20 Must-Make Winter Recipes

To keep it simple, we’ve opted for just the essential ingredients in this rendition of the hearty Creole favorite: sausage, okra, rice and a little spice.

Ingredient Note: Cajun seasoning is a spice blend that usually includes cayenne and black pepper, salt, thyme, garlic and onion powder and paprika. Look for it in the spice section of the supermarket.

Per serving: 164 calories; 6 g fat (2 g sat, 1 g mono); 25 mg cholesterol; 18 g carbohydrate; 12 g protein; 3 g fiber; 628 mg sodium; 462 mg potassium; 0 g added sugars

Carbohydrate Servings: 1

Exchanges: 1...

This variation on fajitas pairs fresh poblanos with steak and scallions. Skirt steak has fabulous flavor but tends to be chewy, so slice it thinly across the grain.

Note: Poblano peppers can be fiery or relatively mild; there’s no way to tell until you taste them.

Ancho chile peppers, one of the most popular dried chiles used in Mexico, are dried poblano peppers. They have a mild, sweet, spicy flavor. Ground ancho chile pepper can be found in the specialty-spice section of large supermarkets, or substitute ground chili powder plus a pinch of cayenne.

Tips: To heat...

A classic cassoulet takes two days to make and is larded with fat. This version keeps it simple with one skillet and a light touch. Serve with some crusty whole-grain rolls.

Tips for Two: Leftover canned broth keeps up to 5 days in the refrigerator or up to 3 months in your freezer. Leftover broths in aseptic packages keep for up to 1 week in the refrigerator. Add to soups, sauces, stews; use for cooking rice and grains; add a little when reheating leftovers to prevent them from drying out.

Note: To make toasted breadcrumbs, toss 1/4 cup whole-wheat breadcrumbs with 1 teaspoon...

Brilliant red paprika, the main seasoning in Hungarian cooking, gives this light version of chicken paprikash its color. Vary the heat by using hot, sweet or a combination of paprikas. Serve over whole-wheat egg noodles with a side of steamed broccoli and a cool fruit salad for dessert.

Per serving: 259 calories; 8 g fat (2 g sat, 4 g mono); 69 mg cholesterol; 15 g carbohydrate; 26 g protein; 4 g fiber; 332 mg sodium; 735 mg potassium; 0 g added sugars

Carbohydrate Servings: 1

Exchanges: 2 vegetable, 3 lean meat

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (135% daily value), Vitamin...

Hunter's Chicken is found across Northern Italy, with many variations. This version uses meaty bone-in chicken thighs and is full of onions, mushrooms and tomatoes. It’s also delicious served over egg noodles.

Per serving: 430 calories; 17 g fat (4 g sat, 8 g mono); 100 mg cholesterol; 31 g carbohydrate; 33 g protein; 3 g fiber; 757 mg sodium; 809 mg potassium; 0 g added sugars

Carbohydrate Servings: 2

Exchanges: 1 1/2 starch, 1 vegetable, 4 lean meat, 1 fat

Nutrition Bonus: Potassium (23% daily value), Iron (18% dv), Magnesium (16% dv)

Scaling...

An adaptation of the Andalusian dish fabada, this pinto bean stew is seasoned with andouille sausage, bacon, tomatoes, onions, peppers and smoked paprika. Fans of spicy beans should use the full amount of minced chile pepper (or more). Serve with brown rice and sour cream.

Tip: Andouille sausage is a smoky, mildly spicy pork sausage commonly used in Cajun cooking. Look for it near other smoked sausages in large supermarkets or specialty food stores.

Ingredient Note: Smoked paprika is a spice made from grinding smoke-dried red peppers. It can be used in many types of savory...

When you season roast chicken under the skin, as in this recipe, the meat itself gets flavored and the skin becomes nicely browned and crisp. Here, the chicken is roasted on a bed of carrots, turnips and celeriac—but any mixture of root vegetables will work. You’ll need about 8 cups of chopped or cubed vegetables.

Tip: To peel turnips and celeriac (also called celery root), cut off one end of the root to create a flat surface so you can keep it steady on the cutting board. Follow the contour of the vegetable with your knife to remove the skin. Or, if you use a...

These saucy curried chicken thighs makes a great dish for a big easy family supper. There’s plenty of curry sauce, so serve with brown rice or whole-wheat egg noodles. We call for boneless, skinless chicken thighs here, but we’ve also tried it with bone-in thighs and it worked wonderfully.

Per serving: 375 calories; 17 g fat (5 g sat, 7 g mono); 99 mg cholesterol; 23 g carbohydrate; 31 g protein; 4 g fiber; 589 mg sodium; 455 mg potassium; 1 g added sugars

Carbohydrate Servings: 1 1/2

Exchanges: 1 starch, 1 vegetable, 3 lean meat, 1 fat

Nutrition...

We took the comforting flavors of French onion soup and turned them into an easy bistro-style steak dinner. Tender filet mignon gets smothered with sweet caramelized onions and topped by a crispy, Swiss cheese-covered crostini. To double this recipe use 2 large skillets and prepare one 4-serving recipe in each. Serve with green beans and mashed potatoes with buttermilk and chives.

Note: Sherry is a type of fortified wine originally from southern Spain. “Cooking sherry” sold in many supermarkets can be high in sodium. Instead, get dry sherry that’s sold with other...

Steaks are often served with hearty accompaniments like mashed potatoes, which can make the whole meal seem heavy. Here we lighten things up by topping pan-seared steaks with a raw slaw dressed with pungent horseradish vinaigrette. We use shredded beets, turnips and carrots, but feel free to change up the combination of vegetables based on what you’re pulling from the garden.

Tip: To prevent nicking your fingers on the sharp holes of a box grater while shredding round root vegetables, such as turnips or beets, shred about half the vegetable, then use a clean dish towel to...