Winter in South Africa isn’t as bad as most South Africans would have you believe. We complain bitterly about the “freezing cold”, all the while our skies are blue, and most of us don’t see a single flake of snow. However, despite our winters not being as unforgiving as our European or American cousins, we still feel the need for a little extra #comfort and #cosines in our homes in these cold winter months.
Making sure you’re prepared for winter is as easy as shooting to your nearest supermarket and grabbing these winter essentials.
The best place to start is your pantry:
A simple way of making sure you never catch a chill is to stock up on your favourite winter warmer beverages: hot chocolate, instant cappuccino, tea and coffee. - That instant internal warmth is heaven-sent on an icy morning. Oh and don’t forget the rusks!
Another super easy way to make sure you’re able to keep warm and toasty is grabbing the following cooking essentials for warm, winter-friendly meals:
· Stock cubes – for all your stews and soups to amp up the flavour with minimal effort.
· Tomato paste – the star of any great sauce.
· Legumes (i.e. Lentils, beans and chickpeas) – for a protein boost in any delicious soup or stew, also much needed for boosting the immune system during these months.
· Macaroni – for mac n cheese, OF COURSE!
· Actually, any pasta at all – pasta always warms the heart.
· Cinnamon – for all that roast butternut or as a spicy addition to your hot beverage!
Although hearty food is highly important when its cold out, don’t forget that your body may need a little boost to keep you going, consider fueling your immune system the natural way:
· Fresh lemons
· Fresh ginger
· Raw, non-irradiated honey
These three simple ingredients create a herbal tea that will not only taste delicious, but chase away your winter sniffles.
There you have it! So simple, yet so effective. Make sure you get your kitchen ready for the cold and be sure to keep safe and warm!