Complete Guide to Winter Produce with Recipes and Tips
Winter is here which means it’s the season of hearty vegetables, fruits, and herbs to sustain us throughout the cold months to come. While many of us don’t think of winter as a season of produce, it actually has some of the best!
Broccoli
Broccoli is one of the most nutritious vegetables, a cruciferous vegetable, that is very high in folate and fiber to support gut health, cholesterol, blood sugar, and much more. It can be eaten raw, roasted, steamed, sautéed, and more! It is my favorite vegetable and the one I recommend most to my health coaching clients for its powerful anti-cancer properties.
Tip: Broccoli sprouts contain up to 400x more sulforaphane, a powerful component in broccoli, than full grown broccoli that we know well. Try them in salads!
Crispy Parmesan Broccoli
My favorite way to enjoy broccoli is to trim florets, toss with olive oil, salt and pepper and garlic powder, and roast on a baking sheet at 425 degrees for 20 minutes or until edges are crisp. When out of the oven, top with a sprinkle of shredded parmesan and red pepper flakes (optional). This recipe makes everyone love broccoli!
Cauliflower
Cauliflower is one of the most easily-transformed vegetables around, plus it packed with nutrition. It is traditionally white, but there are also orange and purple varieties that pack even more antioxidants with their vibrant colors. There’s not much you can’t do with this versatile veggie! Cauliflower can be pureed into cauliflower mash, added to smoothies frozen to add thickness, roasted for crispy bits, and chopped finely to make cauliflower rice, perfect for homemade burrito bowls and tacos.
Tip: An easy way to get florets from a head of cauliflower is to hold it stem upwards and smash it on the counter a few times (really, try it!). It works like a charm and saves a lot of time.
Cauliflower Fritters
Vegetarian patties that get your veggies in with perfectly crisp edges are pure comfort food. They’re very versatile too, if you want to add in other additions or toppings!
INGREDIENTS
*12 oz cooked cauliflower rice (I use the super convenient steam in a bag kind)
*2 eggs beaten
*1 c cheddar cheese
*3 TBS almond flour (Use code NWW for 10% off)
*1 tsp dry onion flakes or onion powder
*1 tsp garlic powder
*1 tsp sea salt (My favorite is Redmond’s Real Salt, unrefined and naturally loaded with minerals out bodies need! + Use Code NWW for 15% off your order!)
*1/2 black pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Combine all ingredients in large bowl
2. Heat about 1 TBS olive oil in large pan over medium heat
3. Drop in small heaps of about 1/5 c of the mixture, and gently flatten into pancake shape
4. Cook for about 4 minutes per side until brown and crispy
5. Garnish with sliced green onion or chopped parsley and drizzle with greek yogurt, ranch dressing or aoli. Enjoy!
Citrus
Fresh citrus fruits like lemons, limes, grapefruit, mandarins and oranges (Sumo oranges are my absolute favorite and are in season January to April-they can be spotted at the grocery store by their wrinkled appearance and “topknot”, I promise you’ll love them) add a refreshing and energizing taste with a boost of vitamin C and fiber too! These are very versatile and can be added to everything from beverages, to salads, to smoothies, and juiced over seafood, tacos, and more!
Tip: Lemon zest is high in antioxidants, minerals, and fiber, so add zest to broccoli, seafood, blueberries, and more. You can store extra zest in ice cube trays with water for an easy and no-waste method to use them in a pinch. Bonus tip: Starting your day with lemon squeezed into warm water is a simple but very healthy habit that I recommend to help jump start digestion, metabolism, immunity, and more!
My Client-Favorite IMMUNE BOOSTER Orange Creamsicle Smoothie
https://www.nursingyourwaytowellness.com/blog-posts/my-immune-booster-orange-creamsicle-smoothie
Squash
Butternut squash is just one of many wonderful winter squashes. Rich in potassium, beta-carotene (the orange color), vitamins A, C, and E, butternut squash can help improve immunity, eye health, heart health, and blood pressure. In addition, butternut squash is very beneficial to our gut and helps balance our blood sugar for huge health benefits (hello more energy, less cravings, and better sleep!).
Tip: Pierce squash a few times and microwave or instapot to soften enough to easily cut it in half horizontally, remove seeds, and roast. And don’t forget to the seeds! They are delicious and high in protein, fiber, healthy fats, magnesium, iron and calcium. To roast, dry the seeds, toss with olive oil, seasonings, and roast at 275 degrees for about 12-15 minutes.
Heart Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
This is one of our favorite soups for the winter! It’s hearty, cozy, and rich with the roasty, carmelized squash and chunky sausage, plus the crunchy toppings are fun to add on for both kids and adults. Easy and simple, this will be a go-to for you, too, for lunch and dinner, plus perfect for meal prep with the best leftovers.
INGREDIENTS:
1 large butternut squash, cubed (about 4 lbs) (or buy pre-cubed)
1 lb ground spicy Italian sausage (chicken or turkey sausage are good options, or omit if vegetarian)
1 ½ cups steamed riced cauliflower (I use a frozen bag, so easy)
1 cup full fat coconut milk or heavy cream
2 Tbs olive oil
4 c chicken stock
1 yellow onion chopped
7-8 cloves of garlic minced
2 tsp sage
½ tsp thyme
½ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp salt
INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Arrange cubed butternut squash on sheet and drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper and roast for 30 minutes until golden and caramelized, flipping halfway.
While roasting squash, add olive oil to large pot over medium heat with onion, garlic, sage, thyme, ginger, nutmeg, and salt. Cook until onions are translucent. Add ½ c of chicken stock and scape any bit from bottom of pot. Add this onion mixture to blender. When squash is done, add it to blender as well, along with the other 3 ½ c of stock. Blend until chunky smooth.
Increase heat to medium high and sauté sausage in the pot until browned. Drain any excess grease. Add blended squash mixture to pot along with steamed cauliflower rice. Cook on medium high stirring frequently for about 10 minutes. Turn heat to low and simmer for 30-40 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve in bowls and add toppings as desired.
Topping options: butternut squash seeds, pumpkin seeds, or pecans (toasted in frying pan for 2-3 min.), sour cream or greek yogurt, cayenne pepper, fried sage leaves, or cilantro. Enjoy!!
Kale
Another star cruciferous veggie, kale is a nutrition powerhouse with vitamin C, fiber, calcium, iron, and antioxidants. Enjoy a handful of kale in salads or smoothies, sauté it and enjoy it on its own as a side dish, or add it chopped to a bowl of soup. A squeeze of lemon and a pinch of salt adds a burst of fresh flavor to this dark leafy green as well.
Tip: Massaging kale with your hands helps to break down the cell walls a bit to make it easier to digest.
Tip: Hold your fingers like a claw and place a kale leaf between your pointer and middle fingers and pull downward to easily remove the leaf from the tough stem.
Zesty Dorito Kale Chips
CHEESY DORITOS, but from Kale! These will satisfy all of your crunchy, salty cravings in a healthful way.
1) Wash and tear kale into bite sized pieces and dry well.
2) Toss with avocado oil to coat, nutritional yeast (gives it a delicious cheesy🧀 taste and some extra protein!), jalapeño powder 🌶 (optional) and cumin to taste!
3) Spread on baking sheet and bake at 300 degrees for 20 min.! (Watch closely so they don’t burn)
These are great as a crunchy snack but I also love to crumble them on top of salads, in wraps, or on top of soups! Enjoy!
>>> If you love this recipe, you can find more easy, healthy recipes in my cookbook here!
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In the comments below share what your favorite winter produce or recipe is!