Is it just us, or does winter make everyone suddenly crave unhealthy foods? Not that we have any research to back it up, but we have a feeling it stems from caveman days. Our bodies telling us, “better get as fat as you can now, because who knows where your next meal is coming from in this cold weather?” Well, your body has definitely got it wrong. We’ve come a long way since then, and it’s amazing how easy it is to find a healthy and filling meal or snack at your nearest supermarket.
Of course, we recommend Parmalat’s Fabulite™ range of yoghurts when it comes to snacking. Not only is it good for you (there’s no added sugar and no fat), it’s delicious. Whether you’re looking for a tasty fruit flavour, or something plain to add to your morning cereal, Fabulite™ has you covered. We love mixing the plain yoghurt with some sugar-free muesli for a creamy start to the day that keeps us going right through to lunchtime.
In the depths of winter, there is one thing we all love to curl up with, and that’s a bowl of delicious and nutritious soup. Well, stick with us to the end. We’ve got a recipe you’re going to love.
Research
On the subject of research (okay, we weren’t quite on the subject), we do have enough of it. To know that Parmalat Fabulite™ is a healthy snack that can (and should) be enjoyed all year round. You see, Fabulite™ contains many of the proteins you should be getting in your daily diet. Plus, as a yoghurt, it contains probiotics to keep your digestive health in check.
So, while a lot of us tend to forget about yoghurt during the colder months, it should definitely remain part of your daily diet throughout the year. Fabulite™ also has no added sugar, which means it’s friendly enough for sufferers of diabetes. It has been endorsed by Diabetes South Africa.
Did you know that yoghurt is also helpful in the prevention of diabetes? The Nutrition Information Centre at Stellenbosch University (NICUS) recommends having at least two cups of dairy per day, and particularly highlights low-fat products. So, a cup of Fabulite™ could make up one (or even both) of those recommended servings.
It’s also worth noting that NICUS recommends drinking six to eight glasses of water each day (another thing the cold weather can often cause us to neglect), increasing your fibre intake with oats or similar grains, having at least five daily servings of fruit, and reducing your fat intake.
So, we think those are a lot of great reasons to not just include Fabulite™ yoghurt into your diet throughout the year, but also reason enough to try and eat healthy and stay healthy even when your caveman instincts insist that you shouldn’t. And now, as promised, an easy and delicious recipe for a soup that you’re sure to return to again and again, year after year (we know we do).
BUTTERNUT SOUP
INGREDIENTS
- 9 cups liquid veg stock
- 1 450g butternut (peel it, cube it, throw out the seeds)
- 1 small parsnip, peeled & diced
- Half a cup of red lentils
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 350g broccoli (cut these up a bit)
- 1 celery stick cut into thin strips
- 1 small leek, cut half lengthways, wash it, cut the halves into long thin strips
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (or the bottled kind if you don’t feel like squeezing lemons)
- A couple of slices of your favourite crusty bread
- 250g Fabulite™ plain yoghurt
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon dried mint
- 1 crushed garlic clove
METHOD
- First make some herbed yoghurt. Just combine the yoghurt, parsley, mint and garlic in a bowl. Cover that and put it in the fridge. Easy, right?
- Now to get started on the soup. Begin by pouring the stock into a large saucepan and bringing it to the boil over high heat. Once it’s boiling, add the pumpkin, parsnip, lentils, bay leaf and cumin. Reduce heat to low and let it simmer, uncovered, for about 10 minutes.
- Add the broccoli, celery and leek to the pan. Increase heat to medium and continue letting it simmer for 5 more minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Stir in the lemon juice.
- And now, the best part: Serve immediately in warmed soup bowls with a dollop of the herbed yoghurt and slices of crusty bread. Mmmm!
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