Falling leaves and temps mean it’s time for comfort foods and we have a roundup of five of our favorite healthy InDependent recipes especially for military spouses that you can enjoy right now, plus one bonus recipe pairing that you’ll want on your radar for the holiday season.

 We’re celebrating our fifth birthday this month (have you gotten your party favors yet?), and my original plan was to curate my five favorite blog posts. It was just too hard. We’ve published so many great pieces over the years. It was dinner time when I sat down to make my compilation, it was chilly and dark outside, and the blog posts that were standing out the most to me were recipes, so that’s what I’m serving up!

Chicken Pot Pie Soup | This recipe from 2015 is sure to infuse your home with comfort. I’m a lifelong vegetarian so I don’t even eat chicken, but I substituted in vegetable broth and chicken-style veggie meat and absolutely loved this soup. Using frozen veggies makes it a fast, comforting one-pot meal, perfect for busy weeknights.

Raw Kale Salad with Quinoa, Lentils, and Pecans | I developed this recipe for InDependent in 2014 and it is now my signature dish. Making this salad for gatherings ensures that I have a healthy, well-rounded meal no matter what else may be offered. It’s delicious and satisfying and makes me feel like I’ve given myself a big health boost. 

Pumpkin and Cacao Smoothie | It wouldn’t be fall without an awesome pumpkin beverage. This recipe from 2014 puts a healthy spin pumpkin spice treats and is a delicious way to start your day.

Homemade Sunflower Butter with Flax, Chia, and Cacao Nibs | I’m a firm believer in an apple a day. It’s one of my favorite snacks. Fall is when the apples are in season and especially delicious. If you go to a farmers’ market or orchard you may even find unusual varieties not carried in your commissary or supermarket. This sunflower seed butter, also from 2014 makes snack time especially enticing.

Easy Roasted Acorn Squash | I surprised my daughter with some coconut sugar on her acorn squash tonight for dinner and she was delighted. The cinnamon and ginger from this 2015 recipe make it seem like dessert.  

And finally, here’s your bonus recipe pairing to have on hand for the holiday season:

German Holiday Recipes: Lebkuchen & Glühwein | Leslie and I had so much fun teaming up on these recipes in 2014. We were both back in the States after living in Germany and wanted to bring some of the traditions we loved to life, but with a healthy spin and with ingredients that we could find in the States. 

What is your favorite healthy thing to eat this time of year?

ABOUT KIMBERLY

Kimberly Bacso is the operations director and co-founder of InDependent. She began her career working as a certified public accountant and earning a Master of Business Administration degree, but after becoming an Army spouse and mom, she followed her passions for teaching and wellness and became a yoga teacher. In addition to her work for InDependent, she is the managing editor of Legacy Magazine, a print publication celebrating service member families. She is a lifelong vegetarian who loves experimenting with new recipes and enjoying a good cup of tea. She can often be found traveling off the beaten path with her husband and daughter.

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