From summer salads to hearty winter meals

It seems I just put away all the extra silverware and serving pieces from the New Year and subsequent holidays, and here we are on the verge of Thanksgiving planning. The clocks are about to change, football fills the airwaves and the semiannual ritual of putting away summer clothes and replacing the shorts and tees with long sleeves and sweaters is taking place in homes across the Northeast. My kitchen is also undergoing its annual changeover.

Winter eating is so different from warm-weather eating. Light, cool salads and grilled foods are slowly being replaced with hearty, hot dishes, and we reach for hot tea and hot coffee over their iced counterparts. We take out the slow cooker and Instant Pot for soups, stews and chili, and we make roasts and other meat dishes, heavier breads and hot cocoa.

Colder weather awakens ancient instincts in us. In the days of our ancestors, hearty winter foods helped add pounds that sustained us during the cold fall and winter. The extra calories even allowed us to go without food when hunting was difficult, and the extra pounds may also have helped keep us warm. Those extra winter and holiday pounds that we find so annoying may have been exactly what helped humans survive.

Nowadays we live in climate-controlled comfort at whatever temperature we like — and smart thermostats will even adjust the temperature based on our activity in the house! The days of having to pack on the pounds for survival are long gone.

But we are still somewhat predisposed to crave more fat and carbs in the winter.

“As soon as temperatures drop, our appetite goes up for high-calorie, high-carbohydrate foods — stews, mashed potatoes, mac and cheese — the dishes that make us feel warm and cozy,” Barrie Wolf-Radbille, a registered dietitian with the New York University Program for Surgical Weight Loss, told WebMD. It is not your imagination. Most people put on a modest 1 to 3 pounds during the winter, even if they work out.

The bottom line is that Thanksgiving and Chanukah are just around the corner, and these holidays revolve around food. So hedge your bets by eating lightly over the next few weeks and shedding a few pounds in advance. That way, a bit of holiday indulgence won’t tip the scale. Here are some warming soups, stews and a skillet chicken to ease into the season, plus a light ricotta latke to get you ready for Chanukah.

Sweet Potato and Red Lentil Soup (Pareve)

4 to 6 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, divided
1-1/2 to 2 tsp. salt, divided

4 to 5 yellow onions, peeled and cut into 1-inch dice

1 knob fresh ginger, grated (about 2 to 3 tsp.), plus more to taste

1 large head fresh garlic, peeled and finely minced

4 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

2 cups red lentils, rinsed

2 tsp. ground turmeric

2 to 3 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

1/2 tsp. ground white pepper

3 Tbsp. Better Than Bouillon Kosher Seasoned Vegetable Base

9 to 10 cups water, plus more to thin as needed

1 (13.5-oz.) can full-fat unsweetened coconut milk

6 to 8 Tbsp. dark maple syrup, plus more to taste

Optional: 1 to 2 Cortland apples, peeled and chopped

Heat a large soup pot over medium heat. Add half the olive oil and half the salt, and mix to combine. Add the onions, stir and cook until they are deep golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger and 1 Tbsp. of the remaining olive oil; stir and cook until the garlic and ginger brown, 5 to 7 minutes.

Add the sweet potatoes, the remaining olive oil (1 to 2 Tbsp.) and the rest of the salt and stir. Cover and cook until the sweet potatoes are easily pierced with a fork, 15 to 20 minutes, stirring frequently. It’s OK if the sweet potatoes brown a bit, but if they are browning too much, lower the heat.

Add the red lentils, apples (if using), spices, bouillon and water, and stir thoroughly. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer and cook for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent sticking.

Once the lentils are falling apart and the sweet potatoes are soft, add the coconut milk and maple syrup and stir to combine. Cook for another 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and blend with an immersion blender until the soup is completely smooth, adding water to thin as needed. Don’t be afraid to overblend — it needs to be very smooth.

Taste and adjust the maple syrup, spices and bouillon, and add more water if needed. Serves 10 or more.

Quick Instant Pot Vegetable Bean Soup (Pareve)

This is one of my favorite quick and easy meals at this time of year. It takes about an hour total, and I serve it with some garlic cheese bread and maybe some tuna salad. This recipe is really just a guideline. Add any veggies you like and leave out the beans or add different ones. It can also easily be made on the stovetop (simmer covered 25 to 30 minutes until vegetables are tender).

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 large onion, diced

1 leek, cut in half, sliced into thin half moons and thoroughly washed

2 to 3 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced

2 to 3 ribs celery, thinly sliced

1 (28-oz.) can diced or crushed tomatoes

1 cup frozen corn kernels

1 cup frozen baby lima beans

1 cup frozen baby peas

1 (15-oz.) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

1 (15-oz.) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

2 (32-oz.) boxes vegetable broth

1 Tbsp. Better Than Bouillon Kosher Vegetable Base or bouillon of your choice

Salt and pepper to taste

Place the olive oil in the Instant Pot and heat on Sauté. Add the onion and leek and cook until translucent, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the celery and carrots and cook for an additional 5 minutes, stirring often. Add the rest of the solid ingredients and mix well. Turn off Sauté. Add the broth just up to the max fill line and mix well. Reserve any leftover broth.

Lock the lid, set the pot to Soup and set the timer for 9 minutes. When done, you can do a quick release or let the steam release naturally.

Open the pot and add the bouillon, mix well and taste to adjust seasonings. Add the rest of the broth and mix well. Serves a crowd.

Autumn Harvest Pepper Chicken (Meat)

You can serve this over rice, pasta or a bed of steamed baby spinach. You can use peppers of any color.

4 skinless chicken breasts, boneless or bone-in

4 skinless chicken thighs, bone-in

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 onion, thinly sliced

1 red bell pepper, sliced

1 yellow bell pepper, sliced

1 orange bell pepper, sliced

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

4 oz. white mushrooms, sliced

1 (15-oz.) can diced tomatoes

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 Tbsp. fresh thyme leaves

1 tsp. fresh oregano leaves

1/2 cup chicken stock

2 Tbsp. capers, drained and rinsed

1/4 cup finely minced fresh parsley, leaves only

Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Add the onion and sauté until golden. Add the chicken and cook on both sides until browned. Remove the chicken and onions to a platter.

Add the peppers to the pan and cook until they are browned in spots, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic and stir until fragrant. Add the mushrooms and cook until they give off liquid, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and their liquid, the wine, herbs and chicken stock, and scrape up any browned bits. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 5 minutes, until the liquid is reduced a bit. Return the chicken and onions to the pan, cover and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, 20 to 30 minutes. Add the capers and parsley, stir, adjust the salt and pepper, and serve. Serves 4 to 8.

Healthy Hearty Vegetable Stew (Pareve)

This is filling and delicious and can be made with any kind of veggies you like.

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided

2 large onions, thinly sliced

2 to 5 large shallots, thinly sliced

1 leek, trimmed, rinsed and thinly sliced

3 to 6 cloves garlic, finely minced

4 to 5 cups mushrooms, sliced

4 stalks celery, sliced

4 to 8 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced

4 large Red Bliss or Yukon Gold potatoes, diced

1 (15- to 20-oz.) box or can crushed tomatoes

2 cups cooked cannellini beans

1 cup cooked red kidney beans

1 to 2 cups fresh or frozen green beans or Italian flat green beans

1 cup cooked lentils

1 to 2 cups vegetable stock or water

1 to 2 tsp. tamari or pareve chicken-flavored or vegetable bouillon (paste or powder)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 bay leaf

1/2 tsp. dried thyme

Optional: 1/4 cup dry red wine

Other vegetables your family likes

Other seasonings you like

Heat a large soup pot over medium heat and add half the olive oil. Add the onions, shallots and leek and sauté until medium golden. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the rest of the olive oil and the mushrooms and sauté until they exude liquid and the mixture bubbles. Add the rest of the ingredients except the wine, using 1 cup of the stock, and mix well.

Cover and simmer on low for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring often and adding the rest of the stock as needed. Add the wine, if using, and simmer for 5 more minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and remove the bay leaf before serving. Serves 6 to 8.

Light and Lacy Ricotta Cheese Latkes (Dairy)

My kids loved the savory version of these with melted cheese and tomato sauce.

1 (15-oz.) container part-skim ricotta cheese

4 extra-large eggs

6 generous Tbsp. unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

3 Tbsp. butter, melted and cooled

2 Tbsp. sugar

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Butter or canola oil for frying

Optional: powdered sugar for dusting (for breakfast or dessert)

Note: For savory latkes, omit the sugar and vanilla and add 2 Tbsp. snipped chives, 1/2 tsp. onion powder and 1/2 tsp. garlic powder. Serve with marinara sauce, or as a side dish with fish.

Place all the ingredients (except the frying fat and powdered sugar) in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until blended, then run for about 10 seconds until smooth and thoroughly blended. You may need to scrape down the work bowl a few times. Pour the batter into a bowl.

Heat a large griddle over medium heat and brush generously with melted butter or canola oil. Drop about a tablespoon of batter onto the hot griddle. Let cook until the top bubbles and the bottom looks golden. Use a large spatula to turn the latkes. Cook until golden on the second side. Makes about 25 to 35 latkes.

For breakfast, serve with powdered sugar or pure maple syrup; for dessert, serve with hot fruit compote or ice cream. The savory version also makes a light main dish with a salad and some soup.

Joni Schockett writes for The Jewish Star from her home in New England.