11 Jan Simply Homemade Series: Healthy, Hearty Winter Dinners

It’s January and my kids are running outside after snow flurries, praying for a big snow. Meanwhile, I’m thinking about dinner – again. Summer is so easy – throw a bunch of meat and veggies on the grill and call it done. 

Winter sometimes finds me in a “cooking rut” with dinners – often making the same things from week to week. I find myself craving healthy, warm, hearty meals for this cold season with so many coughs and viruses going around. 

If you’re needing a change up in the dinner routine this winter, I have a few easy, healthy, hearty new recipes for you to try – YAY! And with every recipe I post in my Simply Homemade series, every recipe I post has been tried and LOVED by my entire family (minus one very picky three year old who used to eat everything from butternut squash to sushi but now only seems to want crackers and fruit).

Another great thing about these simple recipes is that they are easy enough that your older kids can help you make them (or even make them independently if they are able).

Lentil-Butternut Squash Curry

1 diced onion, 2 cups red or brown lentils, 2 cups diced butternut squash, 1 large sliced carrot, 14-ounce can coconut milk, 15-ounce can diced tomatoes, 1 tablespoon curry powder, 2 teaspoons salt

Special instructions: Add 4 cups water to the slow cooker before cooking. Check halfway and add more water if needed. If soup is too thick at the end, add more water.

Cook time: 6-8 hours in slow cooker on LOW or 30 minutes high pressure in Instant Pot.

Serve with: hot, cooked rice, flatbread, raita

NOTE about this recipe: my girls love this recipe and it is a great one to make when you are pressed for time. It is also easy to find cubed, frozen butternut squash!

Mediterranean Chicken

Combine:
4 cloves garlic, chopped
3 teaspoons. oregano
¼ teaspoon. salt & pepper (or more)
¾ c. red wine vinegar ( or balsamic or white)
¾ c. olive oil
½ c. dried prunes, quartered
½ c. dried apricots, quartered
½ c. green olives, chopped
½ c. capers
4 bay leaves

Mix together separately:
½ c. brown sugar
1 ½ c. (dry) white wine
Mix until dissolved.

Combine all the above ingredients in 9 x 13 baking pan.
Add 6-8 boneless skinless chicken breasts. I like to cut or quarter them.
Try to cover chicken with liquid as possible.

Cover, refrigerate overnight. (you don’t have to, but you can.)

Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes, covered.

Note about this recipe: A friend from church made this for our women’s Advent gathering and everyone was going back for seconds. It’s that good! This would be a great recipe to make double or triple of and freeze for an easy meal later!

One of my favorite websites for cooking seasonally with whole foods is skinnytaste.com – here are a few of our favorites:

Un-stuffed Cabbage Bowls (Instant Pot or Stove Top)

Brussels Sprouts and Sausage Parsnip Spiralized Pasta

What are some of your favorite recipes for winter? I would love to hear from you!