As the days grow shorter and colder, our bodies naturally crave warmth and comfort. Winter warmers are those soothing foods that offer both coziness and nourishment, often featuring simple, easy-to-find ingredients that evoke the season’s charm.

From hearty soups to comforting bakes and pies, winter warmers don’t need to be complicated: they’re all about minimal prep, warming flavours, and filling textures.  

Here’s a guide to a few ingredients and Delicious and Real recipe to cozy up your winter days.

Key Ingredients for Winter Warmers

1. Root Vegetables
       Carrots, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and parsnips are versatile winter staples. Their earthy flavours add depth and richness to stews, soups, and roasts.
2. Herbs and Spices
       Ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves bring a warming touch to dishes, enhancing flavours and adding health benefits like increased circulation. Fresh rosemary, thyme, and sage are perfect for savoury dishes.
3. Beans and Lentils
       These provide a hearty, protein-packed base for soups, casseroles, and stews. Lentils cook quickly and absorb surrounding flavours well, making them ideal for quick meals.
4. Leafy Greens
       Winter greens like kale, chard, and spinach add nutrition, colour, and texture to meals. They’re perfect for soups or as a simple side sautéed with garlic.
5. Whole Grains
       Barley, farro, and rice are great additions to winter warmers. Their chewy textures make meals more satisfying, while also adding fibre and nutrients.

Simple Recipe: Spiced Lentil and Sweet Potato Soup

This spiced lentil and sweet potato soup combines hearty lentils and sweet potatoes, seasoned with warming spices. It’s nutritious, easy to prepare, and (in true Deliciousand Real style) is made with ingredients you likely already have in your pantry!

Ingredients

• 200g dried red lentils, rinsed
• 1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced
• 1 onion, peeled and chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
• 1-inch piece ginger, grated
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
• 1 litre of vegetable stock (you could use bone broth if you really wanted to up your protein content)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Fresh coriander or parsley (optional)

Instructions

1. In a large pot, heat a drizzle of olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and ginger, cooking for another minute until fragrant.

2. Add the cumin, turmeric, smoked paprika, and cinnamon to the pot. Stir well, letting the spices cook for about 1 minute.

5. Stir in the diced sweet potatoes, rinsed lentils, and canned tomatoes; pour in the vegetable stock and bring to a boil.

6. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 20–25 minutes or until the lentils are tender and the sweet potatoes are soft.  7. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh coriander or parsley if desired. 

Top Tip: Add shredded roasted chicken as a topper toup the protein content (I cook a batch of chicken pieces on a Sunday ready toadd to dishes like this!)

Why This Soup Works as a Winter Warmer

This soup combines hearty lentils and sweet potatoes with spices like cinnamon, cumin, and turmeric, known for their warming properties. It's high in fibre, rich in vitamins A and C, and brimming with antioxidants.

It’s easy, comforting, and keeps well, making it a perfectwinter staple which really is Deliciousand Real.

With just a few ingredients and minimal effort, you can enjoy meals that keep you both warm and well-fed through the winter months.

I have all of your winter warmer needs covered with the 400 recipes in my Delicious and Real library.

My recipes use every-day ingredients (just like the spiced lentil and sweet potato soup); have simplicity at their heart, and taste delicious … why not give a membership a try? It’s just £5 a month and as a Clean & Tidy Home Show fan, you can have 20% off making it just £4 a month!

Sign-up today and use the code Cleanandtidy for your 20% discount.

Happy cooking Cx

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