Winter Recipes

We’re finally nearing the end of the year! It’s the season of office Christmas parties, the same makeup product being slapped with a candy cane design and being sold for four times its original price, and the endless hell of supermarket Christmas carols. It’s also one of the most underrated seasons for food! Here’s a few recipes to use on all the food that’s going to be cheaper at the supermarket now it’s in season. 

I hate brussel sprouts, let that be known. I even hate them when they’re honey roasted and lovingly basted with red pepper, like Molly Baz’s recipe from Bon Appetit, so I’m not the best person to ask. I did hate this recipe the least, though, when I tried it. Crispity, crunchity, and just a little bit spicy, this recipe has definitely made converts of brussel haters. Not me though. Brussel sprouts are significantly cheaper in the winter time, as they’re in season and abundant. Like a mini cabbage, they’re also good in soups, salads, and to use as chips for dip. Just don’t invite me to the party and it will all be smooth sailing. 

Hipsters rejoice, kale is in season! The curly, dark green vegetable has been hailed for years as a superfood, but it’s worth it! A huge bag of curly kale will actually go far, as it can be used in soups, salads, and crispy chips. Shred the leaves and coat with salt (or pepper, or barbecue powder, or onion powder…) before baking for tasty chips you can eat by the fistful during a Christmas movie marathon, or add it to your usual winter soup for a little extra vitamin kick. Maybe the cool kids were right all along about kale… 

Sweet potatoes are also in season between September and March, and their starchy sweet interior makes for a delicious winter snack. I like to blend it down with some zataar (you can use thyme, too!) and chilli for a tasty soup, but sweet potato is genuinely the best multitasker of the starch world. A thick puree gently poured over rice can take a side dish to a main meal with the addition of some spring onions and chilli flakes, or roasted in the oven in rings for crispy chips, or even brutally stabbed and slammed in the microwave for five minutes for a thorough baking.