Hearty Winter Meals

Posted on: January 27, 2024

Rain.  Sleet.  Wind.  Snow.  Ice.  Repeat.
What is good to eat on a cold and dreary day?  The most warming vegetables that are good for your body are root vegetables like carrot, potato, onions, garlic, radish, yams, sweet potatoes, beets, turnips, etc.  A lot of these veggies are anti-inflammatory, nutrient-rich whole foods that fight inflammation in the body.  These types of foods are full of important things that the body needs, especially during Winter, for the immune system such as Omega-3 fatty acids, healthy fats, antioxidants, and fibre.  Keep warm and full this Winter with these three hearty meal ideas from Metro:

SQUASH RISOTTO

INGREDIENTS:

  • 10 ounces (300 g) Winter squash peeled, diced
  • 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
  • 3 tablespoons (45 ml) olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons (45 ml) butter
  • 1 ¾ cup (440 mL) Arborio rice
  • 5 cups (250 ml) beef broth, boiling
  • 1 tablespoon (15 ml) finely chopped parsley
  • ¼ cup (60 ml) grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

To taste, salt and ground pepper

PREPARATION:

  • Put squash in a large heavy pan with garlic, oil and half of the butter. Sauté over medium heat 8 minutes, stirring constantly.
  • Add rice, cook 2 minutes, stirring to coat the rice thoroughly.
  • Add a ladle of broth. Cook, stirring until the rice has absorbed the broth. Continue cooking, adding a ladle of broth at a time, stirring after each addition until rice is cooked, about 15 to 18 minutes.
  • Add the rest of the butter, parsley, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and seasoning.
  • Serve hot.

Recipe source: Metro

 

CHICKEN (OR TURKEY) POT PIE

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 (2 to 3 pounds) cooked whole chicken (boneless) or about 2 1/2 cups turkey
  • ⅓ cup Selection Unsalted Butter, divided
  • 1 cup diced onion
  • 1 cup diced celery
  • 1 cup diced carrot
  • 1 cup sliced mushrooms
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 1 cup fresh green beans or frozen, chopped
  • 1 ¼ cup leftover gravy of the chicken stock (up to 2 cups)
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • ⅓ cup Selection chicken stock, or more as needed
  • 3 tablespoons Selection cream (for filling)
  • Leaves from 2 thyme stalks
  • 2 (9 inch) deep dish frozen pie crusts or handmade
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Egg wash
  • 1 tablespoon Selection cream
  • 1 Egg

PREPARATION:

  1.  In a pan, add half of your butter.  Toss in chopped onion, and sauté until soft and onions translucent (about 5 minutes).
  2.  Add your celery, carrot, and mushroom and sauté for at least 10 minutes.  Add the rest of your butter, if necessary, and add in your garlic and sauté for an additional 5 minutes, stirring constantly until the veggies are brown and fragrant. Add your leftover green beans (add these earlier if you are adding frozen or raw beans).
  3.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
  4.  Add your tablespoon of flour and mix until flour is cooked and beginning browning, which will take about 1–2 minutes.  Add your stock and stir until a bit of gravy forms around the veggies.
  5.  Add the rest of your leftover gravy and mix so that everything is combined.
  6.  Remember, you may not need to add flour and stock in step 4, if you have a lot of gravy leftover (about 2 cups).  The addition and extra flour and stock is not needed.
  7.  In the same pan add shredded cooked chicken or turkey and heat up and break up the meat for about 2 minutes or less.
  8.  Add your cream and mix until the mixture is combined.  Add a splash of chicken broth to thin your pie filling if necessary.
  9.  Pour your pie filling in one pie crust, I bake directly in the foil tin the crust comes in. Cover your filling with the other crust. I let my second pie crust thaw completely, then roll it out slightly on a floured surface before using, so the crust fits snuggly over the filling.
  10.  Seal the edges with your fingers.
  11.  Make an egg wash with one egg and 1 tablespoon of cream.  Brush this over your pie.
  12.  Cut a small steam hole in the top crust or poke holes with a fork.
  13.  Bake in the preheated oven, on a baking pan, in case there is filling that bubbles over, for 30 to 35 minutes or until the crust is brown.
  14.  Remove from the oven when golden brown on top, let cool for 5–10 minutes and enjoy hot.
Source : Metro

 

VEGAN WHITE BEAN CHILI

INGREDIENTS:

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large onion, peeled and diced
  • 1 Jalapeño, seeded and diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon dried coriander
  • ½ teaspoon chili powder
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 can (4 ounces) can diced green chiles
  • 2 cans (19 ounces) cans of white beans, divided
  • 4 cups vegetable broth, (less than one cup if you want chili thicker)
  • 1 cup corn, fresh or frozen
  • ¼ – ½ cup plant-based heavy cream (almond or coconut)
  • For serving (optional) :

    Diced avocado, chopped cilantro, sliced jalapeno, tortilla chips, lime wedges

    Source : Metro

Of course, these can be your family’s handy, go-to recipes, but make sure to mix things up and keeping it interesting with the addition of more hearty meals.  It will help you to stick to a healthier and more balanced diet over the long Winter months.  Got any favourite cold-weather meals to share with us, tag @cloverdalemall.

~Gillaine, Marketing Coordinator