Ah, winter weather has really kicked in lately (at least, where I live). It’s been cold, [very] rainy, windy…luckily, no snow here – however, something about snow does sound a bit enchanting I must admit! Anyone else feeling the winter blues kick in? We’re about halfway through the season and I don’t know about you, but I am itching for spring weather and blooming flowers. One thing I do love about winter is the abundance of excuses to EAT. Cozy and indulgent food is the best food – I love winter baking, but I also love the opportunity to start anew come January, and begin to prep healthier options, because those can be yummy too!
I like to start my day with a simple and nutritious smoothie recipe like this Creamy Cinnamon Apple Spice Smoothie. It feels like the winter in a glass, but it’s refreshing, healthy and a great recipe to start the day with. Beginning the morning with an easy-to-digest meal like a smoothie is a wonderful way to ease your body into the day ahead, and give it some time to easily digest its first meal! This recipe can be substituted with any type of milk alternative, oat milk is delicious and creamy as well. I also like adding in 1/4 cup of oats if I am looking for something a little more filling, this also gives it a super whipped and creamy texture too that is delish!
For lunch, I usually opt for some leftovers because sometimes that’s all my schedule allows for, which is why I always begin my week with some easy recipes I can grab ‘n go with through out the work week. What better mid-day pick-me-up than leftover [cold] pizza, and in this case..flatbread?! I love this JUICI Apple Arugula & Goat Cheese Balsamic Flatbread, and I love it even more for how good it tastes on day one AND two. If you want it fresh, no worries, this flatbread is so quick and easy to whip up on a whim and the best part is, you can save some slices for tomorrow!
Ok now, let’s talk dinner. I am not necessarily condoning flatbread AND a grilled cheese all in one day, but I am also not saying this doesn’t sound like a fantastic scenario…are you following? 😉 A cold, winter evening was made for a warm, crunchy, ooey gooey cheesy grilled cheese – and in this case, a Cheesy Apple Caramelized Onion Grilled Cheese! This has the perfect meld of sweet and savory flavors and incredible textures – the creamy gruyere cheese mixed with apple cider caramelized onions, paired with thick slices of sour dough bread and crunchy JUICI apples! Ah, I am hungry just writing about it.
There you have it – those are some of my favorite winter recipes right now. I don’t necessarily eat this all in a day (but honestly, I just might!) I am all about easy, comforting and delicious during the winter season. I love the spices, the opportunity to indulge when you feel like it, but I also love to throw in some nutritious snacks and breakfast items that are healthy, but don’t exactly taste like they would be! Let’s face it, we deserve the sweeter things especially these days, so why not make each meal count!
What are your favorite winter recipes? Is it something baked and scrumptious? Savory and sweet? I want to know in the comments below!