Tasty Meal Plan Ideas for Winter
Winter weather is on its way, and with it comes an opportunity to sharpen up those food prep skills to bring all the warmth and satisfaction you need to your kitchen table. Take a look at some of our favourite chilly weather recipes that are sure to impress your friends and family.
A Classic Stew
Tried, tested and true. It’s hard to beat a good stew. It’s perfect in its simplicity, it always hits the spot, and it allows for the chef to make it their own. Don’t have potatoes? Replace with squash. Don’t have a slow cooker? There are a handful of ways to get great results. And what’s best about it, is that the protein is adaptable as well! Whether it’s chicken, beef or tofu, this classic dish can be tailored to yours or your guests palates with fantastic results.
We like a classic adaptation of this crowd pleaser, and the food gurus at Insanely Good Recipes break down everything you need to know about what makes a perfect stew.
Chili, for When it’s Chilly
If there was a podium for top winter dishes, we’d give the gold medal to chili. Hearty, warm, and adaptable, a good chili can check off a lot of wants and needs for a great winter dish. And it can also be made into a great meatless alternative as well! It takes no time to prepare, and tastes better the longer it cooks.
Allrecipes.com claims to have “The Best Vegetarian Chili in the World”, and with over 2,000 people giving it a 5-star review, we’re not going to argue about it. With only 15 minutes of prep time, it gives ample opportunity to enjoy other winter friendly activities while it simmers away on the stove top or slow cooker.
Quick and Easy Pad Thai
Preparing Thai food might initially feel like a daunting task, but simplifying your preparation of this very popular dish is actually quite straightforward and quick. There may be a few items that you have to make a trip to the store to grab, but that makes the experience more enjoyable when you have a fantastic Pad Thai to enjoy with friends and family.
This “Easy Pad Thai” recipe from Delish says that you can have a warm plate of Pad Thai in as little as 25 minutes. And the great thing about this winter meal prep idea is that the protein sources are interchangeable – make it with shrimp the first time, chicken the next time and tofu the time after that. All are great options, and all results are delicious.
Whip up a Hearty Italian Wedding Soup
We can’t talk about comforting winter foods without dabbling into the warm world of soup – and a classic Italian wedding soup fits the bill perfectly. An elevated chicken noodle soup, if you will, Italian wedding soup incorporates mini meatballs, spoon sized pasta and as many veggies as your heart desires. It’s perfect for cold winter evenings, and it’s adaptable to whatever you want it to be. For example, a traditional approach for the meatballs would be turkey or chicken, but, you could also make the “meatballs” out of ricotta.
This quick and easy to follow recipe from Delish breaks down all the steps to get from ingredients to a soup masterpiece in no time, and have plenty of leftovers to boot! It also explains the origins of the name “Italian wedding soup”, and for those of you hoping that it was a prerequisite for brides in Italy to consume it before saying “I do”, we hate to disappoint…
We’re already looking forward to trying some of these great comfort food options when the cold weather arrives. Thankfully, Lancaster Homes has the home chef in mind when designing our spectacular kitchen and dining layouts so that you will always have a beautiful canvas to create some of these hearty meals that are sure to warm the soul and add a smile to everyone’s face.