I was busy in the kitchen over winter break, making many dishes for family and friends. One of my favorite foods in the cold weather is lasagna. I made homemade noodles using flour, egg, a drizzle of olive oil, and a dash of sea salt. Making pasta from scratch results in a softer texture and adds a layer of coziness to the dish. After cutting them to pan size, I partially cook the noodles before layering the pasta, veggies, meat, sauce, and cheese. The lasagna pictured below included spinach, zucchini, ground turkey, ricotta, mozzarella, and marinara.
Overall, the nutrition profiles of both homemade and store bought pasta are comparable. In addition to taste, fresh pasta has health benefits such as no additives/preservatives or sugars.


Another seasonal dish I recently enjoyed was kale salad. I was inspired by a recipe for a potluck dinner with friends. The salad included peanuts and a variety of green produce including cucumber, celery, green apple and scallion. The dressing was a blend of avocado with olive oil, sea salt, and water.
Kale grows well in cold weather, making it a great option in the winter. I used Tuscan kale, but all varieties are very nutritious, providing sufficient vitamin A, K and C which support vision and immune function, bone and blood health, and antioxidant function respectively- in addition to many other benefits. This kale was crunchy and paired well with the other ingredients, as the pockets of the leaves held the creamy dressing.
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