Winter is a special time of year. The days are getting shorter, and we're lazier. Looking for a healthy lunch for work? Try our winter lunchbox recipes packed with healthy produce and high-quality protein. These delicious and quick recipes will keep you feeling full for hours.
1. Warming up
A healthy winter diet aims not only to maintain weight but also to strengthen the body's immune system. A winter diet should have warming properties. Proper nutrition can be our ally in strengthening immunity, fighting colds, or simply warming up on cold winter days. Oatmeal is ideal; it satisfies for a long time and, thanks to the addition of appropriate spices, will warm us up on a winter's day.
Warming oatmeal with cranberries
Ingredients:
4 tablespoons of oat flakes
1 apple
1 tablespoon dried cranberries
1 tablespoon of sesame seeds
1 tablespoon of sunflower seeds
1 tablespoon of pumpkin seeds
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
lemon juice
honey
1-2 pinches of cinnamon
Place the oatmeal, cranberries, sesame seeds, ginger, and cinnamon in a bowl. Pour boiling water over the oats to cover and let sit for about 8 minutes – the oats should swell. Toast the sunflower and pumpkin seeds in a dry pan until they begin to brown and release their intense aroma. Grate an apple into the oatmeal, add a teaspoon of lemon juice, and the toasted seeds. Sweeten with honey to taste, stir, and it's ready.
2. Healthy soups.
Soups are the perfect warming meal. It's natural that as winter approaches, the body craves more nutrients. Therefore, multi-vegetable soups are ideal during this time of year, as they are rich in vitamins, trace elements, and minerals, strengthening the body's defenses against microbes. One of the greatest benefits of soups is that they are quick to prepare. They can also be easily reheated, making them an ideal meal for work.
Pumpkin soup with curry
Ingredients:
750 g pumpkin (weight after peeling)
250 g potatoes
2 tomatoes (approx. 300 g) or 1/2 can of chopped tomatoes
3 cups (750 ml) of broth
1 onion
2 cloves of garlic
2 teaspoons of curry powder
1 teaspoon of turmeric
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1/2 cup (125 ml) of 18% cream for soups and sauces (or 30% heavy cream)
fresh basil
Peel the pumpkin, remove the seeds, and dice the flesh. Peel and dice the potatoes. In a large pot, sauté the diced onion and peeled and chopped garlic in olive oil for 15 minutes. Add the pumpkin and potatoes, season with salt, and cook, stirring, for about 4 minutes. Finally, add the turmeric and curry powder. Pour in the hot broth, cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Blanch the fresh tomatoes, peel them, and dice them (canned tomatoes are ready to use immediately). Mix everything together, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Blend in a blender with cream. Before serving, be sure to sprinkle the soup with chopped basil.
3. Vegetables.
Vegetables are an important part of a winter diet, as they contain a high dose of vitamins. However, to avoid losing these valuable nutrients, they should be cooked briefly. The diet should be rich in broccoli, onions, carrots, beets, cabbage, and legumes. Don't forget potatoes, celery, and leeks.
Ratatouille
Ingredients:
3 onions
3 peppers (different colors)
1 eggplant
1 large zucchini
350 g tomatoes
Oil
2 cloves of garlic
2 bay leaves
1 sprig of fresh thyme
a pinch of saffron
salt and pepper
Dice the onion, fry it in olive oil until translucent, then add it to the pot.Repeat with the peppers, zucchini, and eggplant. Finally, add the diced tomatoes. Once all the vegetables are in the pot, add the herbs and spices. Simmer for 20-30 minutes over low heat, stirring occasionally.
