A Round-Up Of The Most Palatable Food For Colorless Winter Days

When the winter blues have you feeling down, there is nothing a little comfort food can’t cure. But why settle for the same old casseroles and stews? These creative and rare dishes will add some spice to your winter menu. 

So ditch the salt and pepper, and get ready to add some color to your plate with these recipes. 

Spicy Lentil Soup

This hearty soup is perfect for a winter day. It is packed with healthy ingredients and has a bit of a kick to it.

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Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 cup dried lentils

3 cups chicken stock (replace with vegetable stock if vegan/vegetarian)

1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained

1 can (15 ounces) of black beans, rinsed and drained

Half a cup of chopped fresh cilantro

Salt and pepper, to taste

A handful of walnuts for garnish

Instructions:

1. In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until softened, around 5 minutes.
2. Add the cumin and chili powder and cook for 1 minute.
3. Add rinsed lentils, stock, tomatoes, black beans, and cilantro. Bring to a boil.
4. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes.
5. Season with pepper, salt, and walnuts.
6. Serve in bowls with some crusty bread on the side.

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Roasted Cauliflower With Tahini Sauce

This simple dish is so flavorful and satisfying. The roasted cauliflower is tender and slightly sweet, while the tahini sauce is rich and creamy with a bit of acidity from the lemon juice. It’s the perfect side dish for any winter meal.

Ingredients:

1 head of cauliflower, cut into florets

3 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and pepper, to taste

1/2 cup tahini

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 clove garlic, minced

Chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Toss the cauliflower florets with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread them out on a baking sheet and roast for 25-30 minutes until they are tender and slightly browned (stir them a few times).
3. While the cauliflower is roasting, fix tahini. Whisk together the tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and water until smooth. Add pepper and salt to taste.
4. To serve, drizzle the tahini sauce over the roasted cauliflower and garnish with chopped parsley.

Winter Vegetable Minestrone

This delectable and eye-catching soup is your go-to for any occasion!

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 carrot, diced

1 celery stalk, diced

1 potato, diced

1 zucchini, diced

1 cup green beans, trimmed and cut into bite-sized pieces

1 standard can of diced and undrained tomatoes

4 cups chicken stock (replace with vegetable stock if vegan/vegetarian)

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

3/4 cup small pasta shells

Grated Parmesan cheese for serving

Instructions:

1. In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, carrot, celery, potato, zucchini, and green beans and cook until tender, about 10 minutes.
2. Add stock, oregano, thyme, stock, and tomatoes. Bring to a boil.
3. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes.
4. Season with pepper and salt to taste. Stir in the parsley and pasta shells.
5. Cook until the pasta is tender, up to 12 minutes.
6. Serve in bowls with some grated Parmesan cheese on top

Roasted Beet And Goat Cheese Salad

The roasted beets are sweet and tender, and the goat cheese is rich and tangy. The balsamic vinaigrette ties it all together. 

Ingredients:

2 beets, peeled, cut, and diced

1 tablespoon olive oil

Salt and pepper, to taste

4 cups mixed greens

1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

1/4 cup dried cranberries

Balsamic vinaigrette for serving

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Toss the beets with olive oil and salt and pepper. Spread them out on a baking sheet and roast for 25-30 minutes until they are tender.
3. Mix the roasted beets, mixed greens, goat cheese, walnuts, and dried cranberries in a large bowl.
4. Drizzle with the balsamic vinaigrette and serve.

Grilled Salmon With Avocado Salsa

This salmon dish is an absolute favorite for those who can’t live without fish. The salmon is grilled to perfection and then topped with fresh and creamy avocado salsa.

Ingredients:

6 salmon filets

Salt and pepper, to taste

2 avocados, diced

1/4 cup diced red onion

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 tablespoon lime juice

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions:

1. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Season the salmon filets with salt and pepper. Grill for about 5-7 minutes per side or until cooked through.
2. Mix the red onion, garlic, avocados, lime juice, cilantro, olive oil, pepper, and salt in a medium bowl.
3. Serve the grilled salmon with the avocado salsa on top.

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Conclusion

If you find yourself in a cooking rut this winter, don’t despair. You can turn even the most mundane ingredients into something special with creativity. With this list of inventive, easy-to-cook, and mouth-watering foods, you’ll be able to add excitement to your winter meals. Enjoy!