Wheatbelt Winter Health Tips

The Wheatbelt is beautiful in winter as the crops germinate and flourish and the cold weather and rain lures us to seek warmth and hibernate.

Here are some tips to boost your immune system and help you stay healthy through the wooly Wheatbelt winter… 

• Get a Flu needle from your GP: Immunity from the flu vaccination protects not only you but also your friends, family and work mates.

• Eat Brighter, Live Lighter! Eat the rainbow of vegetables and fruit to give you a range of vitamins and minerals to fight off bugs.

• Try a new winter recipe: Soups, casseroles and roasts, are all great winter meals to warm you up whilst packing plenty of vegies. LiveLighter have heaps of recipes that are delicious and nutritious! Check out their website: https://livelighter.com.au/

• Join a sports team: Football, netball and hockey are all winter sports that get the heart racing and also give you a chance to be involved in the community- especially if you are new to the area.

• Act, Belong, Commit:The cold mornings and a lack of sunshine can often make us a bit down in the dumps so why not volunteer your time, start a new hobby or get more involved in your community.

• Spend some time in the garden: Some edible plants that are perfect for planting at this time of year include: broccoli, potatoes, kale, carrots, strawberries, garlic cloves, onion, fennel, parsley and coriander. A good winter gardening tip is to apply sulphate of potash to plants that are flowering and fruiting to increase water retention, protect them against extreme temperatures, and ward of insects and weeds.

 Winter Recipe: Spicy Pumpkin Soup

 Ingredients

• 1 tsp canola oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 clove garlic, chopped
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 2 tablespoons curry powder
• 3 cups pumpkin, peeled and chopped  into 2cm cubes
• 1 small sweet potato, peeled and chopped into 2cm cubes
• 2 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped into 2cm cubes
• 1 apple, peeled, cored and quartered
• 1 tsp reduced-salt vegetable stock
• 1 L water
• 4 tablespoons low-fat natural or Greek yoghurt, to serve
• 4 slices wholemeal or multigrain bread, to serve

 Method

1. Heat oil in a large pot and fry onion, garlic, cumin and curry powder for 2 minutes.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer for 10 minutes or until the vegetables are just soft.
3. Use a stick blender, normal blender or food processor to blitz the soup till smooth. Add more water if you prefer a runnier soup.
4. Serve with a slice of toast and a spoonful of yoghurt

 Recipe from: Live Lighter website: http://livelighter.com.au/