The chill has set in, and with that the unquestionable desire to indulge in comfort food. If it’s nourishing, warm and fills that longing like a roaring fire in a snowy Drakensberg cabin in mid-July, it gets our vote. Eggs tick all those boxes, especially when it comes to wholesome winter meals.
It’s true, new Australian research shows that eggs can help us maintain levels of an important vitamin that is often lacking in winter – vitamin D.
The research comes from Melbourne’s Deakin University and shows that consuming at least seven eggs a week or one egg per day can help maintain the body’s levels of vitamin D throughout winter.
According to Deakin University researcher, Professor Robin Daly, the main source of vitamin D is sunlight exposure, with few foods naturally containing vitamin D. Eggs, however, are one of the few dietary sources of this vitamin.
The university further maintains that ‘having sufficient vitamin D levels may help reduce the severity of respiratory infections’, an important benefit in the winter months.
If you think vitamin D deficiency is not something to worry about in sunny Africa, think again. As many as 2 in 10 Africans may be deficient, suggesting that our continent may have the highest levels of severe vitamin D deficiency in the world.
Aside from vitamin D, eggs contain vitamin B12 (one large egg contains almost 44% of our B12 needs), protein, selenium, the B-vitamin riboflavin, iron and heart-healthy fats (monounsaturated fats). They also contain choline, a vital nutrient needed during pregnancy, and the vitamins and minerals needed to help young children grow. Plus eggs are one of the most affordable protein sources in the world.
So, what’s one of the best ways to get all this goodness into our winter weary bodies? With hearty, egg-based meals, of course!
Eggs are so versatile, there’s virtually no end to their uses in warm dishes suitable for the whole family. Pies with boiled eggs, tray bakes with baked eggs, and noodle bowls with poached eggs are all favourites.
On our winter menu is spicy seshebo with roast butternut, poached egg and soft tacos – a tasty brunch or dinner meal that’s great for those cold days.
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Spicy seshebo with roast butternut, poached egg and soft tacos
This recipe makes a delicious brunch or dinner meal. Leftover roast veggies can be used in place of the butternut. A tin of kidney beans or chickpeas can be added to the sauce to stretch the meal further.
Serves 4 – 6
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Total time: 40 minutes
Ingredients:
- 30ml (2 tbsp) olive oil
- 500g butternut, diced
- 5ml (1 tsp) dried mixed herbs
- 5ml (1 tsp) smoked paprika
- 440g can Spicy Tomato Onion Relish
- 100ml – 200ml vegetable stock
- 4- 6 large eggs
- handful fresh coriander, finely chopped
To Serve:
- Avocado guacamole or avocado slices
- Pickled jalapeño (optional)
- Fresh coriander.
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 220°C. Toss the butternut with the olive oil, dried herbs, and paprika and place in a single layer on a baking tray. Roast for 15 – 20 minutes until soft, cooked through and slightly charred.
- Heat the tomato onion relish in a deep frying pan, add the stock and cook on high for 5 minutes until bubbling, add the roast butternut.
- Reduce the heat to a simmer, break the eggs into the sauce and poach until the whites lose their opaqueness and the yolks are done to your liking.
- Heat the tacos according to instructions on the packet. Serve with the tacos, avocado guacamole or fresh avocado slices, jalapeño, and fresh coriander.
