Winter Recipes: 8 yummy and healthy recipes to make in this season

Winter is upon us and with this cold season comes a lot of hunger pangs. If you are constantly feeling hungry, don't panic as it is normal during this time of the year. The colder weather leads to a temperature drop in our body and eating helps to generate internal heat. Also, this season brings in bountiful of fresh fruits and veggies and during the holiday season we all crave yummy dishes. However, the season also gives us common illnesses and focusing on weight loss and health also goes for a toss as we become quite lazy during this time. So, how to have lip-smacking yet healthy dishes? Don't fret as we have compiled some tasty winter recipes which you can have any time whenever hunger pangs hit you without worrying.

Read on to know the recipes:

1. Herb Pasta

Ingredients

3 cups cooked pasta

1 1/4 cups paneer, cubed

1 cup parsley, finely chopped

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup basil leaves, finely chopped

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

2 green chillies, finely chopped

2 tbsp low-fat milk

1 tsp olive oil 

salt to taste

Procedure 

Heat olive oil in the pan and add garlic and green chillies. Sauté until they are fragrant, but not browned. Add paneer cubes and stir for some time, allowing them to start browning. Mix in all the remaining ingredients. Cook till the pasta is warm and serve immediately.

By Dr. Muffazal Lakdawala, Founder & Chief Surgeon at Digestive Health Institute by Dr. Muffi.

2. Strawberry Banana Smoothie 

Ingredients

1 small banana

½  cup strawberries

½ cup milk

Procedure 

Blend the small banana, strawberries, milk, a pinch of cinnamon with ice.

By Dr. Muffazal Lakdawala, Founder & Chief Surgeon at Digestive Health Institute by Dr. Muffi.

3. Beetroot Carrot Soup

Ingredients

1 beetroot, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

1 lauki, chopped

2 tomatoes, chopped

2 to 3 cloves garlic, smashed

½ inch ginger left whole

Salt, to taste

Procedure 

Pressure cook all the ingredients for one whistle. When it is safe to open the cooker, remove the ginger and garlic from the mix. Blend the rest of the ingredients well, to the desired consistency. Serve hot, with freshly ground pepper on the side. 

By Dr. Muffazal Lakdawala, Founder & Chief Surgeon at Digestive Health Institute by Dr. Muffi.

4. Quinoa Winter Special Salad

Ingredients 

Boiled Quinoa – 130 grams

Sundried Tomatoes (Chopped) – 40 grams

Spinach (Chopped) – 200 grams

Sliced Almonds – 40 grams

Olive Oil – 2.5 ml

Salt – To Taste

For Salad Dressing - 

Olive Oil – 30 ml

Lemon Juice – 30 ml

Chopped Garlic – 3 grams

Dijon Mustard – 5 grams

Chilli Flakes – 1 gram

Crushed Black Pepper – 1 gram

Method

Mix together the boiled quinoa, sun-dried tomatoes, chopped spinach and sliced almonds. Add the olive oil and salt to it and keep it aside. To make the salad dressing mix together the Lime juice, Dijon Mustard, chopped garlic, Chili Flakes and crushed pepper. Add olive oil and salt & mix it vigorously to form and emulsion. Drizzle the dressing to the salad as per the taste.

By Chef Ishijyot Surri, Executive Chef, Miniya-Turk 

5. Edamame Beans Hummus with Zatar and Dill

Ingredients 

Chickpeas 250 grams cooked chickpeas

Edamame 120 gms cooked 

Zatar 60 Gm

Dill Chopped 50 Gm 

60 ml fresh lemon juice 

60 ml well-stirred tahini, homemade (tahini recipe

1 small garlic clove, minced

60grams sesame seeds roasted and crushed

30 ml extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving)

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

Salt to taste

30 ml water

Ground paprika or sumac, for serving

Method 

Make tahini by mixing together crushed garlic, crushed and powdered sesame seeds and olive oil.  Keep it aside. Mash together the cooked edamame beans and cooked chickpeas. Add the tahini to the mashed mixture of beans and chickpeas. Add the zatar spice, chopped dill and mix it well. Add salt to taste. Check the consistency and add water if required. Garnish with zatar spice, sumac and paprika.  Serve it with pita breads.

By Chef Ishijyot Surri, Executive Chef, Miniya-Turk 

6. Pasta in microgreens 

Ingredients

Green Peas - 120 grams

Green Peas(Micro-Greens) Shoot – 300 grams

Extra Virgin Olive Oil – 120 ml

Garlic – 5 grams

Lemon Juice – 5 ml

Salt and Pepper to taste

Penne Pasta blanched – 100 t0 150 grams

Method

Blend the peas, pea’s shoots, and garlic and lemon juice into a semi coarse paste. Gradually add the olive oil and ensure it’s a semi-smooth paste. Add the salt and pepper as per taste. Toss the blanched the pasta into the pesto and garnish it with Parmesan cheese and bread. 

By Chef Ishijyot Surri, Executive Chef, Miniya-Turk 

7. Roast pumpkin soup

Ingredients

 2 cups of pumpkin cubed

 2-3 onions

3-4 garlic cloves whole

1/2 cup olive oil 3 tbs cream

 1 tsp Mixed herbs

 1 tbs parsley finely chopped

 4 cups vegetable stock

1 tbs butter, salt and  pepper to taste

Method

Place the pumpkins, onion, and garlic on a baking tray. Add oil and salt & pepper to taste. Roast until pumpkin is tender30 minutes. Let it cool. Remove skin from onions, garlic.Puree the vegetables. Add 3 cups stock, and puree until smooth.  Heat butter in a pot. Add the soup and simmer. Remove from heat, and season with salt and pepper. Serve with a dollop of cream.

By celebrity chef, TV host, food stylist, artist and Cookbook Author Ananya Banerjee. 

8. Roasted Winter Vegetables, buttered pumpkin, almond saffron cream, strawberry vinaigrette

For Roaster Winter Vegetable 

Ingredients

16 thyme sprigs, divided

4 medium beets, peeled and quartered

4 carrots, peeled and cut in half lengthwise

2 medium turnips, peeled and quartered

Heritage Cauliflower cut into florets 

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1/2 teaspoon salt, divided

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided

8 unpeeled garlic cloves

2 medium red onions, peeled and cut lengthwise into quarters

2 fennel bulbs, cored and cut lengthwise into quarters

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

Methods

Preheat oven to 200°c.

Place 8 thyme sprigs, beets, carrots, and turnips in a large bowl. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil; sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Toss to coat. Arrange vegetables in a jelly-roll pan. Bake at 200°c for 45 minutes or until vegetables are tender and begin to brown, stirring occasionally.

Place the remaining 8 thyme sprigs, garlic, onions, and fennel in a bowl. Drizzle with remaining 1 tablespoon oil; sprinkle with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Arrange vegetables in a single layer in a jelly-roll pan. Bake at 200° c for 25 minutes or until vegetables are tender and begin to brown, stirring occasionally. Combine beet mixture and onion mixture; sprinkle with chopped thyme

For Buttered Pumpkin

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons melted salted butter

2 tablespoons honey

2 dashes cayenne pepper, optional

12 oz small pumpkin or kabocha pumpkin, slice into wedges

Method:

Preheat oven to 200° c.

Combine the melted butter with honey and cayenne pepper (if using), stir to mix well. In a big bowl, toss the pumpkin with the honey butter, make sure the pumpkin slices are coated well.

Arrange the pumpkin on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 20 minutes or until the flesh is tender and soft. Serve immediately.

For Almond and Saffron Cream 

Ingredients

200 ml milk 

1 Pinch saffron threads 

200 gm Almond 

Salt to taste 

Methods 

Soak almond overnight in water. Peel next day morning. Sous vide almond with saffron at 54°c for 12 hours. Heat milk over very low heat and keep aside. Puree almond in thermomixer add milk as required. Add salt as required.

Service

Spread almond and saffron cream on plate arrange all roasted vegetables nicely on a plate. Drizzle 2tbs strawberry vinaigrette on top serve hot.

By Chef Paul Kinny, Director of Culinary, The St. Regis Mumbai.