Winter
24 Feel-Great Recipes to Power You Through Winter
Revitalizing dishes, from beans-and-greens soup to a winter squash salad. (And yes, dessert is included.)
My yoga instructor Adriene’s favorite phrase is, “Find what feels good.” As in, when you’re settling into a posture—be it pigeon or crow or cat-cow—adjust your neck and back and arms and legs until everything, well, feels good. I think about this a lot when I’m cooking.
Feel-good food is just as personal to your body and whatever kind of week you’re having. For me, most often, this means focusing on vegetables, legumes, whole grains, and vegetarian proteins (like tofu, tempeh, and eggs), with limited meat, seafood, and dairy.
Such is the inspiration behind these 24 recipes on my wishlist for winter. Which dishes from the site would you add? Let me know in the comments below!
1. Vegan Chicken Pho
The secret to chicken-rich pho broth without any chicken? Cookbook author Andrea Nguyen has the answer: nutritional yeast, a shelf-stable, vegan ingredient chock-full of umami.
2. Creamy Cauliflower Pasta Carbonara
Carbonara is mostly eggs and bacon fat, but this recipe has neither. Instead: cauliflower, which, thanks to olive oil, turns into a silky, creamy doppelganger.
3. Parmesan-Roasted Broccoli
Cheesy, lemony, garlicky, this may be the most famous broccoli on the internet—so you won’t be surprised when I tell you that it comes by way of Ina Garten. Add a bowl of polenta or brown rice and call it dinner.
4. Olive Oil–Fried Eggs With Yogurt & Lemon
Here’s a trick for the next time you fry a couple eggs: Instead of transferring them to a plate or English muffin, tuck them into a bed of lemony yogurt, then sprinkle with fresh herbs.
5. Marinated Tofu Steak Sandwiches
For meatier tofu texture, freeze it. This reworks the protein structure and creates a wonderful chewiness—perfect for sandwiches, like these, with spicy mayo and peppery greens.
6. Avocado Toast Salad
Your favorite open-faced sandwich, but make it salad. This one has a lemony yogurt dressing, lots of seeds, and crunchy vegetables galore.
7. Kale & Bean Soup With Poached Eggs
The next time you’re feeling under the weather (or like you’re close to it), make a bowl of this. Thanks to canned beans—and, if you’re me, washed and prepped kale—it comes together like that.
8. Roasted Red Pepper & Cauliflower Dip
My idea of a perfect lunch: lots of raw vegetables, seedy crackers, a couple hard-boiled eggs, and this dip. It’s like a roasted pepper hummus, but, instead of chickpeas: cauliflower.
9. Chorizo-Style Seitan Tacos
This seitan thinks it’s chorizo and who am I to tell it otherwise? Don’t let the lengthy ingredient list deter you—most of it is probably in your kitchen right now.
10. Farro & Mustard Green Salad With Maple-Roasted Acorn Squash
Mustard greens are a swipe-right match for sweet-natured winter squash. Here, they come together thanks to farro, walnuts, and feta.
11. Chickpea, Pumpkin & Sage Soup
This couldn’t-be-cozier soup hinges on pantry staples: canned chickpeas, canned pumpkin puree, dried pasta, and boxed broth (or bouillon if that’s your thing—it’s my thing).
12. Green Soup
Two bunches of greens (plus scallions! plus herbs!) go into this revitalizing soup. A potato adds creaminess, while a splash of Marsala or sherry keep things, you know, fun.
13. Spiced Peanut Sweet Potato Salad
Deliciously Ella author Ella Mills (Woodward) says this is her favorite recipe in her cookbook. It’s full of winter salad superstars, like sweet potatoes, radicchio, and dried dates.
14. Vegan Deli Bowls With Smashed Chickpea Salad
An overachieving chickpea salad—full of good stuff, like tahini, capers, pickles, and scallions—to rival tunas everywhere.
15. Beans & Greens Soup
Consider this a template to futz with as you want. The beans could be pinto, or chickpea, or even another legume like lentils. The greens could be kale, or spinach, or chard, or cabbage. Just don’t skip the grilled bread.
16. Slow-Baked Broccoli Frittata
No more overcooked frittatas in 2024. This slow-cooking method from chef Andrew Feinberg changes everything.
17. Smoky Tempeh & Hummus Sandwiches
“Vegan sandwiches don't get any better than this,” writes Gena Hamshaw. I agree! (For a twist, swap out the hummus and swap in that roasted pepper–cauliflower dip from above.)
18. Slow-Cooker Whole Squash With Spelt & Feta
If the thought of slicing and dicing a squash gives you agita, let your slow-cooker do all the hard work. While that cooks, you can cook some grains, toast some nuts, watch some Netflix, etc.
19. Pasta With Broccoli-Cheddar Sauce
This brand-new Big Little Recipe features a two-ingredient sauce that's mostly broccoli with just enough cheese to give it a fondue-esque creaminess. I love it on whole-wheat pasta.
20. Moroccan Harira Soup from ‘Celebrate Every Day’
Instead of a lamb-based broth with grains, which is traditional to Moroccan harira soup, this vegan, gluten-free version is loaded with legumes and vegetables, and packs some heat.
21. Greek Yogurt Chocolate Mousse
Instead of whipped cream or meringue, this chocolate mousse hinges on tangy Greek yogurt. Serve with jam or fresh fruit.
22. Sautéed Dates
Sure, these sautéed dates, when piled onto ricotta, could be called an appetizer. But the same dish could be called a dessert. Try it with Greek yogurt, too.
23. Dark Chocolate Avocado Truffles
Avocado gives these dark chocolate truffles a silky-buttery consistency. After you fall in love, try this Genius chocolate cake with avocado next.
24. Slow-Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes don’t have to be a side dish. Here, they take a sweeter route, with a big pour of maple syrup and swoosh of yogurt.
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Written by: Emma Laperruque
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