These few recipes will help you find warmth and comfort in the coziness of your home—a feeling that becomes more precious as the colder weather returns.

Heartwarming Casserole

A good casserole is always a winning recipe to warm our hearts when our feet are frozen!

Here’s a basic recipe for a “clean out the fridge” casserole:
In a baking dish, combine equal amounts of cubed potatoes and squash or root vegetables (or any other vegetables you feel like using—mushrooms and broccoli work well in this kind of recipe). Add a diced onion, a protein of your choice (such as sausage meat, sliced chicken, ground meat, etc.), drizzle generously with 15% or 35% cream, add a few spoonfuls of pesto, and voilà! Place this delicious mix into the oven. Once the meat is cooked, cover it with cheese of your choice before returning it to the oven to melt and brown.
A delight every time!

Soothing Infusion

To replace classic coffee, tea, or hot chocolate, it’s easy to make a caffeine-free homemade infusion that will relax you as you watch your favorite series.

Simply add to a pot of boiling water whatever you have on hand from the following ingredients: cinnamon sticks, ginger (scraps work well), cloves, vanilla beans, cardamom pods, star anise, and a few drops of honey or maple syrup to taste. I particularly enjoy the taste of cardamom mixed with cinnamon and vanilla. For an even richer infusion, I steep everything directly in milk (dairy, plant-based, or coconut).

Holiday Atmosphere

This tip is perfect for creating a magical atmosphere at home in just a few minutes.

Bring a pot of water to boil and add ingredients that evoke the holiday season for you, to create a soft ambient fragrance that will fill your home for hours. I like to save the ingredients I use for my hot infusions and reuse them here. They may no longer release much flavor, but their scent is still delightful. You can also add to your boiling water old spices that have lost their flavor, orange peels, thyme and rosemary stems, ginger peel, vanilla pods with seeds removed, and any other ingredients your nose will enjoy. Simply dry these items and keep them aside for your next cozy moment at home. I love adding pine or cedar branches to my pot when I gather some on a walk. The orange combines beautifully with this foresty scent. Just cover with water and simmer as long as desired!

I hope these recipe ideas help you get through the cold season! Feel free to share your favorite comforting recipes with the zero-waste community!

Food Waste Expert

Stéphanie Tremblay

In love with nature, Stéphanie combines her interests in the environment and food in order to raise awareness of the importance of their food choices. Her professional training and experience in environmental education make her a knowledgeable speaker who conveys her passion with enthusiasm and positivism. In her spare time, she can be found in her garden or in the forest, gathering wild edible plants.

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