Comforting Winter Meals You’ll Make Again & Again

Nothing makes a chilly winter night more bearable than a hearty homemade meal. Fortunately, you don’t need to spend hours creating a nutritious meal that will keep your entire family cozy and full.

Keep your family well-fed and well-fueled with these nutritious and delicious recipes. Made with simple ingredients—including lots of veggies—and requiring minimal prep and clean-up, they’re a welcome add to the winter-menu rotation.

Tuscan White Bean Soup

Loaded with plant-based protein and vitamins, this vegan-friendly meal cooks up in less than 30 minutes in just one pot. 

Serves 4

Ingredients

1/4 cup olive oil

3 shallots, chopped (or ½ large onion)

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 large carrots, chopped

3 stalks celery, diced

1 Tbs tomato paste 

1 17 oz.-can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

3 cups vegetable broth  

1/2 tsp salt 

1/2 tsp pepper

1 tsp Italian seasoning 

1 tsp red pepper flakes

4 ounces fresh kale or baby spinach

Instructions 

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.
2. Sautee onion and garlic until fragrant and slightly soft (2-3 minutes). Add carrots and celery and cook until just soft.
3. Add tomato paste and quickly stir to blend with vegetable mis. Add beans, broth, and spices. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
4. Using a hand mixer or immersion blender, blend half of the soup in the pot. The goal is to make it creamy but not to puree all the vegetables. If you don’t have a hand mixer or immersion blender, you can use a regular blender, adding the soup in batches until have of it is blended. Return blended soup back to the pot.
5. Stir in kale and cook until it wilts.

Simply Delicious One-Pan Chicken and Veggies

This dish is as easy to make as it is delicious. While it calls for chicken breasts, you can easily substitute thighs or drumsticks for equally pleasing results.

Serves 6

Ingredients

2 pounds chicken breast

4 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed 

1 large onion, sliced into wedges

2 cups cherry tomatoes 

6 cloves garlic, minced 

1 red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces  

1 cup kalamata olives, pitted

4 Tbs olive oil 

1 Tbs balsamic vinegar  

1 tsp smoked paprika  

Salt and pepper to taste

1/8-1/4 cup chopped basil leaves

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
2. Place the potatoes, onion, tomatoes, peppers, and olives in a large bowl and season with half each of the garlic, oil, vinegar, paprika, and salt and pepper. Toss well.
3. Place chicken in a separate bowl and season with remaining garlic, oil, vinegar, paprika, and salt and pepper. Toss well.
4. Pour the vegetables onto a large 9×13 baking dish and spread out to form a single layer. Arrange the chicken over the vegetables and roast for 1 hour or until the chicken is cooked through (165 °F). Check that the potatoes are fork tender. If not, remove the chicken and continue cooking the vegetables until done.
5. Top with chopped basil and pan juices and serve warm. 

Carley Colotti, RD, LDN, is the Inpatient and Outpatient Dietitian in the Food and Nutrition Department at Southwestern Vermont Medical Center.