Quick and Nutritious Winter Meal Ideas and Recipes

Broccolini, Chickpeas and Italian Turkey Sausage Stir-fry

Looking for some quick and nutritional meals to get you through the winter? BCLiving asked Vancouver nutritionist Haley Barton to create recipes inspired by Global BC Morning News anchor Sophie Lui’s healthy, easy-to-prepare meals. Here are Barton’s recipes for a simple one-pot veggie and sausage stir-fry, a comforting curry and a delicious breakfast smoothie.

Ingredients:

2 bunches broccolini (about 375 g/12 oz total)

4 Italian turkey sausages

30 ml (2 tbsp) extra virgin olive oil

1 small white onion, diced

114 ml (¼ cup) white wine

2 garlic cloves

Pinch of chili pepper flakes (optional)

227 ml (1 cup) diced canned tomatoes, drained

1 – 375 ml (12 oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

Chopped flat-leaf parsley

Serves 4.

Preparation:

Place sausages in large non-stick sauté pan over medium heat and cook through. In the meantime, mince garlic and let rest (*see nutrition note). Trim the last inch off the broccolini and then slice into one-inch diagonal pieces.

Once cooked, remove sausages from pan and transfer to plate. Add olive oil and diced onion to pan and sauté over medium heat until onion becomes translucent, about two minutes. Add garlic, chili flakes and sliced broccolini. Cook, stirring frequently for two minutes. Add white wine and tomatoes. Partially cover pan and cook until broccolini is tender, about four minutes. Cut cooked sausages into bite-size pieces and add to pan along with chickpeas to heat through. Serve with chopped flat-leaf parsley. 

Nutrition Notes:

Garlic is a nutritional powerhouse. It is anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial and has been shown to lower blood pressure. In order to maximize the potency of its active compounds, “press and rest” – that means mince or press your garlic and then let it rest for about 10 minutes before adding it to the pan. Despite the name, broccolini is not baby broccoli. It is a hybrid of broccoli.

Banana Mango Smoothie

Ingredients:

One-Pot Mushroom and Butternut Squash Curry

Ingredients:

15 ml (1 tbsp) organic canola oil

1 onion, roughly chopped

250 ml (1 cup) butternut squash, peeled, de-seeded and chopped into medium chunks

1 eggplant, chopped into medium chunks

250 ml (1 cup) of mushrooms, cut in half

30 ml (2 tbsp) curry paste (or more for spicier curry)

175 ml (3/4 cup) of reduced-sodium vegetable stock

400 mL can reduced-fat coconut milk

250 ml (1 cup) of spinach, washed

Chopped coriander

Serves 4.

Preparation:

Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the onion and butternut squash. Cover and cook over a low heat for five minutes until the squash starts to soften. Add the eggplant and mushrooms then cook for three minutes.

Stir in the curry paste, and add the stock and coconut milk. Bring to the boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes or until the squash is tender.  Add the spinach, stir through and cook for a final minute to wilt. Transfer to bowls and top with chopped coriander. Serve on its own or with wild rice. 

Nutrition Notes:

Curry paste gets its bright yellow colour from turmeric. Turmeric’s active component, curcumin, exhibits powerful antioxidant properties. Keep a jar by your stovetop and shake it in to all your favourite meals.