5 economical and delicious winter recipes to warm the heart

In the middle of winter, when temperatures drop as does the light, there’s nothing better than comforting yourself with warm, delicious dishes! Recipes that warm the heart without affecting our budget, already eroded by the end-of-year holidays, but also inflation which does not spare the food sector. Here are 5 inexpensive winter recipes to treat yourself without breaking the bank.

Because eating well is essential for health and morale, here is five economical winter recipesto be done without moderation to warm hearts without increasing the budget.

1 – Sweet potato pancakes

• For five people
• Preparation time: 10 minutes
• Cooking time: 35 minutes
• Difficulty: easy

Ingredients :

• 400g sweet potatoes
• Vegetable oil
• 1 sachet of yeast
• 200 gr of flour
• 2 eggs
• 25 cl of milk
• salt and pepper
• 1/2 bunch of chives

Preparation :

1. Cut the sweet potatoes into cubes after peeling them. Steam them until tender, this should take about 20 minutes. Keep some dice aside for dressing the pancakes.
2. Prepare the dough by mixing the flour and yeast. Add the eggs, milk, washed and chopped chives, salt and pepper to your liking. Continue to mix until you obtain a homogeneous texture. Add the diced sweet potatoes to the batter. Let sit for 15 minutes.
3. Pour a little oil into a frying pan over medium heat. Use a tablespoon of batter for each pancake. When bubbles appear on the surface, flip the pancakes and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Repeat until the dough is used up.
4. Arrange the pancakes on plates, decorating them with the reserved diced sweet potatoes.

2 – 5 vegetable soup, to stock up on vitamins in winter!

• For two people
• Preparation time: 15 minutes
• Cooking time: 35 minutes
• Difficulty: very easy

Ingredients :

• 2 potatoes
• 2 carrots
• 1 courgette
• 2 leeks
• 2 turnips
• 30g butter
• salt, pepper

Preparation :

1. Wash, then peel the vegetables before cutting them into cubes. Cook them for half an hour in salted water and bring to the boil. Stir the vegetables from time to time.
2. Once cooked, put the vegetables in a blender, add butter and pepper, to your liking.
3. All you have to do is reheat your soup for 5 minutes over low heat, in a saucepan.

Also read – Our easy recipe for lamb’s lettuce soup with croutons

3 – Cauliflower tempura

• For four people
• Preparation time: 10 minutes
• Cooking time: 15 minutes
• Difficulty: easy

Ingredients :

• 400 g of cauliflower
• 1 egg
• frying oil
• 150 g cornstarch
• 10 cl of iced sparkling water
• 1 pinch of bicarbonate
• sweet and sour Chinese sauce
• flower of salt

Preparation :

1. Cut the cauliflower into florets, then cut them into strips of approximately 1 cm. Heat oil for frying (using a thermometer to check that it does not exceed 180°C) in a deep fryer or sauté pan.
2. Prepare the dough by mixing the water and egg on one side and the starch and baking soda on the other. Quickly mix the two preparations together.
3. Dip the cauliflower strips into the batter, then into the hot oil. Let cook for 30 seconds. Remove the strips and place them on a plate covered with absorbent paper. Sprinkle with salt and serve immediately with a sweet and sour sauce.

4 – Chicken biryani with pine nuts, mild spices, with yogurt sauce

• For four people
• Preparation time: 45 minutes
• Cooking time: 60 minutes
• Difficulty: medium

Ingredients :

• 425 g Greek yogurt
• 30g fresh ginger
• 20 g of fresh turmeric
• 4 chicken thighs (without skin)
• 200g crushed tomatoes
• 400g basmati rice
• 100 gr of pine nuts
• 1 tablespoon(s) of garam masala
• 8 cloves of garlic
• 3 onions
• 1/2 bunch of coriander
• 1 tablespoon(s) of coconut oil
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 2 bay leaves
• 12 cl of chicken stock
• 6 tablespoon(s) clarified butter
• 4 cardamom pods
• 1 grenade
• 2 limes
• mint leaves
• 1 pinch of chili

Preparation :

1. For the marinade, mix 125 g of yogurt, grated ginger and turmeric, chopped garlic, chili pepper, garam masala, half of the coriander, 1 teaspoon of salt and coconut oil until obtaining a homogeneous preparation. Pour the marinade into a baking dish, add the tomatoes and chicken. Coat the meat completely and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
2. Rinse the rice with clean water. Peel and chop 1 onion. Brown it with the cinnamon, bay leaf and cardamom in 1 tablespoon of hot butter for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the rice and fry for 2 minutes while mixing. Pour 80 cl of water and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover and cook for 8 to 10 minutes until the grains are crunchy in the center. Remove from heat.
3. Peel and chop another onion. Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a pan. Add the onion and brown for 5 minutes. Add the chicken and its marinade. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and cook for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add a little water if necessary to prevent the preparation from sticking. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Let cool and crumble the meat.
4. Peel the last onion and cut it into slices. Fry them in 2 tablespoons of butter for 5 minutes, then drain them on absorbent paper. Dry brown the pine nuts in a non-stick pan for 5 minutes. Reserve.
5. Heat the broth and pour it over the remaining yogurt. In a dish, arrange alternating layers of rice and chicken. Decorate with the pomegranate, pine nuts and the remaining chopped coriander. Serve everything with the yogurt sauce, mint leaves and a few lemon wedges.

5 – Mac & cheese au cheddar

• For four people
• Preparation time: 10 minutes
• Cooking time: 35 minutes
• Difficulty: easy

Ingredients :

• 200g grated cheddar
• 250 gr of macaroni or other pasta (al dente cooking)
• 15 g of flour
• 30 g of butter
• 25g of breadcrumbs
• 6 dl of hot milk
• nutmeg, pepper

Preparation :

• In a saucepan, melt 30g of butter over low heat. Add 15g of flour and mix until incorporated.
• Gradually pour 6 dl of hot milk into the saucepan, stirring constantly with a spatula. Let the sauce thicken for a few minutes.
• Add 150g of grated cheddar, a few pinches of nutmeg and pepper to taste.
• Add 250g of macaroni cooked al dente to the sauce and mix. Pour everything into a gratin dish, spreading to a thickness of approximately 4 cm.
• Mix 50g of grated cheddar with 25g of breadcrumbs and spread it over the top of the preparation. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 30 minutes.
• Serve hot or warm with a seasonal salad.

Read also

Ideas for pie recipes with winter vegetables

Rutabaga rösti: plenty of fiber and cheese for the winter