What to cook in December

When I think of December, Christmas immediately comes to mind and with it all the delicious cookies and sweets that are typical of this time of year. I recently moved to the US and in this month more and more doors opened to discover amazing Christmas treats. So I must confess that a nutritious meal of seasonal veggies has become essential for me to balance the almost daily indulgence!

So what can you cook in December? I recommend eating cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli, which are very versatile and easy to prepare. And opt for oranges, tangerines and clementines… full of vitamin C and delicious to add to a colorful seasonal salad.

Here is a list of recipes that are already available to help you shop, provide new ideas for varied dishes and recipes, and bring Italian flair to your table. Have a wonderful December!

WHY YOU WILL LOVE THIS POST

– Easting seasonal ingredients will add fresh nutrients to your diet, and support local business!

– In December you need also weeknight meals and here there are several recipes to help you!

– If you look for more Christmas kind of meal check out the Appetizers and the Homemade pasta session!

APPLES, PEARS

“Pears are one of the highest-fiber fruits, offering six grams per medium-sized fruit, helping you meet your daily requirement of 25 to 30 grams.” (Source: click here).

So much variety of fruit this month! And so versatile both in sweet and savory dishes! Try to make a healthy Apple Cinnamon Galette ideal for your December breakfasts. Consider adding pears to a Chicken salad for a meal packed with nutrients and flavours.

ARTICHOKES

“They’re one of the oldest vegetables known to man, with records of its use dating all the way back to the Ancient Greeks and Romans“. (Source: click here).

Artichokes season is starting and what is better than cooking artichokes for the upcoming festivities? They require a bit of work if you clean them, but I got you covered with an easy post. Make sauteed artichokes this winter, everyone will love them as a side for your roasted meat.

CABBAGE

“At the turn of the century, cabbage was thought to be food for poor people. Now it is regarded as one of the most nutritional vegetables and is thought to have strong anti-aging and anti-cancer properties” . (Source: click here).

Either red or white, cabbage is a humble vegetable that lost long and will surprise you with its variety of use! Either you eat it raw in a winter cabbage apple slaw or make them stuffed with pork do not forget to buy a head or two this November.

CAULIFLOWER, BROCCOLI

“Green cauliflower is sometimes labelled as “broccoflower” creating the confusion that it is a cross between broccoli and cauliflower (it isn’t).” (Source: click here).

Broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower are reversing at farmers’market and grocery stores! So there is no better time than now to eat this superfood! Bring a hearty Cauliflower Lentil Pasta and a delicious One Pot Sausage Broccoli Fusilli to the table.

MANDARIN, ORANGES

“Mandarins were first planted on American soil in the mid 1800s when the then Italian Consul planted two varieties on the Consulate grounds in New Orleans. Interest in the mandarin spread from there to Florida and to neighboring Gulf states, which became the center of commercial production. From there, the mandarin made its way to California which now grows over 90 percent of the nation’s crop.t.” (Source: click here).

Mandarin and oranges are in season. Fresh, tangy and powered with Vitamin C are great in fresh juices, but also used to enrich salad and vinaigrette. Try this beet, fennel and orange salad or the smoked salmon, mandarin, fennel salad.

PUMPKIN

“Who would have thought that something so nutritional would be 80 – 90 % water? The high water content of pumpkins means they’re good for you while also being low in calories. ” (Source: click here).

Pumpkin tastes great in a soup or simply pureed as a filling for delicious pumpkin stuffed shells.