February Food Inspo

Are you feeling stuck in a rut with your meal planning? Sometimes I feel pretty bored with food this time of year. The cold weather and short days can zap motivation. It can be hard to find delicious fresh fruit and vegetables, too. Nevertheless, try these recipes this month for a change of pace.

Groundhog Salad

February 2

How much wood would a woodchuck chuck? Not much when she has a beautiful winter salad to eat instead!

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch of green kale
• 2 small yellow squash
• Juice and zest of one fresh lemon, or more*
• 1 TBSP raw honey or agave syrup
• 2 TBSP olive oil
• 1 bunch fresh dill
• ¼ cup unsalted sunflower seeds
• 2 oz goat cheese or feta (optional)
• Salt and pepper to taste (optional)

Directions:

Wash the kale and separate it from the stems. Roll each leaf into a cigar shape, and slice thinly to make long strips. Place kale strips in a large bowl and add the olive oil, honey, and lemon juice. With your hands, massage the kale strips and dressing. The kale will wilt slightly and turn a deep green. Slice the squash into paper-thin coins and add to the bowl. Add dill, lemon zest, sunflower seeds, and cheese. Toss to combine. Let it sit for 1-2 hours before serving to let the flavors blend. Adjust to your taste with salt, pepper, or more lemon juice*. Serves 6

Valentine’s Day Pudding February 14

Whether you’re feeding yourself or feeding someone you care about, this seemingly-decadent dessert will indulge your love of creamy chocolate.

Ingredients:

• 2 ripe avocados (how do I know if it’s ripe?- click here)
• 2 very ripe bananas (like, black – the riper they are, the sweeter the pudding!)
• 1-2 TBSP milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3-5 TBSP dark cocoa powder, unsweetened
• (Optional) whipped cream and cocktail cherries

Directions: Put everything into a blender and blend until smooth and creamy. You may need to adjust the amount of chocolate and/or milk to get the right consistency. Make it fun and serve with a dollop of whipped cream and a cherry. Serves 4-6.

National Chili Day February 27

Everyone has their favorite chili recipe, but I am crushing hard on this delicious Chile Colorado stew from vegan chef, Dora Stone of Dora’s Table.

Find the recipe on her blog: https://dorastable.com/sweet-potato-and-chickpea-stew-in-chile-colorado/