As the weather gets colder, it always seems your desire to huddle down and hibernate for the foreseeable future always gets stronger. And while this sounds great–big socks, oversized sweaters, warm fireplaces and all that–our waistlines can often do without it. Avoid those pesky winter pounds by making sure that you are taking in only the best, most optimal foods that are in season right now. Here are six healthy winter foods who made the cut.
Beets
Who says you can’t enjoy a good salad even during the winter months? This delicious baby kale salad incorporates not only beets (which are awesome for optimal health and rich in antioxidants) but also pears, which are at their prime through to the end of the year.
Sweet Potatoes
These bright orange starchy veggies are one of the most versatile foods for eating all year round which is why it’s a great thing that sweet potatoes never go out of season. Great for amping up your vitamin C during the months while you’re susceptible to colds, try these delicious loaded sweet potato skins.
Garlic
Another winter food that is great for combating the season of sickness, garlic is so good for you and adds so much flavour to your dishes it should be illegal to go without it. Never be scared to let this often overpowering food shine in a dish such as this roasted garlic, parsnip and white bean soup.
Squash
Important for vision, bone growth and reproduction, squash is a great way to get tons of healthy value out of eating through the winter months. A great versatile food, there are tons of ways you can add the various types of squashes to your colder month menus but why not start simple with this parmesan roasted butternut squash.
Red Onions
Winter is a great time for pickling in-season veggies so they can last you throughout the long months. One of our favourites year after year is pickled red onions. These delicious morsels are easy to make and make the perfect toppers for everything from wintry stews to those early-spring tacos you’ll be dying to enjoy next year.
Leeks
Leeks are a great winter vegetable because they are one of the most delicious additions to soups, which everyone loves during the colder months of the year, right? One of our personal faves is mashing it up with another great winter veggies, potatoes to create a stellar leek and potato soup.
