Roasted Onions and Portabellas with Swiss Chard-Grain Pilaf

Oh, winter. Or, to be fair, late fall. Is it weird to anyone else that winter doesn't start until the end of December? To me, December will always be winter and March will always be spring but, alas, I guess I don't get to make that determination.

Still, with the cold weather, whatever season it may be, comes the craving for warm, filling, comfort food. However, comfort food and health have historically rarely gone together... but that simply doesn't have to stay that way. This vegan (yes! vegan comfort food!) meal hits all of the right notes - thick textures, hot food, sweet and savory notes - without any of the guilt. You can feel free to bring out the big (really, quite enormous by historical standards) dinner plates this time because there's no reason to skip seconds on this dinner. It's packed full of veggies and whole grains with little else, leaving you content and full yet happy with your decisions.

Time: 55 min


Swiss Chard-Grain Pilaf
Time: 45 min

Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 bunch Swiss chard, chopped
1 sweet onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 box Wegman's Mountain Red Blend
2 c vegetable broth, no salt added
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 c roasted unsalted cashews

Get your oven pre-heating to 400 degrees. Add olive oil to a large oven-proof pan, swirling to coat. Let the oil heat for a minute and then add the Swiss chard, onions, and garlic. Saute for 2-3 minutes, stirring once or twice. Add the Mountain Red Blend and cook for another 2-3 minutes, stirring nearly constantly. This will lightly toast the grains.

Add the broth and black pepper. Stir well and then bring to a simmer. Cover the pan and move it to the pre-heated oven. Bake for 20 minutes.

Carefully remove the pan from the oven. Add the soy sauce and cashews and toss well to combine. Enjoy!

Note: This recipe is adapted from a Wegman's recipe.

Make ahead: Want to speed up prep the next day? Chop up the swiss chard, onions, and garlic the night before. Simply combine them in a large ziploc bag or a bowl and toss straight into the pan the next day. You're down to a 30 min meal!

Roasted Onions and Portabellas
Time: 35 min

Ingredients:
12 oz Portabella mushrooms, sliced
2 sweet onions, sliced
2 tbsp Wegmans basting oil
1 tsp Wegmans BBQ Seasoning Shak'r
1 tsp dried Thyme

Get your oven pre-heating to 400 degrees.

Place the mushrooms, 1 tbsp basting oil, 1/2 tsp BBQ seasoning, and 1/2 tsp Thyme in a large bowl. Toss well to evenly coat. Lay a large piece of foil on your counter and pour the mixture into the middle. Fold up the sides and twist the edges to seal into a calzone-looking packet.

Place the onions in the same bowl with the remaining basting oil, BBQ seasoning, and Thyme. Repeat the same process as above.

Put the onion packet in the oven and set a timer for 20-25 minutes. After five minutes, add the mushroom packet to the oven as well. They'll be done at the same time. Enjoy!

Note: For cleaner results, put the packets on a cookie sheet just in case they drip. Also, this recipe was adapted from a Wegmans recipe.