Enjoying Winter Vegetables!
Winter Vegetables
In winter it can be sometimes hard to eat vegetables. Indeed, it is cold outside and we prefer something to warm us up like gratins, pies, pastas… and all those delicious meals are often fatty. On the other hand, winter vegetables are poorly known and people don’t know well how to cook them. In this article we will learn more about some winter vegetables and how to cook them with healthy but yummy recipes!
Beetroot
Really high antioxydant power
Rich in A and K vitamins (especially in the leaf)
Good source of B vitamins
Brocoli
Plays a role against cancers (such as ovaries, kidneys cancers).
Rich in C and K vitamins
Butternut squash
Contains a lot of antioxydants
Rich in A and C vitamins
Rich in potassium, and a good source of calcium and magnesium
Cabbage
Really low in calories
Plays a role against cancers (contains a lot of antioxydants).
Rich in C and A vitamins
Carot
Really high source of carotenoids (antioxydants)
Rich in A vitamin
Cauliflower
As brocoli and cabbage, cauliflower plays a role against some cancers
Good source of C and B vitamins
Celery
Rich in antioxidants
Rich in K and B vitamins
Chicory
High level in antioxydants (flavonoid and carotenoid)
Really rich in C, K, B9 vitamins and rich in copper
Leek
Role against cancer (thanks to the antioxidants) and inflammations
Parsnip
Good source of fiber
Good source of B vitamins and manganese
Pumpkin
High in antioxydants (beta-carotene)
Really rich in A vitamin
Spinach
Spinach contains a lot of vitamins and minerals
It is really high in A, K, B9, iron, manganese, magnesium
Now here are some delicious and easy recipes you can make at home. I hope you will enjoy eating winter vegetables!
Recipes
Brocoli and cauliflower gratin (4 pers)
Ingredients
Preparation
- 1 brocoli
- 1 cauliflower
- 1 shallot
- 2 cups soy cream
- 1 cup grated cheese
- 2 tablespoons Maïzena
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- salt, pepper
Preheat your oven to 210°C.
Cut the brocoli and the cauliflower in bunches.
Bring water to a boil and dive in the vegetables. Let it cook for about 15 minutes.
Mix the soy cream and Maïzena with the groundnutmeg.
Put the shallot, brocolis and cauliflowers into a plate and pour in the soy cream preparation.
Put in the oven for 20-30 min until the cheese is grilled.
Butternut shepperd’s pie (4 pers)
Ingredients
- 1 pound 5% minced beef
- 2 carots
- 1 onion
- 1 tablespoon tomato sauce
- 1 butternut squash
- 2 cups milk
- 1 cup grated cheese
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- salt, pepper, rosemary
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 210°C.
Cut the butternut squash in pieces and and make it steamed for about 20 minutes until the flesh is soft.
While the butternut is cooking, cut the carots and the onion in small pieces and brown them in the pan. Then add the minced beef and add the seasoning and the tomato sauce.
Put the mixture in a plate. When the squash is cooked, mashed it and cook it a the pan for a few minutes. Add the milk step by step until it is creamy and thick. Add salt and pepper and pour it over the meat.
Sprinkle with grated cheese and put it in the oven for 15 minutes
Stuffed cabbage Rolls (4 pers)
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup uncooked brown rice
- 8 cabbages leaves
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 onion
- 1 egg
- 1 tomato
- 1 can condensed tomato soup
- salt, pepper
Preparation
Cook the rice as indicated on the package.
In a large saucepan bring water to a boil (salted). Add cabbage leaves and cook for 2 to 4 minutes.
In a bowl, combine the ground beef, 1 cup cooked rice, onion, egg, tomato, salt and pepper, along with 2 tablespoons of tomato soup. Mix thoroughly.
Divide the beef mixture evenly among the cabbage leaves. Roll and secure them with toothpicks or string.
In a large skillet over medium heat, place the cabbage rolls and pour the remaining tomato soup over the top. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 40 minutes, stirring and basting with the liquid often.
Pumpkin and pear muffins (serve 12)
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups wholemeal flour
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons maple sirup
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 2 eggs
- 1 15 ounce pumpkin puree
- 2 pears
- 1/2 cup coconut oil
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 180°C
Mix together flour, sugar, maple sirup, baking soda and spices in a medium bowl and whisk together. Set aside.
In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, pumpkin puree, coconut oil and vanilla extract.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir together. Add pears, cut in small pieces. Do not over mix, just stir until everything is incorporated into the batter.
Put the batter in muffins tins and bake the muffins for 20 minutes (if you insert a toothpick into the center of a it comes out clean)
Celery puree with apples and nuts (4 pers)
Ingredients
- 1 pound 4 ounce celery
- 2 apples
- 10 nuts kernels
- ½ cup milk
- 20g butter
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- salt, pepper
Preparation
Cut the celery in cubes and steam it for at least 20 minutes.
Peel and cut the apples into small pieces. Brown them at the pan with the butter for about 10 minutes.
When the celery is tender mash it ad cook it at the pan for a few minutes. Crush the nuts and add them to the puree. Add the apples, salt and nutmeg. Mix it, and it is done !
Stuffed butternut squash (4 pers)
Ingredients
- 1 butternut squash
- 1 oignon
- ½ cup of uncooked buckwheat
- 30g crushed chestnuts
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon curry
- 1 teaspoon salty soy sauce
- ½ cup liquid cream
- pepper
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 200°C.
Cut the squash in half and steam it for 20 minutes.
At the same time, cook the buckwheat as indicated on the package.
When the butternut is cooked dig the flesh. Brown it in a pan with the onion and olive oil.
Add the seasoning (curry, pepper and soy sauce).
Remove of the heat and add the buckwheat, chestnuts anc cream.
Put in the oven for 15 minutes.
