Winter Lunch Ideas to Warm You Up in the Cold Weather

When it’s insanely cold outside, all you need to keep warm is some soup and a few blankets. Of course, there’s nothing better than eating a warm, healthy meal that fills you up without weighing you down. I’ve got some delicious winter lunch ideas that you can enjoy on a snowy day. As the temperature plummets, you begin craving warm foods to counter the cold. You don’t have to depend on cheesy, calorie-dense recipes to get you cozy. Try these nutrient-rich foods made with good-for-you ingredients.

• Potato Mushroom Soup for the Soul
  • Procedure
• Easy-To-Make Vegetable Lasagne Recipe
  • Procedure
• A Super-Healthy Vegan Shepherd’s Pie
  • Procedure
• My Favorite Winter Meal Ideas

Potato Mushroom Soup for the Soul

Winters without soups are incomplete. Mushrooms and potatoes are two power-packed ingredients that go well together in a soup.

Mushrooms are high in fiber, which promotes digestion and cleanses your gut of toxins. Plus, mushrooms are the source of several antioxidants. According to experts, mushrooms may also provide protection against the development of prostate cancer. They also help you detect more of that umami flavor: a pleasant savory or meaty taste.

Potatoes are rich in fiber, too, and some heart-friendly vitamins like vitamins C and B6. So you can get through your day by adding this filling and fat-free ingredient to your lunch and letting go of the usual unhealthy foods.

To make the potato and mushroom soup, you’ll need:

• 300 g chestnut mushrooms, chopped
• 300 g potato, diced
• 4 carrots, diced
• 20 g dried porcini mushrooms
• 2 large onions, thinly chopped
• 2 tbsp parsley
• 1 tbsp rapeseed oil
• 3 garlic cloves, grated
• 2 tsp fresh thyme
• 8 tbsp bio yogurt
• 55 g walnut pieces
• 3 tsp vegetable bouillon powder

Procedure:

1. Take a large pan and add rapeseed oil to it. Heat it well.
2. Fry the onions in the large pan for ten minutes or until golden.
3. Take the dried mushrooms and pour 1.2 liters of boiling water over them. Add the bouillon and stir.
4. In the large pan, add the garlic, potatoes, fresh mushrooms, carrots, and thyme. Fry them until the mushrooms turn soft and begin to brown.
5. Pour the stock and the dried mushrooms into the pan. Cover it, and leave it simmering for about 20 minutes.
6. Sprinkle in a fair amount of pepper and parsley.
7. Serve the soup with 2 tbsp yogurt and a few walnuts on the top, per serving.
8. You can also have the same soup the next day by chilling it. 

This potato and mushroom soup recipe serves four people and takes about 45 minutes. Many people think that healthy meal prep is difficult. While that may be true for some recipes, this one is easy, gluten-free, and vegetarian-friendly. 

If you want some tips on meal prepping, here is a nine-minute Youtube video highlighting some amazing hacks you can use to speed up your meal prep.

Easy-To-Make Vegetable Lasagna Recipe

Another fantastic winter meal idea is to include a mouth-watering combo of vegetables and lasagne in your diet.

The key additions in this vegetable lasagne recipe are red and yellow peppers. These low-calorie, flavor-packed fruits are an excellent antioxidant source with vitamins A, B6, C, E, folate, and potassium. 

Whole-wheat pasta is far healthier for you than white pasta. There are essential nutrients present in whole-wheat pasta, such as iron, fiber, and magnesium.

To make this vegetable lasagne recipe, you’ll need the following ingredients:

• 1 red and yellow pepper, deseeded, roughly sliced
• 400 g can chopped tomatoes
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 6 wholewheat lasagne sheets
• 2 onions
• 2 large garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 large courgettes, diced
• 2 tsp vegetable bouillon
• 1 tbsp rapeseed oil
• 125 g vegetarian mozzarella, chopped
• 15 g fresh basil, chopped
• 1 large aubergine, sliced
• Mozzarella cheese

Procedure:

1. Heat the rapeseed oil in a large-sized non-stick pan.
2. Fry the onions, and add the chopped garlic cloves to the pan. Stir often and let them soften for 5 minutes.
3. Add the bell peppers, courgettes, tomatoes, and tomato purée, vegetable bouillon, and chopped basil.
4. Stir the mixture well. Let it cook for 5 minutes.
5. Avoid adding more liquid, since the vegetables will provide most of the necessary moisture.
6. In a slow cooker, place some slices of aubergine at the bottom.
7. Now add one layer of lasagne over the aubergine.
8. Take the mixture and add ⅓ of it.
9. Place more slices of aubergine and another layer of lasagne sheets.
10. Add another ⅓ of the mixture.
11. Place one final layer each of the aubergine and lasagna.
12. Add the remaining mixture.
13. Cover the slow cooker. Keep it on high heat for 2–3 hours. Make sure the pasta and vegetables become soft.
14. Top it with mozzarella. Cover the cooker again, and leave it for ten minutes to melt the cheese.
15. Add a few basil leaves.

This slow cooker vegetable lasagne recipe takes about 3 hours to cook and is totally worth your time. It’s light and simple, and it has four servings. 

A Super-Healthy Vegan Shepherd’s Pie

Here’s another healthy winter lunch idea; vegan shepherd’s pie is a perfect choice if you want another freezable, comforting winter food. 

Chickpeas have almost everything: calcium, fiber, and a significant amount of protein. It’s the best protein source for people with diabetes since it has a high fiber content.

You’ll need the following ingredients for this recipe:

• 400 g can chickpeas
• 300 g frozen peas
• 300 g spinach
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 4 medium carrots, cut into cubes
• 2 small onions, chopped
• 1 vegan vegetable stock cube
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 tbsp smoked paprika
• 4 celery sticks, chopped
• flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 20 ml olive oil
• ½ small pack of sage
• 1 small butternut squash, peeled, cut into cubes
• 2 large leeks, chopped
• ½ small bunch of thyme
• ½ small bunch of oregano or marjoram, chopped
• 1.2 kg floury potatoes

Procedure:

1. Take a large saucepan and add the unpeeled potatoes to it. Cover the potatoes in water and boil them for 40 minutes. 
2. Drain the potatoes and cool them on the side.
3. Pick a sauté pan and heat the oil on it.
4. Add the carrots, stock cube, leeks, mushrooms, and onions to the sauté pan. Cook them for five minutes. Stir every once in a while.
5. If your mixture starts sticking to the pan, stir more frequently and reduce the heat. Scrap all bits from the bottom.
6. Now add all the herbs, the tomato purée, paprika, and squash. Turn the heat slightly higher and stir well. Cook them for 3 minutes.
7. Now add celery. Stir and cook for a little while longer.
8. Don’t drain the chickpeas from the can before adding. 
9. Put in the spinach and the peas. 
10. Stir every few seconds, and cook for five minutes.
11. Season the mixture and put it aside. 
12. Next, peel the potatoes and throw away the skin. Take 200 g of potatoes and mash them first, and then combine with the vegetables. Stir them well.
13. Divide the remaining potatoes into pieces; season them with parsley and olive oil.
14. Take the pie dishes and add the fillings to them.
15. Top the fillings with potatoes.
16. Set the oven heat at 375℉ (190℃), and let them bake for around 45 minutes.

Shepherd’s pies take about two hours to make. This recipe produces eight servings. You can freeze the mixture before baking it if you want to eat it the next day. 

My Favorite Winter Meal Ideas

Increasing cold demands increasing comfort. There’s no better way to feel cozy and warm than by eating a soothing meal. If you try to replace junk food with some healthy winter meal ideas, you won’t be disappointed. Not only will you feel warm, but you will also gain tons of health benefits, including essential nutrients and a decreased risk of chronic diseases. If you’re on a budget, try some cheap healthy meals. If you give one of these winter food favorites a try, let me know in the comments how it turned out!