Today we’re talking about the benefits of batch cooking for healthy weight gain.

So Happy New Year one and all. It seems fitting to start with a post that will help with organising meals over the year especially if your intention is to gain healthy weight

Because realistically we feel so time poor, we wonder if we even have time to cook.

(And that’s why food delivery services are a billion dollar industry.)

If you don’t already know, I’m a big believer in batch cooking for several reasons. It has made gaining healthy weight so much easier for me.

I tell everyone they should try it because batch cooking will help you eat healthier if nothing else.

For those that don’t yet know, batch cooking is basically preparing larger quantities of home cooked meals that you’re not going to eat straight away, but will generally freeze to enjoy at a later time.

So when you’re tired after a long day at work or school, are run off your feet, been stuck in traffic and have arrived home with no inclination whatsoever to cook, no worries!

Bust open the freezer (or fridge if you defrosted your meal) and voila! You and your family get to enjoy a delicious nutritious meal without breaking a sweat.

Benefits Of Batch Cooking

1.Batch cooking saves you money.

I love this one!

Firstly even before batch cooking, it’s best to menu plan for the week or even longer if you prefer.

Making a menu plan means you can pick a few ingredients you’d like to eat over that week and make enough for several meals.

Doing this saves money rather than trying to work out each day what to make for dinner and having to run out to get more ingredients because you’ve run out of what you need.

Also bulk buying some foods that are in season or on special will save you cash. Here are a few more tips on saving money when shopping.

After the menu planning and grocery shopping, then do your batch cooking, cool it down and freeze it.

Finally, having nutritious home-made meals ready to go means not having to order take-out and spend money because “there’s nothing to eat in the house.”

2. It saves you time

Once you figure out how often you will be batch cooking, it will save you lots of time.

I batch cook weekly but you could also do it fortnightly or even monthly. A lot will depend on how much room you have in your freezer.

Depending on how many meals and/or type of ingredients you are using, batch cooking can take a few hours.

But you do it that ONE time and then the only time you’re spending in the kitchen after that is re-heating your pre-cooked meals, minimal clean up, and maybe making a salad.

This means the kitchen stays cleaner for longer.

Batch cooking also means you don’t have to worry or think about what to have for your various meals.

And an added bonus is some foods like curries, stews, bolognaise, chilli, some soups and meats become even more flavourful when they aren’t eaten straight away after cooking.

3. Batch Cooking helps with eating healthier and healthy weight gain

Batch cooking is great because it makes it easier for you to eat healthier.

Remember that menu planning from earlier?

Well ideally, you’ll have come up with a bunch of delicious healthy weight gain meals that you actually want to eat that week.

It’s no coincidence that people who buy whole foods and cook at home eat better quality meals.

With batch cooking, you prepare that variety of healthy meals in one hit and store them away, until it’s time to chow down.

This little step gives you confidence in staying on track with your healthy weight gain goals. It sets you up for the day as all you need to do is pick out a meal from the freezer for lunch/dinner.

4. Reducing food waste.

Menu planning, smart grocery shopping and batch cooking are all strategies that help with reducing food waste in your home.

The stored food in your freezer or fridge is perfect for leftovers.

You don’t need to worry about what to take to work for lunch or for the kids’ lunches the next day. Eating up leftovers is a great way to reduce food waste.

Who knew? Batch cooking is actually good for the environment.

5. Adds more variety in your diet.

I know some people may be turned off batch cooking because they think that means they will be eating the same meals week in, week out.

It absolutely doesn’t have to be that way!

Batch cooking is a great way to experiment with different vegetables, meats and just recipes in general.

Jump online and be amazed at the variety of delicious foods you can batch cook.

If you’re not big on eating the same foods over and over again, be creative in mixing it up.

For instance, if you’ve cooked up a roast, you could use leftovers for a salad, sandwiches, wraps, omelette, stir fry with vegetables or make fried rice.

And don’t forget, increasing the variety of whole foods in your diet can lead to diversity in your gut which has health benefits including boosting immunity.

Examples of Batch Cooked Meals for Healthy Weight Gain

So the beauty of these meals is that they will help with healthy weight gain, are delicious and nourishing.

Oh, and they are one-pot or pan. Less cleaning up. It’s a win-win situation!

1.Shepherd’s pie

2.Roast and vegetables.

3.Eggplant and potato moussaka

4.Chicken, mushroom and spinach risotto.

5.Beef or chicken fried rice with Asian vegetables.

So there it is. Why don’t you try the benefits of batch cooking for healthy weight gain today?

Veganism is on the rise all over the world and today we’re talking about 7 healthy high calorie foods for vegans.

Before we dive in, while this post refers to weight gain foods for vegans, it is actually for anyone trying to gain healthy weight.

Vegans avoid using animal products as food. Their plant based diet consists of vegetables, fruits, seeds, grains and nuts.

Veganism could be based on health, religion, ethical or environmental reasons.  

And it’s important to note that there are different types of vegans who might avoid animal food only, and others who avoid animal products in all parts of their lives.

Now eating a plant based diet has many benefits. However limiting certain food groups can result in weight loss and reduced health due to a lack of nutrients. People avoiding certain foods such as animal products may need to manage their protein, iron, calcium intake.

In general, studies have found that vegans tend to weigh less. If you are vegan or know a vegan wanting to gain healthy weight, this post can be of help.

Can A Plant Based Diet Result In Weight Gain?

Very simply, yes.

Though I remember I wasn’t sure at first especially when thinking about gaining healthy weight on a plant based diet.

When you think of fruit and vegetables, it can be easy to think of cucumber, melons, lettuce and oranges which have high water content. So how could someone gain weight eating that stuff?

But there are plant based foods that are calorie and nutrient rich that can help with healthy weight gain. And that’s whether you’re vegan, vegetarian or really love your meat.

Right, let’s take a look at our 7 healthy high calorie foods for vegans.

Calorie Dense Foods For Vegans

1. Potatoes

Potatoes are seen as a diet no-no by many but a lot of this depends on how potatoes are cooked.

In fact a lot of people don’t know that potatoes are high in protein and nutrients including vitamins C, B6, potassium, magnesium etc. The vitamin C content alone is over 25% of the required daily intake.

They are also a great source of fibre. Actually much of the nutrient and fibre is found in potato skins so it’s not necessary to peel them always. However, if you are going to eat potato skins, then choose organic potatoes to avoid eating pesticides.

Importantly for our weight gain needs, potatoes are a good source of calories. For instance one large potato has about 280 calories.

Another bonus is they are an easily available and a cheap source of nutrients. Potatoes are also adaptable and can be enjoyed in many different ways so you won’t get bored of eating them.

2. Avocados

These are one of my favourite fruits because they are so creamy and tasty, packed with nutrients and calories. See this for more info on the amazing health benefits of avocados.

And, a medium sized avocado has approximately 250-280 calories. Enough said!

3. Nuts and nut butter

Nuts and nut butters are another great vegan food rich in healthy fats, protein, antioxidants, fibre, minerals and vitamins.

They provide energy and also tend to be high in calories. For example 2 tablespoons of peanut butter has about 188 calories.

And there are different types of nuts with varying amounts of calories and nutrients including walnuts, cashews, peanuts, hazel nuts, pistachios etc.

You can eat nuts in a number of ways such as on their own, in salads, main dishes, desserts etc. Enjoy nut butters with different types of breads, fruits, vegetables, in smoothies, etc.

Honestly your imagination is the limit. And failing that, turn to Pinterest or Instagram for ideas!

One thing to note is to be careful when buying nut butters and only choose ones with natural ingredients and avoid sugars and additives.

Some benefits of nuts include improved heart health and reduced cholesterol levels in the body.

4. Dried fruit

Now we previously mentioned how some fruits have high water content and wouldn’t generally be thought of as a weight gain food. But dried fruits are something else altogether.

They have most of the water removed from them using different drying methods.  

The benefits of dried fruit include that they are very nutritious and retain most of the nutrients of fresh fruit, give more energy and have a long shelf life. Dried fruit is also fibre and antioxidant rich, and easy to carry around.

While dried fruit is good for healthy weight gain, do be aware that it has pretty high levels of natural sugars, so don’t overeat. And avoid dried fruit that has added sugar on top of the already natural sugars of the fruit.

Some examples of dried fruits include raisins, dates, figs, apricots, prunes, currants etc.

5. Beans and lentils

These are some of the most nutrient and calorie dense plant foods out there and should be in your weight gain diet, if you don’t have difficulty digesting them.

Beans and lentils contain protein, fibre, zinc and iron, among other nutrients.  Depending on the type, their benefits include improved heart and gut health as well as balancing blood sugars.

Also they are a good protein substitute for meat. Whilst most beans are not complete proteins, they can be enjoyed together with grains such as rice, pasta, and tortillas etc. to create a complete protein.

A cup of white beans has about 255 calories. Other types include soy, navy, kidney, and red, green or brown lentils etc.

6. Tahini

If you’ve never heard of tahini, don’t worry you’re not alone. It is a paste made from crushed sesame seeds and originates from the Middle East.

Tahini has a nutty flavour and is usually eaten as a dip.  It’s also quite high in calories, packing 180 calories in just 2 tablespoons.

In addition, benefits include good fats, minerals and antioxidants among others. It‘s also been linked to reduced cholesterol and heart disease.

Enjoy it in wraps, sandwiches, as a dressing with lemon and/or yogurt in salads, or dip breads and raw vegetables in it as well.

7. Bread

Yes, there are a number of options of vegan bread and if you struggle to find it in the shops, do jump online and have a look at some simple yet filling recipes.

Naturally, good quality wholegrain bread is one of the ultimate comfort foods and there are different types of vegan bread.

It is also a high calorie food and a slice could have from about 117 calories onwards. Add a healthy vegan spread on top and you’re sitting pretty.

In fact, use the toppings mentioned in this post including avocado, nut butters or even baked beans on vegan bread.

You could also enjoy bread as bruschetta, French toast, a sandwich, with soup and so on.  

Wholegrain bread has benefits including high fibre, nutrient rich including protein, antioxidants, B vitamins, supporting digestion and reducing risk of heart disease.

So guys, get started with these 7 healthy high calorie foods for vegans which will help with healthy weight gain.

Also don’t forget to combine these with a variety of other vegetables, fruits, seeds and grains for a balanced diet.

Catch you on the next post on gainhealthyweight.

Today I’m excited to write about why avocados are important for healthy weight gain.

This is my main go-to fruit for gaining weight and there so many ways to enjoy it.

I’ve previously recommended avocado as a weight food and today I’m going to tell you why, and also give you some ideas of how to use this delicious food for healthy weight gain.

So avocados are pretty well known around the world, but there will still be some places where they aren’t that common.

Now one great thing about avocados is their tough skin prevents insects from eating them, meaning few pesticides are sprayed on them. This tough skin also protects the inside flesh from the chemicals.

Avocados are definitely a staple in my house. There is hardly a week that goes by that they don’t make it into the shopping basket.

On the whole I’m kind of obsessed with them and they have worked so well for me with gaining healthy weight. Oh, and they taste amazing.

But, there are also people out there that don’t like the taste of avocado and think it would be too hard to eat this to gain weight.

Honestly, my first taste of avocado was underwhelming! It took several tries before I got into it.

But no worries mate, because you can still enjoy the benefits by pairing it with other food that may somewhat “mask” the taste if it’s not to your palate.

So let’s start off with why this green fruit is so great. By the way, this is not a list of ALL the benefits, just a few.

Benefits of Avocados

1. Avocados are full of nutrients.

They have about 20 vitamins and minerals in varying amounts including vitamin K, C, B1, B2, B3, B6 and E. 

But wait, there’s more!

They are rich in folate and magnesium and have trace amounts of zinc, copper and iron among others. 

What does this mean to you?

Well it means avocados fuel your body through good fats and protein. The B vitamins help convert food into energy.This fruit also protects the body against inflammation and can help lower blood pressure. Vitamin E also helps with brain health. 

Very importantly for our weight gain needs, a medium sized avocado has about 250 whopping calories. How good is that? 

2. Rich source of unsaturated fats.

Avocados are rich in fats, and that is a good thing.

The best part is this fat is mostly unsaturated which can help in lowering cholesterol.

Unsaturated fats protect against heart disease. Some researchers even recommend eating an avocado a day for this reason.

3. Anti-cancer properties

The antioxidants and phytochemicals in avocados may help stop cancerous cells from forming.

Studies show people with a diet rich in foods such as oleic acid (found in avocados) have a reduced risk of developing some cancers.

4. They support brain and eye health

Avocados are a good source of vitamin E and lutein which may help protect against memory and cognitive decline, as well as diseases such as Alzheimer’s. 

Lutein helps with keeping brain cells healthy.

But lutein is also important for eye health too and has a number of benefits including protection from sunlight damage and inflammation.

5. Avocados help your body absorb other nutrients

While it is vital to eat a nutrient rich diet, the body also needs to be able to absorb these nutrients during digestion. 

For example, people are encouraged to pair plant based foods rich in iron with foods high in vitamin C.

That’s because the vitamin C helps the body to break down iron into a form that the body can absorb and use.

Similarly, fat soluble nutrients need to combine with a fat source to be absorbed during digestion. And this is where our good friend avocado come in.

In this way the intestine is able to absorb all the nutrients it needs and this is important, because deficiency has been linked to an increased risk of developing cancer.

6. Great source of fibre

Fibre is undigested plant material that can’t be broken down by the human body. Avocados as a whole food provide good amounts of fibre.

We need fibre for digestion, gut and bowel health, and to maintain glucose levels among other things.

How To Gain Weight Using Avocados:

So now you’ve seen some of the reasons why avocados are important for healthy weight gain.

But how do you get them into your diet? Well, there are tons of ways to enjoy this creamy fruit. Here I’ve listed a few ways to get started with avocados today.

• Have them in salads
• In sandwiches and paninis.
• With just salt, pepper, chilli, lemon, vinegar etc.
• As a spread or replacement for butter on breads. For example on toast, naan, chapati etc.
• They are delicious in smoothies
• Sliced over pasta dishes and risottos.
• Finger licking goodness in dips, especially guacamole.
• Avocado halves stuffed with eggs or cheese, canned fish or tomatoes and then baked in the oven.
• Sliced and enjoyed on a bowl of soup.
• Mashed in desserts like ice cream, popsicles and mousse.

Again I love avocados so I’m “just a little” biased, however if you don’t like the taste or texture, you could add to avocado into mixtures like home-made popsicles, dips e.g. hummus, smoothies etc. to disguise the taste.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this post on why avocados are important for healthy weight gain, and will get them into your diet ASAP.

Honestly, there aren’t that many whole foods that can offer all these benefits.

I hope you’re inspired to enjoy more variety through these epic healthy weight gain food ideas for summer.

I’m thinking you’ve been enjoying the beautiful produce this season brings. Berries and stone fruit are my favourite!

Summer is usually the time of year when it’s easiest for me to gain weight because I gulp down those smoothies that you wouldn’t believe.

For some folks, winter is when that weight gain happens.

It’s been a funny year so far, but in saying that we just keep on trying to stay on top of those things we can, and I hope that trying to maintain your weight goals is one of them.

A couple of my blog posts and here have discussed the benefits of buying foods in season. So in that same spirit, let’s dive into healthy weight gain foods perfect for summer.

                                      The Three Basic Meals

I’ve previously written about AT LEAST maintaining the three main meals in a day as much as possible i.e. breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Certainly, regularly skipping one of these will put the kibosh on your weight gain goals. So please do stick to at least these three daily meals.

And so with that in mind, I’m just going to list some healthy weight gain meals that can be enjoyed at each of those times as some ideas of summer eating.

                                             Breakfast

Now, depending on what floats your boat, I’ve included options that are no-cook, cold and hot breakfast ideas.

• Cold milk with muesli, whole grain cereals or granola.

Try out different milks like almond for variety, or coconut milk for more calories. For even more flavour and calories, top up with some fruits, nuts or both.

• Overnight oats.

This involves soaking uncooked oats overnight in liquid like milk, yogurt, kefir, soy, coconut or almond milk etc. in the fridge.

Naturally, this softens up the oats, making an easy and tasty, healthy breakfast the next day. You can add honey or maple syrup as a sweetener, or mix in some fruit or even nut butter.

• Yogurt parfaits.

I am referring to DIY (Do-It-Yourself) yogurt parfaits because you know exactly what is in them.

These are simply full cream yogurt, layered with muesli or granola, then more creamy yogurt and topped off with a sweetener like cut up fruits, honey, stevia or maple syrup. Serve these straight away to keep the granola crunchy!

• Smoothies

I love smoothies because there is simply no end to the possibilities.

You could use yogurt and milk, or just milk and blend in different fruits, baby spinach, nut butters, and oats for a simple, filling, healthy breakfast with good calories.

• Toast with toppings. (Use good quality bread)

If you haven’t already, you’ll want to try out some of these toppings.

For instance avocado, smoked salmon, canned tuna, nut butters, cottage cheese (add a sweetener to this like maple syrup), bananas, feta or goat cheese, humus, tahini or even Greek yogurt with berries or honey. I love me some bruschetta some mornings. Yum!

• Eggs

Eggs are healthy, tasty, filling and there are so many different ways to prepare them.  Read more here on eggs in the daily diet.

Let me count some of the ways: Hard boiled, scrambled, sunny-side up, huevos rancheros, fried, omelettes, shakshuka ……the list goes on and on.

They are great accompanied on or with toast, or even sandwiched between 2 soft tortillas as a quesadilla. Other sides include baked beans, avocado, goat’s cheese, baked tomato hash browns (home-made are healthier).

                             LUNCH AND DINNER OPTIONS

The brilliant thing about lunch and dinner meals is they are interchangeable and again you can have either hot or cold options.

Salads:

Whether hot, warm or cold, salads are a healthy food choice. For our purposes, the salads have to be satiating and contain good sources of calories.

Certainly consider grain salads. These include grains like quinoa, buckwheat, barley, rice, couscous, pearl barley, farro, bulgur etc. Grains are filling, provide healthy calories as well as fibre. And they are delicious.

Salads that include legumes are also a great way to maintain your weight gain goals. Legumes include beans, peas, lentils and chickpeas among others. Throw in some tuna for added flavour and protein.

I personally love Mexican rice salads and Mediterranean bean salads. Another favourite is guacamole. These are so colourful, versatile, and a nutritional powerhouse of ingredients and calories.

Don’t forget the old but reliable potato salad. Again there is no end to what you can add to a potato salad.

While we’re on the subject of potatoes, what about a sweet potato or pumpkin salad?

And folks, where would we be without our trusty pasta salads? Rizoni (AKA orzo) salads rule!

Grilled and skewer meals:

There is a lot of variety to choose from: beef, lamb, chicken, turkey, prawns fish and other seafood etc. Grilled or skewered vegetables are also delightful so include them in that skewer.

Enjoy these with some flavoured rice and salads, in pitta or Turkish bread, or with roasted vegetables.

Some other cooked meal ideas are stir fries and sautéed vegetables over rice, grains like couscous and burghul, pilafs, or rice stuffed peppers or tomatoes.

Dips:

Many of these food options will be complemented with dips like plain yogurt, hummus, avocado, white bean, salmon, tahini etc.

Similarly, you can pair these dips with some raw vegetables or fruit, bread, healthy crackers or crispbread for a snack.

Desserts and snacks:

For the sweet tooth, don’t forget that fruits can also be grilled. Enjoy some yummy caramelised flavours from grilled fruit kebabs, peaches, fresh figs, pineapples, melons etc. The sky really is the limit.

Other sweet options include home-made fruit popsicles like those made with coconut cream, fruity yogurt parfaits, home-made no-churn ice-creams using your blender and chocolate dipped fruits. See this for some easy dessert ideas for your summer weight gain goals.

And finally, don’t forget simple dried fruits like raisins, apricots, sultanas, cranberries, figs and dates.

Phew! After all that, I’m off to find something yummy to eat. Writing this post has made me quite hungry.

Above all, I hope these epic delicious healthy weight gain food ideas for summer will inspire you with keeping your weight gain goals going. Happy eating!

Tis the frosty season in Australia so we’re going to jump into healthy weight gain food ideas for winter.

This season may not be everyone’s favourite, but there are food traditions during this time of year that are very satisfying. Hello happy place!

Generally, when it’s cold and your belly is filled with delicious and healthy food, you just feel better.

On the whole, lots of people gain weight during winter because you’re hungrier a lot of the time.

Our body temperature drops and uses more energy to stay warm. This stimulates hunger and eating helps warm us up as well gives energy for other daily functions.

However if you’re one of the few that struggles to gain weight even in winter, this post is for you.

But first, I just wanted to point out how amazing food harvested in winter is. There is lots of produce with starch that helps with those hunger pangs.

Second, as it also happens to be flu season, there are loads of citrus fruits that help with boosting immunity. All great reasons to eat seasonal produce.

Winter Foods In Season

Quite a bit of autumn produce carries over to winter including root vegetables. Lots of this season’s produce is high in nutrients including vitamin C, fibre and of course calories for healthy weight gain.

Fruits:

Oranges, lemons, limes, grapefruit, avocados, mandarins, kiwi fruit, pineapples, pears, apples, pawpaw and rhubarb are some fruits that are commonly found in winter.

Vegetables:

Potatoes, pumpkin, silver beet, sweet potato, turnips, cabbage, cauliflower, carrots, kale, Asian greens, spinach, onion, swedes, mushroom, eggplant and broccoli are just some of the veggies on offer.

What Winter Foods To Eat For Healthy Weight Gain

Breakfast:

What beats starting a cold day with some hot breakfast? I mean you’ve had to get out of your warm bed and this kind of makes up for it.

By the way, if you haven’t already, do check out the post on autumn healthy weight gain foods because a lot of the same food is available and you can get some ideas from there too.

Porridge:

No doubt some of you may be thinking “Who over the age of 10 or under the age of 70 still eats porridge?”

Porridge is pretty quick and easy to make and you can add all sorts of toppings to it. Also it’s tasty, filling, with loads of nutrients.

There are lots of different kinds of porridge including oatmeal, rice flour, semolina, maize meal, barley, millet, buckwheat etc.

If you’ve never really been a porridge person before, try it. You’ll probably find one that you like.

Also, for anyone in hurry or just feeling lazy, simply warm some full cream milk and add homemade granola for healthy calories.

While we’re on the subject of porridge, if you’re looking for something a little different, try congee. It’s a kind of Asian porridge which can include stock and bits of chicken, meat or fish.

I lived in South East Asia for a couple of years where I first tried it, and it is so good!

Congee does take some time to prepare but here is a simple recipe that doesn’t take too long.

 If that sounds really weird to you to have for breakfast, enjoy congee at lunch, dinner or as a snack.

Toast:

Picture yourself with crunchy, warm toast in one hand and a hot cup of coffee or tea in the other. Utter bliss!

Top your toast with healthy options like honey, nut butters, eggs (your way), avocado, baked beans, cottage cheese and sliced fruit, tinned sardines, good quality cheese….the list just goes on.

Flat breads:

Countries all over the world have their own version of flat breads which are great healthy weight gain food ideas for winter.

Some of the different flat breads include pita, arepas, naan, chapati, roti, tortillas, parathas, and tortillas to name a few.

I just love a breakfast that includes naan or chapati with a steaming fragrant cup of chai tea.

You can enjoy them on their own, with a spread or with a few toppings like scrambled eggs, cheese or beans.

Hot drinks at breakfast and over the course of the day will also help with keeping you warm.

I’m a huge tea drinker and now there are almost too many options out there.

In winter I love having chai and spiced teas that include cardamom, ginger or cinnamon. These definitely help with keeping you warm and with supporting immunity.

Other hot drinks could include coffee, milk, cocoa or hot chocolate.  It goes without saying that you should use full cream milk in your drinks for calories.

Lunch And Dinner

Soups:

Winter meals need to be filling, warming and nourishing. And this is where soups come in.

In my humble opinion, they are one of the best things about winter.

However I will say one thing about soups. If you’re wanting to gain weight, you need to eat soup as a starter/entrée and also have a main afterwards, or you just won’t put on weight.

You can’t just have soup and expect to put on weight. It’s not going to happen.

I have a pretty good appetite and honestly, if I just have soup, even a heavy one with bread, I’ll be really hungry in a couple of hours.

So what soups are best for healthy weight gain?

Glad you asked. Here are a couple of tips for adding healthy calories to soups:

• Use ingredients in soups like potatoes, rice, lentils, chickpeas, sweet potatoes, parsnips, whole grain pasta/noodles, yams, avocado, quinoa, beans, milk, chicken, beef and olive oil.
• Use toppings for soups like yogurt, diced avocado, croutons etc.

Here are some weight gain soup examples: Bean soups, potato and leek, pumpkin, sweet potato, beef and barley, chicken noodle soups, chilli, meatball soup, mixed root vegetable soups etc

Curries:

Curries are a great winter food for increased calories, warming you up, and also have other health benefits.  

Many curries use herbs and spices with antioxidant, anti-cancer properties e.g. garlic, turmeric and ginger. Other curry ingredients are anti-viral and help with digestion.

Honestly, the best curries are the ones you make at home because you know what’s in them, and you can make them as mild or spicy as you like.  

Also we’re spoilt for choice and can select curries from different parts of the world including Thailand, India, the Caribbean, and Malaysia etc.

Naturally, curries with the highest calories will be those that use coconut milk as a base.

For instance coconut curry with beef/chicken/fish/lamb/vegetable and Indian kormas.

Soak up curries with rice, flat breads, bulgur, quinoa or barley among other starches. If you find the heat in the curries is a bit much, cool down with some spoons of plain yogurt.

 Starchy Root vegetables:

Examples of root vegetables include yams, carrots, potatoes, beetroot, parsnip, turnips and sweet potatoes.

Take advantage of the variety of winter root vegetables and enjoy them in different ways such as mashed, baked, grilled, roasted, in casseroles, salads, stews or soups.

For example, take the humble potato, there’s so much to be done with it. There’s shepherd’s pie, hash browns, cottage fries, gratin, baked potatoes etc.

And don’t forget to drizzle some olive oil or yogurt for additional healthy calories.

Rice:

If for the most part of your life you’ve been eating plain white rice, it’s time to jazz up your rice routine.

Truly, there are so many tasty rice dishes, let me count SOME of the ways.

Fried rice, coconut rice, paella, Turkish pilaf, biriani, sticky rice, Mexican rice, saffron rice, lemon rice, risotto and a whole range of one pot rice meals with vegetables, meat and poultry etc.

Grains:

Just like in autumn, there are plenty of whole grains to be eaten in winter.

They are a great source of carbohydrates for healthy weight gain and can be enjoyed for at all meal times e.g. oats for breakfast or popcorn as a snack.

Grains like brown rice, buckwheat, bulgur, quinoa, barley can be eaten as main meals or in salads. When it comes to bread, pasta and noodles, choose wholemeal types.

Fruit and desserts:

Winter desserts are generally quite heavy and the less healthy ones usually have lots of cream, sugar and syrup.

I like to keep it simple with fruit.

Enjoy fresh fruit on its own, stewed fruit or baked fruit topped with maple syrup, granola, cinnamon, nuts etc.

Other ideas include using fruit to make baked items like banana bread, pumpkin scones, rhubarb bread, zucchini and carrot muffins etc.

Have oats in your pantry? You can bake healthy oatmeal bars, muffins or biscuits etc.  Add in some berries or nuts for texture and flavour.

Last but not least, one of my favourite winter desserts is a creamy rice pudding with cinnamon. There aren’t enough words to say how this hits the spot!

Folks, there’s so much to enjoy food wise this winter. Get some fresh produce and enjoy healthy weight gain food ideas this winter.