It is the time of the year to fend off cold winter winds with hearty meals and steaming bowls of soup. These traditional winter dishes can be healthy as well as deliciously gluten-free. Fortunately, preparing a heartwarming stew does not mean that you need to spend the entire day in the kitchen. With some smart shopping and quick kitchen prep you can chase away the cold winter blues:

For a hearty soup, start with a prepared gluten-free broth. Vegetables are another basic ingredient. Here you have some options: You can either use frozen mixed vegetables, or buy fresh ones and do a quick wash-and-chop while the broth is warming up.

The main ingredient is the meat. A gluten-free rotisserie chicken is a quick meal and often leaves the extra pieces for soup or stew. Another option is fresh or frozen boneless, skinless chicken breast that can be chopped into smaller chunks and cooked right in the broth before you add the vegetables. Add some Schar Anellini, spices - and voila you have a delicious hearty stew.

Chili is another winter staple. Using canned beans and tomatoes will help you in preparing a quick and easy meal. Sautee some garlic and diced onion in the bottom of a large pot. Add a package of frozen chopped peppers. Stir for a minute. Then add the drained canned beans, canned tomatoes (diced stewed tomatoes work very well) and some chili powder. Let simmer for about an hour, then enjoy with corn tortilla chips or a warm Schar ciabatta roll.

Enjoy!