March is an unpredictable mix of the end of winter and the beginning of sunny days. It makes the anticipation for spring exciting, but still includes rainy days and sometimes even snow. So to close out the winter season I thought I’d reflect back on some winter recipes I made and others that I hope to try. They are all vegetarian so if you want to have a meatless Monday (or Friday during Lent), become a vegetarian, or already are a vegetarian, here are some recipes for you.

Winter Comfort Foods:

Butternut Squash Soup

The butternut squash soup from the website feasting at home is perfect for the winter season. It includes squash, coconut oil, apples, shallots, garlic cloves, ginger, sage, vegetable stock, coconut milk, and various seasonings. I began making it last winter and it has become a staple soup in my house. The soup perfectly utilizes the flavors of the squash without making the soup bland or just squash flavored, and the apple really aids this. For the full recipe: https://www.feastingathome.com/roasted-butternut-apple-soup/#

Mac and Cheese

This is one of the recipes I hope to make because I am a big mac and cheese fan. Mac and cheese is not always the same but it is always a dependable and safe meal. This recipe is baked and includes butter, flour, whole milk, half and half, medium sharp cheddar cheese, gruyere cheese, and basic seasonings. For the full recipe: https://www.thechunkychef.com/family-favorite-baked-mac-and-cheese/

Lasagna

Lasagna takes a long time to prep for and a long time to cook so I’m usually hesitant to make it. But this recipe caught my eye because it incorporates a good balance of various food groups and even has a homemade tomato sauce recipe. This recipe includes carrots, bell pepper, zucchini, yellow onion, spinach, cottage cheese, mozzarella cheese, basil, garlic, and lasagna noodles. For the full recipe: https://cookieandkate.com/best-vegetable-lasagna-recipe/

Winter Desserts:

Zucchini Cream Cheese Muffins

One of my favorite baking discoveries over the last two years has been the website Sally’s Baking Addiction, which is where this recipe comes from. It may seem daunting at first to think that Zucchini and cream cheese would go together in a muffin but this is sincerely one of the best muffins I’ve ever had. They include basic ingredients like flour, sugar, baking powder, and egg, but use spices cinnamon and nutmeg, vanilla, zucchini, and a cheesecake filling. For the full recipe: https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/cream-cheese-zucchini-muffins/

Cinnamon Rolls

This cinnamon roll recipe also comes from Sally’s Baking Addiction and is an easy recipe for people beginning to work with yeast. I was initially very intimidated by this recipe because I had only used yeast once before but it was surprisingly simple and the result was extremely delicious. This recipe includes flour, sugar, salt, yeast, whole milk, water, butter, an egg, a cinnamon-brown sugar filling, and icing. For the full recipe: https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/easy-cinnamon-rolls-from-scratch/

Atole

The last recipe is one I’ve grown up with that I assume is mostly unknown to many people in the US. It is a milk-based drink with a lot of sugar so I consider it very much a dessert. I’ve seen it made in so many different ways and personally my favorite is with a brand of cookies called Maria’s. It typically contains corn flour, water, milk, piloncillo, cinnamon, and vanilla. It is based in Aztec and Mayan culture and has been adapted in various ways throughout Mexico. For the full recipe: https://www.curiouscuisiniere.com/mexican-atole/