First of all a belated Happy New Year to you all! I’m currently working on a super-positive, goal inspired post to kickstart 2017, but in the meantime here are five nourishing cold-weather recipes that I love making in the month of January and beyond, to get you in the self-care/happy family mindset…
I’m not really a fan of depriving myself at this time of year, let’s face it January’s hard enough already! Instead I think it’s far healthier to be kind to your body and mind by feeding yourself nourishing food. To me, nourishing your body this isn’t about clean eating, but can sometimes mean upping the comfort levels while perhaps adding in some extra good stuff.
We have our first snow of the season here in St Albans so I’m planning on hibernating and keeping warm.
1. Spaghetti Carbonara
This delicious take on a traditional comfort food classic from Jamie Oliver’s latest title Everyday Super Food replaces the creamy sauce with a yogurt and pea combination. So you still get the comfort but in a much lighter, and in my view much tastier way. The swap-in of wholewheat spaghetti is a quick-win nutritionally and my kids didn’t even notice when I tried it out on them (own photo of Jamie’s recipe)
2. One Pot Cypriot Lamb
This is a warming family recipe and a real crowd pleaser at this rather chilly time of year. You can use lamb or chicken, and if you have any fresh tomatoes throw those in with some home grown mint too. Sometimes I add a creamy, British goats cheese to this instead of feta.
When it comes to home cooking, I think the emphasis should be on using the best quality produce possible. If you are going to eat meat, make sure you buy the best you can, ideally from a local butcher so you can trace the source.
3. Polish Gnocchi with Tenderstem ® Broccoli
This is proper Polish comfort food with a healthy twist using British Tenderstem ®. The Polish version of gnocchi is called ‘kopytka’ – meaning ‘little hooves’ which I’ve brightened up by adding tiny pieces of Tenderstem ® to the dough itself, and then served them with more healthy Tenderstem ®, shallots and Polish ham. It’s a really easy recipe to bring together and a fantastic way to use up any leftover mashed potato.
Expect lots more of this kind of food from me, especially with my modern Polish cookery book coming out this September – stay tuned for more info!
4. Clearspring Gluten Free Brown Rice Noodles with Spinach & Tomato
This is a really simple recipe using only five ingredients, that’s perfect for those times when you really need a re-set but still want the comfort of a steaming bowl of pasta.
The fresh and tasty combination of fresh tomatoes, garlic and spinach will lift your spirits and feel oh-so-nourishing.
5. Zucchini Boats with Bolognese Sauce
I really enjoyed following a Paleo diet last January. Dialing down on processed foods and carbs while eating plenty of lean and organic protein, fresh seasonal veg and lots of fruit was a pretty simple way to feel healthier and lose a few pounds. When I’m in this kind of mood these loaded courgette boats are my absolute go-to recipe – they make such a tasty alternative to pasta. I sprinkled the bolognese with toasted hazelnuts instead of grated cheese which is such a delicious topper.
What recipes do you turn to when you want to feel nourished? Are you making any healthy changes to your diet this year? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below!