5 Healthy and Budget-Friendly Meals for the Brazilian Winter

1. Lentil Soup with Kale and Carrot

• Seasonal ingredients: Lentils, carrots, and kale.
• Instructions: Sauté onion and garlic, add the lentils and water. Cook until thickened and stir in the chopped kale at the end.
• Practical tip: Use a pressure cooker to significantly reduce the cooking time of the lentils.

2. Quinoa with Sweet Potato and Cabbage

• Seasonal ingredients: Sweet potato, red cabbage, and quinoa.
• Instructions: Cook the quinoa separately. Grate the sweet potato and cabbage, mix everything with olive oil, salt, and seasonings of your choice.
• Practical tip: Pre-chop and freeze the vegetables to speed up preparation for other meals.

3. Black Beans with Pumpkin

• Seasonal ingredients: Black beans and butternut squash.
• Instructions: Cook the beans with garlic and onion. Add the cubed pumpkin and let it simmer until both are tender.
• Practical tip: Opt for canned black beans to save time and skip the soaking step.

4. Chicken Salad with Apple and Walnuts

• Seasonal ingredients: Shredded chicken, apple, and walnuts.
• Instructions: Sauté the chicken with basic seasonings. Mix with grated apples, chopped walnuts, and arugula or lettuce leaves.
• Practical tip: Prepare the chicken in portions and freeze to use in future salads, saving time.

5. Rice with Winter Vegetables

• Seasonal ingredients: Carrot, broccoli, and sun-dried tomatoes.
• Instructions: Sauté onion and garlic, add the chopped vegetables and the rice. Cook with hot water until the rice is tender.
• Practical tip: Use a non-stick (Teflon) pan to prevent the vegetables from sticking during cooking.