Stew be or not stew be!

On cold winter evenings you want nothing more than to snuggle up on your sofa with a blanket, your favourite show on TV or a book, and a piping hot bowl of sheer comfort. 

Winter foods do not call for finesse or gourmet presentations. Winter cuisine does not demand the delicacies you would expect in the summer. You want a bowl of something that might not necessarily be pretty to look at, but it will warm you up from the inside, from your head to your toes.

Dishes like soups, stews and broths are perfect for this kind of weather because you can throw everything into a pot, let all the flavours infuse and leave it to boil for an hour or so. It's as simple as it gets, and it does not require a lot of fussing around in the kitchen – the more time you can spend wrapped up warm in bed, the better!

Soups, particularly chicken-based ones, have always been used as home remedies for colds. For starters, the hot soup itself is good for loosening up mucus in the throat and clearing your blocked nose. It may be an old wives tale but the nutrients in the soup are said to have healing properties and provide the hydration you need to fight off your infection.

Of course, soups are not just consumed for their medicinal properties. Chunky soups and stews are good for using scraps of meat and leftover vegetables to create a hearty, healthy meal that will not break the bank. They are filling, especially with some buttered toast on the side, and will definitely stave off hunger pangs for hours, so they are perfect if you are on a diet.

And speaking of diets, a good broth recipe is essential to keep in your arsenal. They are light, healthy and you know you are not consuming unnecessary grease or unhealthy fats. 

Broths are a good way to extract all the nutrients in whatever vegetables you use, and even though they are not as hearty or heavy as stews, they will still fill you up. Broths made from bones – whether you use chicken, beef, or fish – are loaded with protein and if you work out regularly, they are great for repairing your muscles.

By Zahrah Haider