What is it about winter that makes us all want to dive face-first into soups, stews, and starch?
While our bodies adjust to the cold weather, we tend to seek out warming foods when it comes to winter dinner ideas. Sometimes the foods we eat during this time of year feel heavy and can weigh you down. Your body is working overtime to keep you warm - if you don’t prioritize nutrient-dense foods, you may see energy crashes!
Before you fall into hibernation mode this winter, let’s chat about immunity-boosting winter recipes to keep your gut healthy, your energy levels even, and your plate anything but boring. Hint: our secret ingredient is fermented foods – rich in enzymes to support digestion and boost energy!
Immunity-Boosting Winter Dinner Ideas
Finding winter dinner ideas when you just want to crash under your favorite fuzzy blanket can be challenging.
During the colder months, when natural sunlight is in short supply, our bodies get the signal that it’s time to slow down and conserve energy. [1]
We’ve all experienced the same end-of-year slowdown, so we know there’s no meal prepping our way out of it. But we can be ready with easy winter dinner ideas that combine immunity-boosting probiotics and digestive enzymes to help with energy levels.
You can also reduce inflammation and help strengthen your body's natural immunity with winter recipes that embrace fermented foods as one of the main ingredients.
Learn More: Flu Season is Here, Probiotics after Antibiotics
Warm Winter Recipes for Cold Weather Days
In between holiday gatherings, gut-healthy winter recipes provide satisfying comfort and belly-loving probiotics in every bite.
Packed with the power of fermented foods and diverse flavor profiles, let’s dive into these 11 healthy winter recipes!
1. Sauerkraut Stuffed Squash
Support gut health with winter recipes that embrace the harvest of seasonal veggies, like this Sauerkraut Stuffed Squash. Acorn or kabocha squash is halved and seeded, baked, and topped with your favorite ground protein. Top it off with one of our fermented sauerkrauts and your favorite festive herbs for a nourishing and cozy cold-weather dish.
2. Salmon Kimchi Power Bowls
‘Dump it in a (power) bowl’ winter recipes are kinda perfect, don’t ya think? This Salmon Kimchi Power Bowl checks all the boxes for seasonal gut health with filling good-for-you fats, fiber, veggies, and probiotics. Dive in with chopsticks or grab a fork; it’s easy and effortless to assemble with minimal time spent cooking and maximum time spent enjoying.
3. Crispy (un)Fried Okra
There’s no frying required for this Crispy Fried Okra. A crispy pan-warmed topping gives this Okra dish a taste of the South without any added oils. Fermented foods, like okra and minced garlic are topped with a crunchy Parmigiano breadcrumb finish that allows you to snack on mouthfuls of gut-happy enzymes during the season you need it the most.
4. Cucumber Kimchi Pico de Gallo
Flavorful toppings are a must for any season! Cucumber Kimchi Pico de Gallo is an unexpected take on a classic pico, combining cucumber kimchi with shredded carrots, green onion, and tomatoes to create a vibrant addition to any dish. Add it to tacos, chips, breakfast wraps, or your favorite cultured cottage cheese for a funky, chunky salsa-inspired kick.
5. Mini Meatloaf With Giardiniera
Grass-fed beef and our Fermented Veggie Medley are the perfect pairing for these (kid-approved Mini Meatloafs with Giardiniera. Yes, this recipe includes organ meats. No, the kids won’t notice. Adding a half pound of grass-fed beef liver (ground or minced) to your winter recipes provides a dose of rich Vitamin A, B12, and iron, to help support your immune system during sweater weather.
6. Kimchi-Stuffed Japanese Sweet Potato
Indulge your gut microbiome and your taste buds with these sweet but tangy Kimchi-Stuffed Japanese Sweet Potatoes. Winter recipes, with hearty, starchy potatoes, are a satisfying way to provide comfort during the colder months. Japanese sweet potatoes are known for their added antioxidants, nutty flavor, and creamy texture. Top them with ground pork and our Classic Kimchi for a warm dish that feels indulgent.
7. Garlic Pickle Probiotic Pizza
Pizza is a must any time of the year. Add this Garlic Pickle Probiotic Pizza to your roundup of winter recipes for gut-boosting benefits during flu season. Our Garlic Fermented Pickles are sliced and added to the top of your pizza after baking, so your gut can enjoy the live cultures in every crispy bite. PS: This is one of those winter dinner ideas the whole family will love!
8. Potato Salad With Turmeric & Sauerkraut
Vibrant and flavorful, add this earthy side dish to your upcoming holiday gatherings or annual Friendsgiving. Potato Salad with Turmeric and Sauerkraut has the gut-healthy benefits of sauerkraut and LiveBrine for a tangy take on a classic side dish. This recipe can be whipped in the amount of time it takes to boil your potatoes and give them an ice bath.
9. Grilled Cheese with Kimchi
Tangy, rich, and creamy, this Grilled Cheese with Kimchi recipe is gut-healthy with added probiotic-packed kimchi. Our twist on this classic comfort food includes a few tips to keep it gluten-free or keto-friendly for easily adaptable winter dinner ideas. Dip it in your favorite soup or eat it with a side of garlicky-fermented pickles for a quick lunch, dinner, or late-night bite.
10. Kimchi Ramen
Warm and savory noodle soups made healthy are comfort meals we can get behind during winter. Elevate soup night with Kimchi Ramen, which packs protein, veggies, probiotics, and soul-warming broth in one bowl for a complete meal. Delicious and full of distinct flavor, your gut microbiome will delight in enzyme-rich probiotics and Gochugaru spice.
11. Muffuletta Olive Mix & Feta Lamb Burger
A burger always hits the spot. Muffuletta Olive Mix & Feta Lamb Burger is a healthy twist on a classic American comfort food. Use grass-fed ground lamb or bison for a serving of healthy fats, and top it with 1 cup of chopped Muffuletta Mix. On a bun or on a plate, a sprinkling of feta cheese adds a salty bite to this balanced burger with fermented foods.
Pack Your Plate With Fermented Foods This Winter
These 11 winter dinner ideas combine fermented foods with fats and fiber for a gut-healthy boost during the seasonal slowdown.
Incorporating fermented foods into your winter recipes is a great way to increase nutrients and boost energy during colder months. Add these 11 recipes to your weekly roundup for a flavor-filled, gut microbiome-friendly harvest this winter.
Wanna add flavor-packed ferments to your winter dinner ideas? Explore OMP’s 40+ varieties of ferments, and build a box for the season.
References
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Adamsson M, Laike T, Morita T. Annual variation in daily light exposure and circadian change of melatonin and cortisol concentrations at a northern latitude with large seasonal differences in photoperiod length. J Physiol Anthropol. 2016 Jul 19;36(1):6. doi: 10.1186/s40101-016-0103-9. PMID: 27435153; PMCID: PMC4952149.
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