Comfort Winter Food

So it's winter. The time of year where most states get a beautiful white blanket of snow. And along with that beautiful vision comes the very flipping cold temperatures! My brother knows how much I love the snow! He lives in North Carolina and sends me those beautiful pictures of snow!

Here in Central Florida, East Coast, we have what I call 'Florida snow flowers'. They kinda look like snow and it's the closest I'll get to the snow look! Defiantly not the white blanket as my brothers back yard. But I still think it's pretty, in its own right. I enjoy my Florida snow flowers so much I won't mow for weeks! They bring in the bees and butterflies! I love sitting outside in chilly weather (not freezing, mind you) and watch these little creatures while enjoying a hot beverage.

Of course along with the cold weather brings warm comfort winter food.

Okay, we really don't eat the same "winter comfort food" as most of the world during winter months. Did I say it's in the 80's down here in December (yes, I was trying to rub that in; did it work?) There are some days it gets really cold. Like just a few days ago my hubby had to scrub ice off the windshield before going to work! And the temperature got in the 40's! That's cold for us, but it doesn't last. Now back to the winter comfort food. I just cooked whatever....lol. Not really winter food at all. But I guess for us it could be. Anywho, here's what I made here and there.

Carrot dogs. Yep, you heard me right. As we've learned, being Plant-Based eaters, is that animal meat doesn't really have a flavor and for the most part taste yucky cooked plain. Have you ever just ate unseasoned, boiled chicken? Gross. The flavor that people seem to like isn't the meat itself but the flavor of spices, herbs and seasonings that is cooked with the plain, boring, tasteless, yucky meat. So I've done research on the spices, herbs and seasonings that is used in hot dogs. I found the flavor that my family likes best and use it to flavor carrots. We then enjoy them on a bun with any condiment your heart desires. They are very good! And best of all we can eat as many as we want! It's just a carrot. My boys eat 3 and I eat 2. They would eat more, I'm sure, but I only make 8 at a time. So they are limited that way. For this dinner I made carrot dogs served with baked beans topped with chopped onions and mustard. For me I also had pickled beets; the boys don't like them. And yes, in case your wondering, the baked beans are animal free and the beets are not made with high fructose corn syrup. 

 This meal was a lazy day meal. Potato, steamed or baked, topped with nutritional yeast and black bean corn salsa. Of course the topping was whatever you wanted. This is what I decided. It was yummy! Also very easy and who doesn't want easy when you want a lazy day meal?

Another easy meal was my Mushroom Stroganoff. Traditional stroganoff is made with meat in a mushroom gravy. So I changed it up a bit and just used mushrooms. Of course I don't like the consistency/texture of a mushroom in my mouth. I do, however, like the flavor. So to work around this dish I just take out the yucky large mushrooms and give them to my boys. Then I have a very yummy meal to enjoy! And so do my boys! I use to make this dish with canned cream of mushroom along with the meat. But that canned stuff is so loaded with bad stuff I just make my own mushroom sauce for this dish. And it's super easy!

 I can't keep typing "another easy meal" cause I'm sure that will get aggravating to keep reading. So I'll just say.....here's another meal that's easy and yummy! Well, yummy is a little debated in this house when it comes to this meal. My hubby really likes it a lot! But our boy is very picky. I'm thinking he doesn't like the consistency/texture of the quinoa just like me and mushrooms. Therefore I try to make this when I know there are other things in the fridge to be eaten or when he's at a school game and isn't coming home till 9pm! Then hubby and I can enjoy this dish. Oh yeah, it's called Mexican Quinoa.

Excuse the picture as it is upside down, my phone was under very heavy glitches and no matter what picture I took in the up right position came out upside down. This finally fixed itself a day later and I hadn't fixed the picture.

This dinner is Sloppy Lentils. Served with mash potatoes and green beans. I think I need to tweak this recipe some more. It's not "sloppy" enough for my liking. But still yummy none the less. The lentils take the place of the ground meat. Then just add homemade sloppy Joe concoction in, like if you were using ground meat. I guess you could use not homemade sloppy Joe stuff. Hell I don't know. I alway made it homemade even when I used ground meat. But I do think there is something out there for sloppy Joes in the stores. However you make it now just use lentils and see how it comes out.

Last but not least. Here is what a lunch for me might look like. This open faced sandwich is made with left overs. I love eating mash potatoes on bread! It's my favorite comfort food ever! So that is what I do if there is left over mash potatoes. This day it is also topped with leftover homemade baked beans drizzled with mustard. So yummy. Try it!

I will be doing recipes for these dishes: Carrot Dog, Mushroom Stroganoff, Mexican Quinoa and Sloppy Lentils. So if you are interested keep an eye out. I'm not sure when I'll have them for posting but I will have them!

Until next time......Enjoy Eating!