But, at night, when I get home- this winter cold is making me crave warm comfort food. When you grow up in Georgia, comfort food means grits, cream of wheat, and my favorite- chicken & dumplin’s (you can’t add the “g” on dumplings because it just doesn’t seem as special)!

Though I crave comfort food- I still like to give it a healthy-feel good twist. It can be warm and delicious but still full of whole grains, green vitamin rich veggies and lean protein. That is exactly what this crave-worthy dish is.

Whole Wheat Chicken & Dumplin’s
serves 6

For the stew:
2 large celery stalks, chopped
2 large carrots, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 T olive oil
1 t sea salt
1 t fresh cracked black pepper
1/8 t dried rosemary
2 chicken breasts, chopped
4 C low sodium chicken stock
1 C milk
3 T whole wheat flour
2 C kale leaves

For the Dumplings:
1 1/2 C whole wheat pastry flour *you can use half white flour if you want a fluffier texture
1/4 t sea salt
3/4 t baking soda
3/4 C milk

Make the stew:
In a large pot over medium-high heat, sauté the celery, carrot and onion in the olive oil. Add 1/2 t salt and all of the black pepper. Cook until tender. Now, add the rosemary, chicken breast and the other 1/2 t of salt. Cook until the chicken is starting to brown. Now, add the the chicken stock. In a small tupperware, add the milk and flour and shake until combine. Now, add the milk/flour mixture to the pot. Reduce heat to medium low, cover and allow to cook while you make the dumplings.

Make the dumplings:
Combine the flour, sea salt and baking soda. Mix well. Now, pour in the milk and mix- **just until all of the flour is wet.

Now, gently drop heaping teaspoons of the dumpling mixture into to simmering pot. Cover and allow to simmer for about 15 minutes…just until the dumplings are puffy. Now, gently mix in the kale and turn off the heat.

Serve!

This meatloaf pairs perfectly with a big pile of basmati rice, cooked with golden raisins and sprinkled with chopped nuts. The white meat turkey keeps it nice and lean- the plethora of veggies keeps in moist- and the lovely array of spices keep it interesting!

This dish has become a staple in our house- hopefully your family will love it too!

Tandoori Turkey Meatloaf

1/2 C onion, finely chopped
1/2 C celery, finely chopped
1/2 C carrot, grated (not packed)
16 oz white meat ground turkey breast
1 egg
1/4 C bread crumbs or 1 piece of bread
1/8 C milk
1/2 t sea salt
1/2 t cumin powder
1/2 t tumeric
1 t curry powder
1/2 t ground coriander
2 T tomato paste
1 T worcestershire sauce

Curried Ketchup

4 T tomato paste
1 t cumin
1 t curry powder
1 t brown sugar
1 T apple cider vinegar
2 T water
1/2 t sea salt

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

In a medium pan over medium high heat, combine the onion, celery and carrot. Cook until tender…about 5 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine the turkey, egg, bread crumbs, milk (**if you are using a slice of bread, soak the bread in the milk and then crumble it in**), and all of the remaining spices and ingredients. Now, pour the veggie mixture on top. Using your hands, kneed and combine the mixture until all of the ingredients are evenly distributed throughout the turkey.

Prepare a large cookie sheet by spraying it with cooking spray or covering it with aluminum foil. Using your hands, shape and pack the meatloaf.

Now, make your Curried Ketchup topping. In a bowl, combine all of the ingredients and mix well. Using the back of a spoon or a brush, coat the top of your meatloaf with ketchup. Any extra can be reserved for serving!

Bake the loaf at 425 degrees for 30 minutes. Let it rest for 5 minutes before serving!

*To make the rice, combine basmati rice, water, salt and raisins. Cook until tender and then top with your favorite chopped nut!

Eggplant is a very controversial veggie around our house. I absolutely LOVE it and Gavin thinks it is terrible! If I ever get to eat eggplant, its because I slice it up, season it, and throw it under the broiler as a side dish to my dinner…it is never the star of the meal around here. BUT, I absolutely love the smokey, earthy flavors of delicious eggplant and I just had to try to sneak it in to a meal and win Gavin’s heart for this beautiful purple plant.

The best way to sneak something past a guy that grew up in the South in an Italian household? Bread it, fry it and cover it in marinara and cheese! (Or in my case, create a healthy version of an old favorite!) Baked and stacked eggplant parmesan.

When I set the plate in front of him, he was a little hesitant…but once he cut into the golden, yummy crust and took a bite, I knew he could no longer deny that eggplant CAN taste good! He ate it all…and so did I- I really wish the pictures turned out better…it is a beautiful dish and it would be such a fun and easy entree for a dinner party. Its healthy and yummy and tastes like the old classic!

Baked and Stacked Eggplant Parmesan
4 servings

For the Eggplant:
1 C bread crumbs
1 t dried oregano
1 t sea salt
1 egg
1T water
12 3/4″ thick slices of eggplant

For the Sauce:
15 oz can of petite diced tomatoes
1 T basil
1/8 t ground thyme
1/2 t dried oregano
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 t sea salt

Topping:
1/2 C grated parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Set out two plates. On one plate, combine the bread crumbs, oregano and sea salt. On the other plate, crack the egg and add the water…whisk gently with a fork.

Now, coat both sides of each piece of eggplant with the egg mixture and then coat each side in the bread crumb mixture. Place the eggplant on a bakers cooling rack and then place them in the oven. Bake for 30-35 minutes- until the eggplant is cooked through and the breadcrumbs and crispy and golden.

While the eggplant is baking, in a medium pot over medium heat, combine all of the sauce ingredients. Bring the sauce mixture to a boil and then reduce heat to low and allow to simmer until the eggplant is cooked.

To assemble the dish, place one slice of eggplant on each plate and top with 1 T sauce. Repeat until it is 3 layers high. Top with grated parmesan cheese. Serve with whole wheat pasta!

This soup is great any time of year. The hearty lentils help it to feel warm and comforting in the fall and winter…the beautiful orange color and light flavors make it a lovely spring and summer dish. There is no need for meat- no need for sides- this soup provides all of the protein, veggies and carbs you will need to fuel your body- in a very tasty way!

Mediterranean Lentil Soup
4 servings

onion 1 C, chopped
carrot 1/2 C, chopped
celery 1/2 C, chopped
garlic 3 cloves, minced
ginger 1 inch, minced
1 T tomato paste
1 t salt
1 t curry
1/2 t tumeric
1/2 t cumin
1 C red lentils
2 C water
1 C chicken stock
In a large pot over medium heat, combine the onion, celery and onion and sauté for five minutes. Now, add the garlic and ginger and cook for another 5 minutes.

Stir in the tomato paste, salt, curry, turmeric and cumin.

Add the lentils, water and chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook for 20 minutes.

The other morning, Gavin was craving something sweet for breakfast and I have been dreaming up new recipes using oatmeal- so, I decided to whip up an idea that has been floating around in my head. I wanted to mimic the flavors of a nice warm piece of apple pie, al a mode…while keeping things light and healthy!

This parfait is the perfect solution. It tastes rich and decadent- but it is nutritious and satisfying! Gavin was a huge fan- and now he requests this lovely little breakfast in a mason jar all the time! All of the parts can be made ahead of time…the apples store great in the fridge and the oatmeal topping keeps well in a sealed container in the pantry.

It’s Saturday morning- warm up the oven and give this recipe a try- let me know what you think!

Apple Pie Parfaits
2 parfaits

Pie Topping:
2 C oats
1/4 C brown sugar
1/2 t sea salt
1 egg white
1/2 C apple sauce
2 T coconut oil

Apple Filling:
1 large apple, sliced
2 t brown sugar
1/2 t sea salt
1/2 t cinnamon
1 t flour
2 T water

1 C 0% plain greek yogurt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, combine all of the topping ingredients and mix until everything is moist. Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray and pour the mixture on it. Spread the mixture evenly over the cookie sheet and spray the top with cooking spray. Bake for 25 minutes.

While the oat mixture is baking, in a medium pan over medium heat combine the apple, brown sugar, sea salt and cinnamon. Cook for 5 minutes. Now, add the flour and mix well. Next, add the water and cover. Reduce heat to low and allow to cook for 20 minutes.

To assemble to parfaits, layer greek yogurt and then top with apple pie filling and then top with oat topping. Repeat layers 2-3 times depending on the size of your dish.

This chili recipe is one of my favorites. Its incredibly easy but it tastes like you slaved away for hours! It’s both light and filling at the same time…its hearty with lots of delicious flavor from the hominy and green chillies and full of protein and fiber from the chicken and white beans- its definitely a crowd pleaser and it freezes really well…what’s not to love?!

White Chicken Chili
8-12 servings

1/2 C onion, chopped
1 C celery, chopped
1 C potato, chopped
1 t salt
1 t cumin powder
1 lb ground white meat chicken (you can use turkey too)
1 T sugar
4 cans white northern beans
2 cans white hominy
1 small can diced green chillies
1/2 t pepper
2 cans chicken stock

In a large pot over medium heat, sauté the onion, celery, potato and salt for 5 minutes.

Now, add the ground chicken and ground cumin and cook for 5 more minutes.

Now for the easy part! Add the sugar and then the cans of white beans, the hominy, green chillies, the pepper and the chicken stock.

Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes.

Store in the fridge or freeze for later use!

In the winter, root vegetables take center stage on our dinner plates. I LOVE the bitter sweetness provided by parsnips, turnips, radishes and rutabaga. I love the creamy texture of sweet potatoes and the rich earthiness of caramelized onions. Many nights, I find myself chopping large amounts of beautiful root veggies and simply throwing them on a pan to roast- this week, I tossed them with some whole wheat cous cous, a few herbs, and a little olive oil and we enjoyed a beautiful bowl of wintery, roasted goodness. This dish takes about 5 minutes of effort. Throw the veggies in the oven to roast, make the cous cous, top it with herbs…wha-la!

Roasted Root Vegetable Cous Cous

2 carrots, cut into 1″ pieces
2 celery stalks, cut into 1″ pieces
1 C potatoes, cut into 1″ pieces
1 C sweet potato, cut into 1″ pieces
1 C turnips, cut into 1″ pieces
1 C onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 t olive oil
1 1/2 C whole wheat cous cous
2 C water
1 t salt
1 t oregano
1 T mint
1 T basil
1 t lemon zest

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Cut the carrots, celery, potatoes, sweet potatoes and turnips into 1″ pieces and put them on a cookie sheet. Spray the tops with olive oil cooking spray and season with salt and pepper. Place them in the oven to roast for about 40 minutes.

While the veggies are cooking, in a medium pot over medium heat sautee the onion and garlic in olive oil. Now, add the cous cous and sautee until it starts to slightly toast. Now, add the salt and the water. Bring to a boil and then remove from the heat and cover. Let stand for 5 minutes and then using a fork, fluff the mixture.

When the veggies have finished roasting, gently toss them into the cous cous.

Now, add the oregano, mint, basil and lemon zest. Toss together and serve.

**You can sub any of your favorite herbs and veggies in this recipe.

**I topped our cous cous with chopped walnuts and cranberries. YUM!

It might be 80 and sunny here in J’Bay- but in a few days we are headed back home and back into winter, meaning, I will once again start to crave the warm, hearty flavors of comfort food. When I think of comfort food, the first thing that pops into my head is my mom’s chicken pot pie. Oh-My-Goodness…it is Unbelievably good! Growing up, I would request chicken pot pie whenever I had the chance and when I walked in the door to the smell of flaky, buttery crust baking in the oven, my heart would flutter just a little :)

I came up with this version of chicken pot pie after my mom requested a healthy version of the decadent dish. I am in NO way going to claim that this version is anything close to the way mamma used to make it but, it is creamy, rich (tasting) and perfectly comforting on a cold winter day!

Chicken-Pot-Pasta
serves 8

1 t olive oil
1/2 C carrots, diced
1/2 C celery, diced
1/2 C onion, diced
2 chicken breast, diced
1 t sea salt
1 t fresh ground pepper
1/4 C flour
1 can chicken stock
1 C milk
1 C frozen green peas
4 C (uncooked) whole wheat rotini, cooked al dente
In a large pan over medium heat, sauté the onion, celery and carrot in the olive oil until slightly tender, about 5 minutes. Now, add the diced chicken breast and cook for about 5 more minutes.

Season the mixture with salt and pepper. Now add the flour. It will be thick and goopy but stir the mixture until the veggies are coated and cook, stirring constantly for 3 minutes. Now, add the can of chicken stock and stir very well until all of the flour has dissolved. Add the milk and bring to a simmer. Allow this to cook for 10 minutes, until the sauce begins to thicken.

Next, stir in the peas and cook until the peas are tender, about 2 minutes.

Pour the sauce over your prepared whole wheat rotini noodles and serve!

It seems like whenever the plane touches South African soil, I start craving butternut squash. Gavin and I eat butternut a good bit at home, but here in J’Bay, the lovely orange squash is available year-round and always tastes completely perfect. Here, it is often made in to soup, like this one that Ria taught me on one of my first trips to Africa…but one of my favorite ways to enjoy this vitamin rich food is to stuff it and make a meal out of it!

Now, I know that we are in South Africa- at the complete opposite end of the continent and in a culture a million miles away- but I LOVE to pair Moroccan flavors with butternut squash…so, although this dish is inspired by my love for butternut that started in SA, it celebrates flavors that span the continent!

Stuffed Butternut Squash with Moroccan Spiced Tomatoes

1 Medium butternut squash, cut in half length wise, seeds removed
1 C onion, chopped
1 C green pepper, chopped
1/2 C celery, chopped
1/2 C whole wheat cous cous
1 C water
2 cloves garlic
1 t sea salt
1 t oregano
Moroccan Spiced Tomatoes
2 C canned diced tomato
1/2 t cinnamon
1/4 t coriander, ground
1/4 t cumin, ground
1/4 t tumeric, ground
1/8 t nutmeg, ground
1 T brown sugar
1/2 t sea salt
1 clove garlic, crushed

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. To prepare your butternut squash, wash the outside well. Cut it in half, length wise and scoop out the seeds. Spray the flesh side with olive oil cooking spray and season with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 40 minutes, flesh side up.

While the butternut is roasting, prepare the stuffing. In a medium pot over medium heat coated in olive oil spray, sauté the onion, pepper and celery for 5 minutes. Now, add the cous cous and cook until slightly browned, stirring constantly, about 3 minutes. Now, add the water, garlic and salt. Bring to a boil. As soon as the water boils, remove the pot from the heat and cover.

To make the tomatoes: In a medium pan over medium heat, combine all ingredients and allow to simmer for 10-15 minutes.

When the squash is finished roasting, fill each side with half of the cous cous mixture and top with sauce. I also added a few chopped walnuts. It is wonderful topped with feta or goat cheese and greek yogurt as well!

I mean, who needs a multivitamin when you can get 1,327% of your needed vitamin K and 354% of your needed vitamin A in just ONE CUP?? Kale is not only packed with vitamins, many studies have shown its incredible cancer privation benefits, anti-inflammatory benefits, detoxifying benefits and cardiovascular benefits.

This beautiful, deep green food can play the supporting role at any meal- its a perfect addition to soups and stews, grains and pastas…but it can also be the star. There are so many wonderful kale salad variations out there- but my favorite way to enjoy kale is very simple- a quick sauté.

In this dish, the sweetness and acidity of chardonnay, the caramel-y goodness of slow cooked onions, the crisp, fresh flavors of green beans and the earthy, deep flavors of kale combine to make the perfect warm salad. You can top this warm kale with your favorite meat or serve it on top of a pile of roasted butternut squash. It’s versatile and delicious!

Warm Kale Salad

1 onion, thinly sliced
1/2 t sea salt
1 lb green beens, trimmed and cut in half
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/4 C white wine
1 lb kale (remove the hard stem and roughly chop leaves)
1/2 lemon, juiced

Spray a large pan with olive oil cooking spray and warm over medium heat. Add the onion and salt sauté for 5 minutes. Now, add the green beans and garlic and cook for about 2 minutes. Next, pour in the wine and allow the mixture to cook for about 3 more minutes. Add the kale and cook for about 4 minutes mixing it around occasionally so that it is evenly cooked. *Be careful not to overcook the kale…it turns an ugly grey color and looses its wonderful flavor! Squeeze the juice form half of a lemon over your cooked kale and add additional salt and pepper to taste. You can also top this salad with your favorite nut and your favorite cheese (I recommend goat cheese) to add a little extra flare!