Winter Recipes for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Spring solstice doesn’t occur until March 20th, so we are officially in the heart of winter. If you are feeling the chill, I hope you will try at least one of these nourishing recipes.

Winter Recipes

Traditional Chinese Medicine encourages a balanced, healthy diet filled with seasonally available foods all year round. In winter, we often find that the freshest fruits and vegetables contain the nutrition you need to stay healthy throughout the cold months. For example, apples have plenty of immune boosters like vitamins A, C, B-1, B-2, and B-6.  These nutrients protect your health during cold and flu season.

When you enjoy the delicious winter bounty, you are able to use food to both satisfy your appetite and as medicine in itself. I hope you try the recipes below this winter and reap the rewards of winter’s bounty.

Creamy Porridge

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups water

½ cup oatmeal

1 apple, cubed

2 tbsp raisins

2 tbsp raw walnut pieces

1 tsp ground cinnamon

¼ tsp ground ginger

¼ tsp nutmeg

Honey to taste

Optional: Your favorite milk alternative

Directions:

  1. Bring water to a simmer in a pot.

  2. Add apples and spices and cook for five minutes - until the apple has softened.

  3. Add oatmeal, raisins, and walnuts.

  4. Cook until the oatmeal is creamy.

  5. Put in a bowl and add honey and your favorite milk alternative to taste.

Creamy Broccoli Soup

Ingredients:

2 tbsp oil, butter, or ghee

2 tbsp all-purpose flour

1 medium onion

4 garlic cloves

4 cups chopped fresh broccoli

5 oz fresh wild mushroom caps

2 cups vegetable or bone broth

¼ cup coconut cream

Directions:

  1. Heat oil/butter/ghee in a heavy bottomed pot or dutch oven.

  2. Add chopped onion, garlic, broccoli, and mushrooms and cook over a low/medium heat until onions are translucent.

  3. Add the broth and bring to a simmer until broccoli and mushrooms are tender.

  4. Turn off the heat and pour in the cream.

  5. Blend the mixture, add salt and pepper to taste, and enjoy!

Winter Vegetable Soup

Ingredients:

2 tbsp oil or butter

3 cups vegetable or bone broth

2 large carrots

1 parsnip

2 celery stalks

6 garlic cloves

10 wild mushroom caps

1 medium/large onion

1 large potato

1 turnip

1 tsp rosemary

1 tsp thyme

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. Heat up oil/butter in a Dutch oven or a very large, heavy-bottomed pot using medium heat.

  2. Add chopped onion, garlic, mushrooms, rosemary, and thyme and cook until onions are translucent.

  3. Roughly chop remaining vegetables.

  4. Pour in broth and bring to a simmer.

  5. Add vegetables and cook until everything is tender.

  6. Salt and pepper to taste and enjoy!

Pear and Apple Crunchy Crumble

Ingredients:

½ cup water

2 cups pears, peeled, cored, and chopped

2 cups apples, peeled, cored, and chopped

1 tsp ground cinnamon

¼ tsp ground ginger

¼ tsp ground nutmeg

½ cup maple syrup or honey

1 ½ cups flour

¼ cup brown or coconut sugar

3 tbsp melted coconut oil

½ cup ground hazelnuts

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350

  2. Heat water to a simmer in a large saucepan and add apples, pears, spices, and ¼ cup of syrup/honey. Cook until apples have softened.

  3. In a separate bowl, mix flour and sugar. Rub in coconut oil until the mixture feels crumbly.

  4. To assemble your crumble:

Put the apple/pear mixture into a nonstick baking dish.

Layer ground hazelnuts and pour the remaining ¼ cup of syrup/honey over the top

Pour your crumble mixture over the top of everything.

5. Bake for 30 minutes, until the crumble topping begins to brown.

There you have it, breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert recipes filled with healthy, seasonal ingredients!
If you are looking for more information on how to get and remain healthy using Traditional Chinese Medicine nutritional philosophy, be sure to book an appointment! I’m here to help you move forward on your path to great health!