【寒冬里的一餐】Winter Dinner Menu Ideas Dinner, Winter, Menu, Ideas, 寒冬

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During the winter, you may crave hearty, warm comfort foods. When making traditional wintertime foods, keep your health in mind by trying to reduce the amount of fat and salt that you use. Also, use seasonal produce whenever possible for freshness. According to The Daily Green, seasonal winter produce includes greens, such as bok choy and Brussels sprouts, squash and root vegetables, including beets and turnips.

Soups and Stews
Nothing is as warming and comforting on a cold winter day than a flavorful soup or stew. Purchase lower-sodium broth or make your own stock by simmering a whole chicken or cut of beef with vegetables, herbs and spices. Refrigerate the stock overnight, then skim off the congealed fat, suggest Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins, authors of "The New Basics Cookbook." Chop up fresh garlic, carrots, celery, mushrooms, potatoes and any other vegetables that you have on hand and add to the broth. Chop the chicken or beef into small chunks and add that to the pot as well. Serve your soup with fresh crusty bread and a side salad for a balanced meal. MarthaStewart.com suggests trying recipes for chicken noodle, black bean, butternut squash and

Casseroles and Other Oven Dinners
Using the oven on a chilly day can heat up the kitchen, allowing you to turn down the thermostat. Foods that are especially comforting in the winter include casseroles, roasts and whole poultry. In November or December, buy an extra turkey on sale and freeze it for a mid-winter dinner that will provide you with plenty of leftovers. A whole chicken or a pot roast will also warm up the kitchen as well as your stomach. Serve any of these with baked or mashed potatoes and a fresh vegetable.

According to Amy Dacyczyn, author of "The Complete Tightwad Gazette," all you need for a successful casserole are a protein, a vegetable, a starch and something to bind it all together. Your protein can consist of leftovers or something freshly purchased. Use fresh or frozen vegetables along with noodles, potatoes or rice. The binder can be a low-sodium cream-of-chicken or cream-of-mushroom soup, a homemade white sauce or a cheese sauce. Try to use lower-fat ingredients for better health. Serve your casserole with a salad.

Slow Cooker Dinners
After a busy day, you can enjoy walking in the door to a wonderful smelling, hot meal if you use your slow cooker. Put all of your ingredients in the crock in the morning, set the dial to "low," and dinner will be ready eight to10 hours later. For best results, place the hard vegetables, such as potatoes and carrots, in the bottom and sides of the crock and the meat in the middle. Try pot roast, stuffed pork chops and sweet-and-sour chicken. Add seasonings during the last half hour of cooking. Since the slow cooker usually creates a lot of liquid, it is best to serve these foods with rice or noodles. Add a crisp salad to lighten the meal.