1. Ratio for healthier stew is key
Mashed potatoes are delicious, but butter and whole milk don’t make it very low in calories. In addition, potatoes contain a lot of carbohydrates. Replace with sweet potato? Also tasty, but it contains even more carbohydrates. It makes a difference if you adjust the proportions in a stew: a little less potato, a little more vegetables. Or instead of mashed potatoes, make a puree of low-carb vegetables, such as pumpkin. In the blender with a tablespoon of crème frache light and you don’t know what you taste. Other low-carb vegetables: beets, kohlrabi, eggplant, cauliflower, broccoli, celeriac, carrot, pumpkin, bell pepper, leek, or onion.
2. Choose the lightest stew as a healthy variant
Sauerkraut, stew, kale… all very tasty, but it remains heavy. Although there are differences. Just for an overview: 400 grams of kale is good for 336 kcal, endive 265 kcal, stew 244 kcal, and sauerkraut 212 kcal. Please note: this does not include sausage, bacon and gravy. So don’t count yourself rich with that steaming plate of sauerkraut.
3. Stew without dimple
Stamppot really doesn’t always have to be accompanied by a big ditch of greasy gravy. Spicy paprika or vegetable stock is a great substitute and just as tasty in the infamous ‘dimple’. Do you think that’s less? Then dilute your gravy with some water. Or let the gravy get cold, skim off the layer of fat and heat the gravy. Still saves.
4. Lean meat is healthier
We understand that you would like to serve a juicy sausage or crispy bacon with your winter meal. But they are fat people. You can also opt for a lean smoked sausage or ham cubes. Prefer to stick with bacon? Then bake lean cubes, pat them with kitchen paper and do not use the fat. Also tasty: seasoned mushrooms through the stew, or small cubes of chicken that you marinate in advance in shoarma spices.
5. Creamy
You don’t need mountains of butter for creamy mashed potatoes. Press the potatoes through a masher or pass them through a sieve, and make this fine mash extra smooth with a dash of milk. If it is a bit spicier or fresher, use a few spoons of low-fat herb cheese or cottage cheese.
6. Soup, I got you
Alternate all that hearty winter food with a meal soup. This way you get a lot of vegetables without noticing and it is wonderfully warming. Plus, it’s so simple to make. Do you have a bag of peas in the freezer? Fry an onion, add the peas, some stock powder and water and let it boil for a while. Then add the immersion blender, puree and finish with, for example, parsley or mint and some light cooking cream. Or make a meal soup from all the vegetable scraps you still have at home, add some whole-wheat pasta shells for the filling and possibly some small ham cubes. So beeped.
7. Long dining
Do you like cheese fondue or gourmet, because you can dine extra long? A lighter alternative is stock fondue (hot pot). Make a nice stock in the fondue pot and let vegetables cook in it, such as broccoli or cauliflower florets, carrots, peppers, snow peas and whatever else you like. Pieces of fish or chicken breast can also be used. Just cook in the stock and then dip in, for example, some soy sauce with lemon, Spanish pepper and fresh coriander. Also tasty: a large pan of boiled mussels with yogurt-based sauces. Put an extra vegetable dish on the table, such as a fennel salad.
8. Eau de vie
A glass of wine or beer with dinner is not to be missed, but it also brings the necessary calories with it. Try not to drink alcohol for a month. Instead, put a pitcher of water with fresh mint on the table, or pour water into a nice wine glass with a slice of lemon. In any case, drinking enough water is recommended. Fluid is important for the absorption of nutrients in the intestines, for the transport of food and waste products in your body, and for regulating body temperature. Start the day with a glass of (lukewarm) water. That immediately sets the bowels to work… good for bowel movements.
9. Stretch-and-Stretch
Walking after a meal stimulates digestion, it activates your intestines. As a result, the body processes food faster, reducing the chance of constipation or stomach acid. And start the morning with some exercises. Stretch and stretch your body for a few minutes or do a yoga session. Then your stomach is ready again.
This article appears in the new VROUW Magazine (every Saturday at De Telegraaf). As a premium member you can also read it online (sometimes earlier).