WELLNESS BLOG

In these long, cold winter months, it’s easy to get overwhelmed with the dreary days and the long nights. It can be challenging to eat healthy foods and keep active. A salad isn’t the most appetizing meal on a snowy cold day, so how can you make sure you eat healthy on blustering days? The best way to meet your nutritional goals is by eating your veggies seasoned and simmered in healthy winter stews.

Eating stews is a great habit of reaching your daily produce through a satisfying meal. It doesn’t only fill your belly with warm goodness – stews make the ultimate comfort food. All of the delicious veggie-packed stews have a mix of fiber and protein to satisfy your hunger.

1. Beef and Vegetable Stew

The classic vegetable beef stew has all regular players, such as potatoes, onion, and carrots, but adds green beans and butternut squash. The secret is in a healthy dose of Vitamin C and antioxidants that butternut squash brings to this stew. All you need to do is simmer it on the stovetop or throw it in the crockpot and relax while your house fills with the savory smells.

Ingredients:

• 32 ounces of beef chuck roast cut into chunks
• 1/2 of a yellow onion
• 2 white potatoes cut into pieces
• 2 chopped carrots
• 2 cups of beef broth
• 1 cup of fresh or frozen green beans
• 1 cup of chopped butternut squash
• 4 minced garlic cloves
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tablespoons of flour

Directions:

Coat the beef in flour and saute it in olive oil. Make sure to seal every side of the beef chunks. Cook it for about four minutes. The beef doesn’t need to be cooked all the way through. Set it aside. 

Next, add onions, garlic, and carrots to the saute pan. Cook for 3-4 minutes. Add the beef broth to the saute pan and simmer for five minutes. Then, transfer all the ingredients to the crockpot and set on high for 5-6 hours or low for 8-9 hours. Serve with fresh thyme leaves.

2. Vegetarian Cannellini Bean and Kale Stew

This vegetarian stew is packed full of flavor. Rosemary and sage add a special kind of depth. Use canned beans, and you can have this soup on the table in twenty minutes. It’s quick and easy. You can even add the lemon zest finish to your healthy winter stews.

Ingredients:

• 3 1/2 cups of vegetable broth
• 3 chopped carrots
• 1 can of Cannellini beans
• 1 large yellow onion 
• 1 cup of chopped kale
• 6 minced garlic cloves
• 1 large Yukon potato
• 3 chopped celery sticks
• 1 sprig of rosemary
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 sprig of sage
• 1 tablespoon of chili flakes
• 1 (14 ounces) can of chopped artichoke hearts 
• Olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1 lemon to zest

Directions:

Saute the celery, onions, and carrots in olive oil until soft, about 6-8 minutes. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Don’t forget the garlic because it helps fight off winter colds. 

Next, add the other ingredients except for the kale. Bring to a boil, then simmer for twenty minutes. Use an immersion blender to blend half of the soup. The blended Cannellini beans will make the soup creamy without adding the heaviness of the actual cream. Add the kale and cook for five more minutes. Serve with lemon zest and a sprinkle of fresh Parmesan cheese. If you are vegan, sprinkle nutritional yeast on top.

3. Chicken Pozole Verde

Pozole is a traditional Mexican stew that can be either green or red. The good thing is, you don’t have to go south of the border to get this delicious Mexican meal. You can make it at home.

We present you the green version of pozole, served topped with fresh onions and radishes that give the soup a crunchy finish.

Ingredients:

• 7 cups of chicken broth
• 4 chicken breasts
• 1 pound of tomatillos (husked and cut in half)
• 1 yellow onion
• 2 seeded jalapenos 
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1/2 cup of chopped cilantro
• 1 tablespoon of oregano
• 3 (15 ounces) cans of hominy
• Garnishes: shredded iceberg lettuce, chopped onion, thinly sliced radishes, avocado slices, and lime wedges.

Directions:

Boil the chicken breast for twenty-five minutes, then set it aside. When cooled, shred the chicken. Add the tomatillos, onion, jalapeño peppers, garlic, chopped cilantro, and oregano. Blend with a pinch of salt and pepper. 

Pour the liquid into a saute pan and heat for around 10 minutes until it turns a dark green. Transfer to a soup pot and add shredded chicken and hominy. Simmer for 15 minutes. Serve with garnishes.

Eating comforting and healthy stews is a great way to stay on track during the long winter months, so you are swimsuit-ready when the sun finally comes back. Check out the  MyLifeWell app to learn more delicious recipes for all seasons.