Sometimes you just don’t want another salad when it’s dark and dreary, but giving in to each comfort cravings all winter can seriously slow down your progress and leave your immune system depleted right when you need it!

 

Keeping a half plate full of non-starchy veggies at each meal is a key for a couple reasons:

  1. Getting enough fibre to boost your good gut bacteria, our first line of immune defense.
  2. Packing in plenty of Vitamin C, Folate, and colour coded anti-oxidants to help your immune and energy production systems stay in tip top shape.
  3. That hefty dose of repair nutrients helps lower your body’s stress response and soak up cell damaging free radicals.

 

So let’s dive into some warm and comforting veggie dishes to get you feeling healthy and energized this week!

Roasted sausage, swiss chard and cannellini beans – an all in one balanced meals, and super easy on the prep side.

Delicious zucchini fritters from friend and colleague Desiree Nielsen. These would be a great addition to a batch cook (maybe even freeze a few).

Roasted Tomato Soup for a warming veggie side to your lunch.

Mashed Garlic Cauliflower is one of our favourite go-to’s! Comforting, filling and chock full of Vitamin C and Indole-3-Carbinol, a potent anti-inflammatory nutrient. I sub chicken broth for buttermilk often, and sometimes add a scoop of Greek yogurt for richness and tang.

Green Cauliflower Rice – a little spice, a little cilantro. This is a fun light take on your usual “rice” side.

1 Pan Garlicky Green Beans with Slivered Almonds

Sesame Ginger Glazed Asparagus is a great addition – asparagus comes into season in the spring so will get extra flavourful and crisp over the next couple months!

Big Batch Roasted Kale – I love a good sheet pan recipe. Low muss and low fuss, and easy to make enough for several meals. Always a win! Kale is also a great source of folate, fibre, and antioxidant beta carotene.

Stir Fried Sugar Snap Peas with Mint – these are great to have on hand for snacking and are an underrated stir fry veggie. Crispy and fresh, they’re a fun switch from other green veggies!

Roasted Tomatoes with Basil are a great way to use less than flavourful tomatoes in the winter. You don’t really need the sugar in this recipe, give it a little more time and the juices caramelize beautifully on their own! The anti-oxidant lycopene is actually better absorbed in cooked tomatoes, so this recipe offers an extra boost.

I hope at least one of these recipes gives your week a comforting AND nourishing boost, we can all use one this time of year!

Need some help getting your meals for the week balanced and prepared? If you’d like to receive our free Meal Planning Getting Started Guide AND get in on our weekly emails about all things nutrition so you can get clarity and confidence on what you’re eating, join us here!