During the cold & dark months everyone starts to crave warm, comfort food. This can become a challenge when you are also trying to achieve your health goals. Cold salads become unappealing & many people start to regress with their eating habits forgetting that comfort food can also be healthy as well as form a part of a healthy eating plan. Here is a hearty meat stew recipe that is packed full of fresh vegetables. This provides a lean option for dinner time that the whole family can enjoy.

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Stove Top Time: 20 minutes
Oven Time: 60-90 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients
400-500g ostrich goulash / chicken fillets cubed
3 gralic cloves, peeled & chopped
1 large carrot, peeled & chopped
1 large onion, peeled and diced
1 celery stalk with leaves, chopped
10 baby tomatoes
4 large tomatoes, chopped
1 leek, chopped
1/2 cup red wine
2 tblsp dried thyme
2 bay leaves
1 tblsp cooking oil (we like canola/olive oil)
1 sachet tomato puree

Method:
Heat oven to 160degrees celsius.
Using an oven proof casserole dish with a lid, heat the oil on the stove top.
Add the garlic, onions, leek and celery & cook until soft.
Stir in the tomato puree & cook for a few minutes.
Add red wine & cook for two minutes until the alcohol has evaporated off.
Add the carrots & all the tomatoes followed by the thyme & bay leaves.
Allow the vegetables to come to the boil, then add the meat/ chicken.
Stir & cover with the lid until everything comes to the boil.
Stir again & replace the lid.
Remove the dish from the stove & place it in the pre-heated oven.
Allow to cook for 60-90 minutes in the oven.
Serve with brown rice or mashed potato.

Recipe Credit
Kerryn Wuth
Dietitian in Private Practice in Umhlanga and Ballito South Africa.