Comfort foods for Winter

Soups

Classic vegetable soup options such as pumpkin or potato and leek are low in protein and if we serve them with a couple of thick slices of sourdough bread, can become a higher carbohydrate meal. This can lead to a spike in blood glucose levels.

Here are some ways to make soup into a more balanced meal:

• Include plenty of non-starchy vegetables in the base of your soup e.g. carrot, celery, zucchini, spinach, broccoli, kale, mushrooms etc. for more fibre, vitamins and minerals.
• Add a lean source of protein e.g. lean red meat, chicken or meat alternatives such as lentils, beans, chickpeas or tofu.
• Aim to add only one source of carbohydrate e.g. if having bread with your soup, try not to also add a grain or if having potato in your soup try not to serve with bread.
• If you decide to add a grain to your soup, choose wholegrain, lower glycaemic index (GI) options e.g. quinoa, barley or buckwheat.

TIP: When adding grains to soup you will need to add more liquid.

Minestrone soup packed with vegetables - Diabetes Australia

Pasta

Pasta can be a high carbohydrate meal and often lacks vegetables and protein. Reducing the portion size of pasta, adding fibre (from vegetables) and a lean protein will result in a smaller rise in your blood glucose levels and feeling fuller for longer.

Here are some ways to make pasta into a more balanced meal:

• Always add some vegetables e.g. grated zucchini and carrot in your bolognese sauce or homemade pesto with a base of spinach, rocket or kale.
• If you don’t want to add vegetables to the sauce, try serving your pasta with a side of vegetables or salad. This will help reduce the portion size of pasta needed to feel full.
• Add some lean protein e.g. lean beef mince, chicken breast, tuna, salmon or lentils as a vegetarian alternative to beef mince.
• Choose a tomato-based sauce instead of a creamy based sauce. This will lower the saturated fat and overall energy (kilojoules).

No-fuss salmon, vegetable, and macaroni toss - Diabetes Victoria

Pies

Pies are a crowd pleaser in the winter. However, it’s important to be mindful that pies can be high in saturated fat due to butter or oils in the pastry and fatty cuts of meat in the filling. It is recommended we limit saturated fat in our diet as it can raise cholesterol levels and increase heart disease risk.

Make your pie more nutritious by:

• Replacing the pastry with some mashed potato, sweet potato, pumpkin or a combination of all 3!
• Add diced or grated vegetables, stir spinach/greens through the filling or serve with a side of vegetables or salad.
• Try using filo pastry instead of short crust or puff pastry. Filo pastry is made with vegetable oils instead of butter making it lower in saturated fat.

Chicken and pumpkin pot pie - Diabetes Australia

TIP: serve this recipe with a side of salad or vegetables.

Desserts

If you have dessert once a week or less, you may not decide to make any changes. However, it’s always useful to consider the portion size, as the larger the portion of a carbohydrate-based dessert, the higher blood glucose levels will rise.

• Use fruit to add natural sweetness to desserts e.g. warm stewed fruit or apple crumble (with oats and nuts as the crumb on top).
• Try adding Greek yoghurt to desserts for creaminess instead of icecream or cream.
• Try using olive oil or vegetable oil rather than butter in cakes or puddings to lower the amount of saturated fat.
• Switch white flour to wholemeal flour to increase fibre.

Apple and raspberry crumble - Diabetes Australia

Eating a healthy balanced diet and managing diabetes doesn't mean having to sacrifice the joy of comfort foods. Hopefully these tips and recipes inspire you to get into the kitchen this winter and cook up something delicious!

For individualised nutrition advice you can speak to one of our expert diabetes dietitians working in the Diabetes Victoria Clinic. To find out more or book an appointment call 1300 153 123 or visit the website for more information.