Does a stew count as a healthy meal?

[TheGrinchIsComingToTown]

I'm having a bit of a debate with my mum.

I've made a chicken stew - chicken breast, carrots, peas, onions, potato and gravy.

She says it doesn't count as being "healthy", because of the potatoes. I think it does, because it's got a ton of veg and protein in it.

Basically just that. In the winter my healthy meal staples are stews and soups, but now I feel like they're not actually that good 😅

OP your meal sounds delicious and nutritious, and your mum clearly has weird disordered ideas about food and 'health' (as does mine...!)

She's an idiot

Are potatoes not a vegetable? Why would they not be healthy unless to fried them first like

We make this a lot, I love it!

Definitely healthy at this time of year. You’ve given me some meal inspiration so thank you - haven’t done a stew in ages 🙌👌

Onions and carrots are not starchy vegetables. They contain some naturally occurring sugars, but not starch, which is a different type of carbohydrate. I don't know what you mean by 'not the healthiest'. Vegetables are full of fibre, vitamins and minerals, whether they're starchy or not. I can see that people with certain health problems such as diabetes may need to be careful about some vegetables, but people in normal health can hardly go wrong eating vegetables as long as they're not eating a huge amount of fat with them.

It's totally healthy. Carbs are not the devil! A balanced diet is about 1/3 carbs, 1/3 fruit and veg, with fat and protein making up most of the rest.

All that goodness trapped in a pot.... fabulous meal, just less potatoes and no dumplings ( or a small one) if you need to be low carb and a great big pile of kale/ sprouts/ broccoli, green veg of choice!! Get in 🐷

If she ate more stews with potatoes in, she probably wouldn't have a weight problem. I chuck in a can of Cannelini beans to have less meat) but otherwise stews are a great way to eat low fat complete with pulses and wholegrains.

In 1965, I had my tonsils out and the doctor told my parents I could have all the ice cream and popsicles that I wanted.

It has served me well in the ensuing years...(decades). 🤗😇😉

Sounds like a laborious way to make a stew

I'd fry the onion, carrot and spuds for ten mins in a bit of oil

Remove from pan

Add another splash veg oil

Dice the chicken into chunks and coat in flour, fry quickly to brown

Return veg to pan. Add water and stock cube and herbs. Simmer till chicken is cooked through (10 mins)

Make a slurry of cornflour then add to pan to thicken gravy

Eat with jacket spud, baguette, rice or mash

I thicken my stew with gravy granules at the end.
Low salt granules are good, but that's because I can't do the old fashioned way with cornstarch, not really in a stew.
I bulk up my stew with so much veg and little meat and fill the slow cooker to the brim. Same when do chicken curry in the slow cooker.

Use normal flour to coat the meat and let it sit for ages, cornflour let’s me down every time.