Cinnamon Buns

Cinnamon buns! I must admit, I was pretty new to this one. Growing up, cinnamon buns weren't a feature in my house. Sure, I'd occasionally fall prey to cinnabun like any other kid, but it wasn't something we made or focused on. They were vaguely out there but not overly on my radar. I'm not entirely sure why, then, that I woke up on a weekend recently and decided to surprise my kids with them but... wow, have I been missing out. These are surprisingly not so hard to make and are absolutely delicious. They are hot, with a slight crunch on the outside but warm and soft on the inside, with a delightfully sweet without being overly sweet topping. Needless to say, my kids (and husband) now ask for them regularly.

Are they the healthiest? Nope. But... are they worse than pancakes or french toast? I think not. So, I make them sparingly. I stick to one. (My kids sometimes go for more than one...) And I serve it with a giant bowl of fresh fruit. I wouldn't recommend diving into it all of the time, but I've lightened it where I could reasonably do so while maintaining the true quality of the cinnamon buns and every so often, I think it's fair to just dig in and enjoy!

Time: 45 min

Beet Soup - Borscht!

Is it really borsht? You can tell me, but it's an absolutely delicious beet soup that can be served warm or cold and is beloved by not just myself and my husband but our seven year old daughter. (Okay, my four and a half year old son is less interested but to be fair, he's interested in little that isn't chicken nuggets. Or ketchup. He REALLY loves ketchup.)

You'll notice that the soup pictured here is a pale red. I've made it a couple times now and it's interesting how much the flavor (and color) varies with beets chosen. The first time I made it, I used all red beets. It was, unsurprisingly, a deep rich red color and it was a very savory soup. This time I used one red beet, one golden beet, and two chioggia beets, which are the sweetest kind and an absolutely gorgeous red and white swirled pattern. This soup came out quite sweet. I enjoyed both but your preference will definitely depend on your sweet/savory preferences.

Time: 50 min

Black Bean - Corn Enchiladas

In my house, enchiladas are sorely underrated. We turn to tacos, fajitas, quesadillas, but ignore the ever-so-humble enchilada... and we miss out because of it. Finally, we've started to remedy this oversight and variations on these delicious enchiladas have now appeared several times. The best part? They not only come together quickly but can use a wide variety of (frozen!) veggies making this something you can dive into last minute when it's a post-work scramble to figure out a healthy dinner.

Unfortunately, I haven't quite convinced my kids to dive into these wholeheartedly yet but perhaps yours are more adventurous... and  I hold out hope. Just keep in mind that these can have as much or as little of a kick as you want, so plan accordingly to tastes in your household. I share a relatively mild version below.

Time: 45 min (nearly all baking time)

Farro-Cauliflower Parmesan

I had to trick my husband into this one. Not a huge fan of the 'parmesan' series of dishes and doubtful of tomato sauce mixed with veggies, he hesitated when I whipped this one up for dinner... but not for long. After some encouragement (and/or threats) he gave it a shot and it immediately became one of his favorites. The roasted cauliflower, the hearty and chewy farro, the cheese that is enough without being overpowering, all work together for an absolutely delicious combination that just hits the spot on a cool or wintry day.

This meal can also come together quite quickly! I note the time below with pre-cut cauliflower since, despite knowing it's somewhat ridiculous to pay extra for it, I do buy pre-cut florets for this meal. Between kids and work, it makes life a lot easier. Just add some time if you're cutting yourself. Also, do spring for fresh cauliflower. While I'm a huge fan of frozen veggies wherever you can use them, this is a time you'd end up with a soggy mess.

Time: 1 hr 10 min (nearly entirely baking time... just about 10 min hands-on!)

Please note: This recipe is adapted from a NY Times recipe.. mostly to make it healthier!

Grilled Portobello Burger

I must admit - I might be biased on this one. I *love* portobello burgers. Or rather, I just love mushrooms of all kinds. But even for the more discerning mushroom eaters out there, I think these are worth trying. It's not because it's a meat substitute... it's just because it's good. This is a delicious meal all by itself without the need for comparing it to other things or sticking it in a group. 

The trick here, of course, is marinating the mushrooms. Give them time to soak up the delicious flavors of balsamic vinegar, rosemary, and more, before grilling them. Don't worry, while the marinading takes a few minutes to sit, the rest comes together quite quickly. I then served my mushrooms with cheese, tomato, and aioli, all of which are in the menu below, but you should feel free to embellish however you like. Grilled (or not) red onion, leafy greens of some sort, and avocado would all be great additions as well!

Time: 50 min

Broccoli-Cheddar Cauli Soup

Cauliflower puree (or CauliCreme at Wegmans) is one of my favorite products. It's 100% cauliflower yet makes a fantastic, rich, creamy base for sauces or soups. Want to make an "alfredo" sauce? Use this. Want to make a creamy pesto sauce? Use this. Want to make any of a variety of rich, velvety, chowder-like or bisque-like soups? Use this! Yet...without the guilt while also sneaking some delicious vegetables into your diet. I've used it for mushroom soup, corn soup, crab chowder, and more. Get creative and share your best ideas in the comments. (And, of course, check back as I try to post a few more ideas and recipes.)

This recipe does use some cheese, but the soups are equally delicious without it. When I've done seafood chowders or mushroom soup, it's fully vegan. The basic idea also always remains the same... saute some aromatics for a base, add some veggies, and then add the cauliflower puree and broth in varying quantities depending on your goal texture. I have typically been doing around two cups of my homemade salt-free vegetable broth (if you aren't using vegetable scraps, or frankly chicken bones or shrimp shells, to make broth, you are definitely missing out) to one back of Wegman's Caulicreme and that creates a bisque-like texture. Obviously, this allows for customization. So what are you waiting for? Whip up some soup and add a (whole grain) bread or salad for a delicious and healthy winter meal!

Time: 20 min

Homemade Black Bean Burgers

Interestingly, while I'm a lifelong vegetarian, I haven't always loved black bean burgers. It was unfortunate since up until a few years ago, that was the main substitute for meat. (I have always loved mushrooms, though!) However, even during that phase, a friend made me homemade black bean burgers with a recipe very close to this one. Since she'd already planned a vegetarian meal just for me, I said nothing, shot a look at my husband to ensure he wouldn't, and chomped away. And... it was delicious. I realized I'd been missing out with dry, flavorless versions at many restaurants that were only tossing in a vegetarian option as an overthought. I began to experiment with my own version and today, these are a favorite in my house.

Black beans do bring a lot of calories, but they are also incredibly filling with lots of vitamins and nutrients, so you don't need much to satisfy you. Just ensure you are buying low-salt or no-salt versions *and* rinsing them off really well. Not only is that key to getting the right texture in this recipe, but it also will get rid of any salt that is remaining. Otherwise, a healthy dinner will quickly leave your sodium skyrocketing. You'll also see I use a little bit of cheese inside mine for an extra burst of flavor and delightful surprise. You can easily leave this out if you prefer, or even tuck something else inside. Like... more guacamole. Who doesn't want more guacamole?!?

Time: 30 min