Recipes for Winter Menu Plan

The winter diet is often the richest, warmest, and heaviest of the seasonal diets. It includes more cooked foods, fewer fresh foods and cold drinks, and more teas and soups to keep the body warmer. And, of course, we may need more rest and dream time in the winter. The italicized food selections in the menu plans will have a specific recipe following the four-Day menus.




Day 1







































Fruit: Pear
Breakfast: Sweet potatoes; cream of wheat; or Cracked Wheat
with Raisins and Walnuts
Snack: Sunflower seeds
Lunch: Cream of Broccoli Soup (optional);
Roasted Turkey with
Mushroom Sauce, steamed greens, such as kale or chard
Snack: Mandarin orange
Dinner: Stir–Fried Vegetables with Tempeh or Tofu;
served over whole wheat pasta
Snack: Oatmeal Spice Cookies






Day 2




























Fruit: Orange
Breakfast: Oatmeal or seven-grain cereal with stewed fruit
Snack: Filberts or pistachios
Lunch: Curried Chicken Breast; coleslaw
Snack: Granola
Dinner: Millet, Squash, and Aduki Bean Stew;
steamed kale with olive oil, garlic, and soy sauce
Snack: Apple-Raisin Compote






Day 3































Fruit: Apples
Breakfast: Baked acorn squash with sesame salt, or buckwheat cream
(ground buckwheat, boiled) with raisins and sunflower seeds
Snack: Soaked almonds
Lunch: Snapper Parmentière;
Arame carrots, Scallions, and Corn;
steamed greens
Snack:Popcorn
Dinner:
Lentil Soup with Barley and Dulse; salad greens and sprouts
Snack: Pumpkin Pie





Day 4































Fruit: Kiwis
Breakfast: Cream of rice with yogurt and honey
Snack: Walnuts
Lunch: Butternut Bisque; poached fish with steamed broccoli
and cauliflower, or Norimaki Sushi as a vegetable substitute
Snack: Dates or rice cakes with apple butter
Dinner: Rice-Lentil Loaf with Green Sauce;
steamed kale or chard with caraway seeds
Snack: Baked apple






Cracked Wheat with Raisins and Walnuts

—Serves 4–6









1 1/2 cups cracked wheat


1 cup raisins


1/2 cup walnuts


1/4 teaspoon sea salt


1/2 teaspoon cinnamon




Combine all ingredients in a pot and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer covered for 40 minutes.













Cream of Broccoli Soup
—Serves 6


1 cup water


1/4 teaspoon salt


3 cups broccoli, chopped


1 cup low-fat milk


1 cup low-fat yogurt


1 small onion,
finely chopped


1 Tablespoon light
miso or to taste




Bring water and salt to a boil, add broccoli and cook for
20 minutes. Add milk and yogurt and cook a few more
minutes. Puree in blender or food processor with miso.

In a small skillet sauté onion over medium flame,
stirring constantly until golden. Add to soup.

For a dairyless version of the soup use a very loose
oatmeal mixture (3/4 cup rolled oats cooked in 3 cups
water, then blended) instead of the milk and yogurt.











Roasted Turkey—Serves 4–6


3 Tablespoons
lemon juice


2 Tablespoons tamari


1/8 teaspoon cayenne


1 clove garlic, minced


6 turkey breast fillets


3 Tablespoons
arrowroot flour




Combine lemon juice, tamari, cayenne, and garlic in a bowl.
Dip turkey fillets in marinade and dust with arrowroot flour
on both sides. Place in a baking dish and bake at 350°
until done, about 15–20 minutes on each side depending on
thickness of fillets, basting with marinade.
Serve topped with “Mushroom Sauce”
(next recipe).











Mushroom Sauce—Makes 3 cups


1/2 cup onion, minced


2 Tablespoons light oil,
such as safflower
or canola


6 cups fresh
mushrooms, sliced


1/2 teaspoon sea salt
or to taste


1/2 cup dry white wine
(optional)


1/2 cup chicken or
vegetable stock


1 Tablespoon kuzu
diluted in
3 Tablespoons cold water


1/2 cup parsley, minced


Sauté onion in oil for 5 minutes or until transparent.
Add mushrooms and salt, sauté one minute longer,
stirring well. Lower flame, cover, and simmer for
10–15 minutes. Uncover, add wine and allow alcohol
to evaporate over a high flame, for a few minutes. Add
stock, lower flame, and add kuzu stirring until thickened.
Adjust seasoning, stir in minced parsley, and serve over

“Roasted Turkey” (previous recipe).






Stir–Fried Vegetables with Tempeh or Tofu

—Serves 6










1 block (8 ounces) tofu or pack (6–8 ounces)

of tempeh cut into cubes


1 large onion, cut into windowpanes


1 cup fresh (or reconstituted dried)
shiitake mushrooms


1 cup vegetable stock


2 carrots, sliced on diagonal


1 cup broccoli florets


1/2 cup water chestnuts, sliced


1 clove garlic, minced


2 Tablespoons grated
fresh ginger


tamari or soy sauce to taste


3 Tablespoons toasted sesame oil
cayenne to taste




If using tempeh, bake or steam for 10 minutes before
sautéeing. To cut onion into windowpanes, cut in half
lengthwise, then cut each half into 3 or 4 sections lengthwise,
depending on size of onion. Then slice each section
crosswise into 1/4-inch pieces. Remove stems from shiitake
mushrooms and reserve to make stock. Slice mushrooms.

In a wok or large skillet, sauté onion over medium
flame until it starts putting out its juice. Add 1/2 cup of stock
and bring to a rapid boil over a high flame. Add shiitake
mushrooms, cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Add carrots and
sauté for a few minutes adding stock if necessary, then add tofu
or tempeh, broccoli, water chestnuts, bean sprouts, and garlic
in that order. Sauté a few more minutes or until broccoli is
bright green. Squeeze fresh grated ginger through a cheesecloth
and add to vegetables. Stir and cook a minute longer. Remove
from heat, season with tamari, toasted sesame oil, and cayenne.






Oatmeal Spice Cookies
—2 dozen cookies








2 cups whole wheat
pastry flour


1 cup rolled oats


pinch of salt


1/4 teaspoon allspice


1/4 teaspoon nutmeg


1/4 teaspoon ginger powder


1/2 teaspoon cinnamon


1/2 cup water


1/2 cup corn oil


1/2 cup maple syrup


1/2 cup carob chips
(optional)



Preheat oven to 375°. Combine flour, oats, salt, and
spices in a bowl. Mix water, oil and maple syrup together
well using a whisk. Add liquid ingredients to dry ingredients
and mix together well to form dough.

Shape pieces of dough into cookies and bake for
10 minutes on each side. For variation, add a half cup
of carob or cocoa chips to recipe.












Curried Chicken Breast
—Serves 6


1 onion, minced


2 Tablespoons safflower
oil (optional)


6 chicken breasts


sea salt to taste


1 cup chicken stock


1/2 teaspoon cumin powder


1/2 teaspoon coriander powder


1/2 teaspoon ginger powder


1/4 teaspoon asafoetida (optional)


1 Tablespoon curry powder


1 cup pineapple, diced


1 Tablespoon kuzu,
diluted in 1 Tablespoon
cold water




In heavy skillet, sauté onion in oil until translucent and limp,
add chicken breasts, season with salt, sauté until golden, turn
over and sauté other side until golden. Add 1/2 cup stock, cover
and simmer until chicken is cooked. Pierce with a fork or paring
knife to check; if no blood comes out, it is done. Remove
chicken breasts and keep warm.

Add cumin, coriander, ginger, asafoetida, and curry to the
skillet. Stir and cook until fragrant about 3–5 minutes, adding the
rest of the stock a little at a time.

Puree pineapple and add to sauce. Simmer a few more
minutes and add dissolved kuzu to simmering liquid stirring until
thickened. Serve over chicken breasts.





Millet, Squash, and Aduki Bean Stew
—Serves 6








1 cup aduki beans


1 1/2 cups millet,
dry-roasted in
skillet first


4 cups water


1 piece kombu seaweed


1 small butternut or acorn squash,
seeded and chopped
tamari to taste


Place beans, millet, water, and kombu in a pot and bring
to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer covered for 30 minutes.

Arrange squash chunks on top of the millet and beans.
Simmer 30 minutes longer. Season with tamari.












Apple-Raisin Compote—Serves 6


4 apples, cored and chopped


1 1/2 cups apple juice


1 cup raisins


1 cinnamon stick


3 cloves


1 teaspoon grated lemon rind


1 Tablespoon kuzu
dissolved in 2 Tablespoons cold water


1 teaspoon
vanilla extract




Bring apples, juice, raisins, cinnamon, cloves, and lemon
rind to a boil and simmer until soft, about 15 minutes.

Add dissolved kuzu to simmering liquid and stir until
thickened, then add vanilla.











Snapper Parmentière—Serves 6


1 medium butternut
squash, sliced


1 Tablespoon olive oil
sea salt to taste


1 onion, sliced


6 fillets of snapper
(or whole fish, 3–4 pounds)


black pepper to taste


4 celery stalks, minced


1 onion, minced


1 clove garlic, minced


1 carrot, minced


1 bay leaf


parsley


1 Tablespoon dried thyme


1 Tablespoon dried
oregano




In a glass baking pan make a layer of squash slices.

Sprinkle with olive oil and salt and top with a layer of
onion slices.

Rub fish fillets with salt and pepper and
place celery, minced onion and garlic, carrots, bay leaf,
parsley, and part of the thyme and oregano on top.

Roll fillets up and secure with a toothpick.

Place them in the baking dish, sprinkle with the rest of the herbs, salt, and
ground pepper.

Cover and bake for about 1/2 hour.

This dish can be done using a whole fish. In that case you would
choose a snapper of about 4 pounds, stuff it with the herbs
and vegetables, and place it belly down in a baking dish
of the same size as the fish.

Cover and bake for about 1 hour in preheated 350° oven.





Arame Carrots, Scallions, and Corn
—Serves 6









1 package arame seaweed
(about 2 ounces)


1 cup carrots, sliced
thinly on diagonal


2 Tablespoons toasted
sesame oil


1 bunch scallions
(green onions),

sliced thinly
including green part


1 cup corn kernels


tamari to taste




Soak arame in water for about 20 minutes.

In a heavy-bottomed pot sauté carrots in sesame oil
over medium flame for about 5 minutes.

Add arame and 1 cup soaking water.

Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

Add green onions and corn and season with tamari, then
turn off heat and let sit for 5 minutes before serving.





Lentil Soup with Barley and Dulse
—Serves 6








1 Tablespoon safflower
oil (optional)


1 medium onion, chopped


1 stalk celery, sliced


2 carrots, sliced


1 cup barley


12 cups water


2 bay leaves


2 cups lentils


1 strip kombu seaweed


2 Tablespoons
dark miso or
to taste


Shredded dulse
(optional, or to taste)




In a heavy-bottomed soup pot sauté in oil if using (can sauté
without oil by using the vegetables’ natural juices), onion,
celery, and carrots, until onion is limp and transparent.

Add barley, water, and bay leaves.

Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Then add lentils and kombu,
and simmer for another 30 minutes.

Discard kombu and bay leaves.

Remove 1 cup of soup and blend
with miso.

Return to pot.

Garnish with shredded dulse.





Pumpkin Pie—Makes 1 pie










Crust:


2/3 cup rolled oats


1/2 teaspoon salt


1/3 cup ground almonds

(in blender or food
processor)


2/3 cup whole wheat
pastry flour


3 Tablespoons
maple syrup


1/2 teaspoon vanilla


2 1/2 Tablespoons water



Mix dry ingredients in food processor. Mix wet ingredients
in a bowl.

Combine wet and dry ingredients and mix together well.

Pat into oiled pie pan.

(See Filling, next)




Filling:








2 cups pumpkin, pureed


1 1/2 cups soymilk


1/3 cup maple syrup


1 teaspoon cinnamon


1/2 teaspoon ginger


1/2 teaspoon salt


1/2 teaspoon allspice


1/8 teaspoon clove powder


3 Tablespoons oat flour,
toasted in dry pan



Preheat oven to 350°.

Mix all ingredients together well or blend in food
processor.

Put into pie crust and bake for 40 minutes.











Butternut Bisque—Serves 6


1 medium butternut
squash, washed
thoroughly


5 cups water


1/2 teaspoon salt


1/4 teaspoon cumin


1/4 teaspoon
coriander powder


1/4 teaspoon ginger powder


1/4 teaspoon garlic powder


6 Tablespoons yogurt


1/2 cup chopped, toasted
almonds for garnish




Cut butternut squash in half, scoop out seeds and cut into
1-inch cubes.

Place in soup pot with water, salt, and spices.

Bring to a boil and simmer covered until you can pierce the
pieces easily with a fork, about 30 minutes.

Puree in blender or food processor, adjust seasoning, and
serve with a Tablespoon of yogurt in each cup and a sprinkle
of chopped toasted almonds.











Norimaki Sushi—Serves 4–6


4 green onions


1 medium carrot,
cut into 4 strips


4 sheets of nori seaweed


2 cups pressure cooked
brown rice,
or 1 cup
rice overcooked with
3 cups water


2 dill pickles,
cut into strips


wasabi (Japanese
horseradish) to taste


shoyu (natural soy
sauce) to taste



Bring a little water to a boil in a small pot and quickly
blanche green onion and carrot strip.

If you can, find toasted nori in your local health food
store or Oriental market. If not, toast each sheet by holding
over a flame or baking it in the oven or toaster oven for 2
minutes at 250°.

Place a nori sheet on a counter or sushi mat and spread
about 1/3 cup of rice on it starting closest to you and leaving
about 1/4 of the nori at the bottom. Make sure the rice is
spread out evenly and reaches the edges of the nori on both
sides.

Keep a bowl of cold water handy since you will need
to moisten your hands frequently to handle the sticky rice.

Lay a green onion, a few carrot strips, and a few pickle
strips across the center of the rice layer, making sure the
vegetable strips reach the edges. Moisten your hands and lift
the sushi mat. Your fingers should be on top of the rice and
your thumbs beneath.

Roll the mat forward pushing down with your fingers and up with
your thumbs.

Make sure not to roll the mat into the sushi.

When you reach the end of the rice, lightly moisten the nori and seal.

Squeeze gently and remove mat.

Refrigerate first before slicing, or if serving immediately,
carefully slice the roll with a very sharp knife.

Make a paste with the wasabi powder and water and
place a dab of it on each roll. Be careful not to use too much
since it is very strong. Serve with shoyu for dipping.











Rice-Lentil Loaf—Serves 6


1 onion, minced


1 carrot, chopped
into small pieces


1 stalk celery, chopped
into small pieces


2 Tablespoons
sesame oil


1 Tablespoon rosemary


1/2 Tablespoon sage


2 cups leftover
cooked rice


2 cups cooked lentils or
leftover thick lentil soup


2 Tablespoons tamari



Preheat oven to 350°.

Sauté onion, carrot, and celery in oil until onion is limp
and transparent, then add rosemary and sage and sauté a
few minutes longer.

Add rice, lentils, and tamari and mix together well.

Place mixture into an oiled loaf pan and bake covered
for 20 minutes.

Remove cover and bake another 10 minutes.

Let sit for a few minutes before slicing.

Serve with “Green Sauce” (next recipe).











Green Sauce—Makes 2 cups


2 cups water


1 Tablespoon toasted
sesame oil


1/4 cup roasted walnut
pieces (optional)


4 Tablespoons tamari,
or to taste


1/4 cup finely minced
parsley


1 Tablespoon kuzu
diluted in ¼ cup
cold water




Bring water and oil to a boil. Add walnut pieces and
tamari.

Stir in diluted kuzu and simmer until thickened.
Add parsley. Serve over
“Rice-Lentil Loaf”
(previous recipe)..

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Written by Elson M. Haas MD