Bonfire night, also known as Guy Fawkes Night, or fireworks night, is an evening full of parties, bonfires and fireworks displays. The festivities are surrounded with various stands offering hot food and drink, which comfort taking the edge off the chill in the night. There are many to choose from: Hot dogs, burgers, toffee apples, sweets, and hot chocolates. These are mainly unhealthy foods. As bonfire night is approaching this weekend there are many healthy and fun options to consider. Here are some healthy bonfire night and winter bites to enjoy.
Baked potatoes on the fire
Preparation
For cooking on a bonfire: Wrap the baked potatoes in tin foil. Wait until the bonfire has burnt down to cook the potato on hot white coals. After, roughly 40 minutes they should be ready, or wait until cooked . Likewise, baked potatoes can be cooked on a BBQ. Optional to add; grated low fat cheese, carrots, sweet corn, chopped tomatoes, tuna, tinned pineapple.
Nutrition
Potatoes are a starchy carbohydrate, providing a good source of energy. A source of vitamin B6, which assists the body to use and store energy from food, and helps oxygen transport around the body. Vitamin C, which helps to protect cells and keep them healthy, and maintain support and structure for tissue and organs, along with wound healing. Potatoes also provide potassium, which helps to conduct electrical charges in the body, and control blood levels, for the heart and nervous system.
Roast chestnuts on the fire
Preparation
Chestnuts can be roaster over an open fire, in the oven or microwave, steamed or boiled. First rinse and score the chestnuts, so they do not burst from steam build up of trapped moisture. Put the nuts in a cast iron pan, and place the pan on a bed of glowing coals. Cook and rotate the nuts, cooking times will be depending on the heat of the fire. When cooked, the shells will split, then let them cool and peel them.
Nutrition
Chestnuts provide, vitamin C, potassium, vitamin B6, and magnesium. Magnesium helps turn food into energy, and helps hormones that are important for bone health, work normally.
Pumpkin soup
This fresh seasonal fruit is still useful, beneficial, delicious, and nutritional for you after halloween. Make pumpkin soup and make plenty as you can freeze the rest, this way the fresh seasonal pumpkins will last you for many meals to come. For bonfire night simply use the pumpkin soup for dinner before heading out or take in a flask out for a tasty warming treat this weekend.
Ingredients for pumpkin soup include: Olive oil, onion, pumpkin (peeled), vegetable stock, cinnamon, nutmeg and garlic. Also can add: sliced wholemeal seeded bread
Nutrition
Pumpkin offers you Vitamin A, helping your immune system to work against infections, also helping vision in dim light, and keeping skin and the linings of some parts of the body, such as the nose, healthy. Additionally pumpkin also provides vitamin C, potassium and antioxidants. Antioxidants are chemicals thought to protect against the harmful effects of chemicals naturally produced in every living cell and known to cause cell damage.
Hot lemon and honey drink
Preparation
Boil water, add a teaspoonful of organic, unprocessed honey and stir well. Squeeze the juice of a lemon into the honey water, and give it a stir. This is a healthy hot drink to take in a flask, on a bonfire night out.
Nutrition
Lemons are high in vitamin C, for a healthy immune system, with folate, potassium, and antioxidants. Organic unprocessed honey contains natural sugars, providing an easily absorbed supply of energy.
Baked apples
Preparation
As a treat or dessert at home, try baked apples. To bake apples, use an apple corer, followed by adding raisins, sultanas, and cinnamon to the middle of the apple. Then, place in a baking tray and put in the oven for about 20 minutes, or until the apples are cooked through, or even microwave them .
Nutrition
Apples provide fibre to the diet, which helps feeling full, and in addition fibre can also help digestion and prevent constipation. Raisins and sultanas provide vitamin B, traces of Vitamin C, along with antioxidants and fibre.