As the weather gets colder (and colder), it becomes more important for us all to find ways in which to stay as warm as possible – but this is particularly true for older and more vulnerable people, who are more susceptible to chronic illnesses and health problems like pneumonia, strokes and heart attacks.
While wearing extra layers and putting the heating on are both essential at this time of year, another way to keep yourself and loved ones warm in winter is to eat healthy and nutritious hot food, warming yourself up from the inside out.
Even if you have mobility issues and need help with household tasks like cooking, you can still fill the fridge with delicious warming meals – with the assistance of your home care team and private nurse.
To help you decide what to whip up in the kitchen first, here are just a couple of our favourite autumnal dishes here at Concept Care. If you need any help with food preparation, give us a call!
Irish stew with dumplings
A casserole dish is always advisable at this time of year and it’s easy to scale up so you can enjoy lots of portions and put some in the freezer for days when you don’t want to cook.
This Delia Smith recipe sounds utterly divine, featuring lamb neck fillet, onions, carrots, leeks, potato and pearl barley… as well as some particularly tasty dumplings as the crowning glory. We’re sure you’ll want to make this time and time again.
Lentil soup
Lentils make for a really delicious soup and you’ll get some excellent nutrition at the same time, since lentils have been found to support heart health, digestive health and weight management. They’re rich in magnesium, folate and potassium, as well as prebiotics to promote healthy gut bacteria.
This BBC Good Food recipe involves a bit of chopping (which we can certainly lend a helping hand with), but you’ll get three of your five a day and have lots left over. If you really want to add a touch of decadence to proceedings, why not chop up some bacon bits and fry them up to sprinkle over the top? Delicious!
Sri Lankan carrot curry
There’s nothing quite like a bit of spice to warm you up from the inside and this vegan carrot curry from Olive Magazine is incredibly aromatic, with just the right amount of heat (tempered to perfection with the addition of coconut milk).
What we particularly like about this recipe is that it’s quite versatile. Once it’s made, (again, we recommend doing a big batch cook so you have food in the fridge for a week), you can serve it with basmati rice, naan bread, or make some baked chicken to put on the top… or all three!
Of course, these are only a couple of recipes to consider – and if you have any special family favourites that you’d like us to help with, all you have to do is ask!
