With the New Year a couple of weeks old now, some resolutions are sticking and others not so much. It is easy to stray from that resolution to eat healthier, especially during these cold winter months when we crave warm, cozy, familiar comfort foods! On these frosty days, when a salad just won’t cut it, you can opt for a satisfying dish that doesn’t have to sabotage your eating plan.Comfort foods fill our homes with rich, delicious scents that evoke childhood memories. They calm our senses and fill our bellies. Oftentimes, these foods are not only rich in scent but heavy on the fat content, which can do a number on our waistlines. Yet we can still get that warm and fuzzy feeling from great healthy with that intoxicating aroma that we crave. From starters to hearty entrées and amazing desserts, you can create cozy dishes that satisfy your senses and your cravings.
You may be surprised at how many wonderful nutrient-dense winter warmers you can create that meet our four pillars of healthy eating opens in a new tab. For a delicious breakfast, try this great recipe for Apple Scented Breakfast Oatmeal and Buckwheat opens in a new tab. This creamy favorite will warm you up and jumpstart your day. Another one of my favorites is the Chicken and Brown Rice Soup opens in a new tab. It is easily adaptable into a vegetarian recipe by substituting mushrooms for the chicken. It is both hearty and delicious - the perfect thing to cozy up to on those cold winter nights. Or try this great hearty recipe for Creamy Curried Cauliflower Soup opens in a new tab. The creaminess of the soup is outstanding. Heat things up with this wonderfully flavored curry dish.
Nothing says comfort food like a good old fashioned bowl of spaghetti. Try this fantastic recipe for Eggplant Bolognese opens in a new tab atop spaghetti. The aromatic sauce will transform you to a warmer place for sure. There is just something about Tex-Mex that satisfies our cravings during the winter doldrums. This Layered Vegetable Enchiladas opens in a new tab recipe is sure to cure your winter blues. It is great crowd pleaser, so you can warm up with some good food and good company with this one! For us desert fans, there is nothing better than the smell of something sweet and yummy lingering throughout the house.
If you are like me, and have major sweet tooth, you will love this divine recipe for our Banana-Cocoa Snack Cake opens in a new tab. Something warm and chocolaty always makes me feel good when the temperature drops. This delightful treat lets you indulge without any of the guilt!
Another great one for you dessert fans out there is this recipe for Pumpkin Pecan Cookies opens in a new tab. These spiced delights contain cinnamon, cloves and orange juice and zest. These are sure to envelop your senses (and kitchen) with a warm, sweet-smelling aroma. Cozy up and enjoy these with a hot cup of tea for the ultimate winter retreat!For more great recipe ideas, check out our full index of recipes meeting our Health Starts Here guidelines opens in a new tab.
Remember, we can still enjoy great comfort foods we love while staying on track. This gives us even more to love about these recipes! I hope you try some of these and that you are inspired to create some of your own. Do you have some favorite healthy winter warmer recipes? We’d love to hear what they are.
