www.buy-organic-products.com.