If you’re enduring the harsh winter weather right now, chances are, it’s comfort food you are craving – warm and hearty dishes to cuddle up to, that will soothe the soul and belly.  It’s the season for roasting, braising and slow-cooking as we ride out the winter weather and dream of spring.  You can still have your slow-cooked short ribs and mac and cheese but don’t forget your veggies.  Although we’ll have to wait until summer for those fresh off the vine tomatoes and corn on the cob, there are many great winter vegetables to take advantage of now and several easy ways to prepare them.  Here are 5 great, nourishing veggie dishes that will help us all as we drudge through these remaining bitter cold months.

• This recipe for pan roasted broccoli with almonds is one of my favorite go-to weeknight side dishes.  It’s incredibly easy to make, is low in calories, full of protein and fiber and is the perfect complement to almost any meat or fish dish (I especially like it with chicken).
• Sara Foster’s pan-braised carrots with orange and rosemary are another favorite veggie dish of mine.  The warm and tangy citrus from the fresh orange juice delivers brightness to the dish and pairs excellently with the piney rosemary.  This dish yields the most tender, sweet carrots that are just bursting with flavor.  I like to serve them next to this cider-braised chicken: .
• Roasted butternut squash with honey, thyme and cheese:  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Peel a medium-sized butternut squash (scrape out and discard the seeds), slice into wedges (like cantaloupe).  Place on a foil-lined baking sheet and toss with some drizzled olive oil and honey.  Sprinkle with some sea salt and fresh thyme sprigs.  Roast for 15-20 minutes until the squash is tender.  You can dollop a little goat cheese or bleu cheese on top of these or sprinkle them with some parmesan.  Or you can try a similar recipe, using acorn squash:   It’s sweet and savory and the perfect dish to eat by the fire on a cold winter’s night.
• Parmesan roasted asparagus:  This is a great dish to make if you’re in a pinch for time and it’s also versatile so it will go with just about anything.  Another alternative is to toss the asparagus with some olive oil, lemon juice and garlic and then sprinkle with salt and pepper before roasting.
• Green Beans:  If roasting, check out this flavorful recipe:    If pan-roasting, sauté with some caramelized shallots, pieces of bacon, mushrooms and vinegar, or some lemon zest, a little lemon juice and some butter.

Tips for repurposing leftover Veggies:

• If you have leftover sweet potatoes or zucchini, add them to a burrito.
• Add leftover broccoli, green beans or asparagus to some rice, pasta, an omelet or frittata.
• Leftover grilled or sautéed veggies are also a great addition to a salad, especially a tuna nicoise salad.
• If you have leftover roasted or boiled potatoes, add them to a soup or stew.

Hayley Teater is a chronicler of all things food-related, particularly of the dessert persuasion. She writes for her blog Tiptoes in the Kitchen (hayleygolightly.wordpress.com), which covers her various food escapades and interesting tales from the kitchen.