Healthy Comfort Foods for a Winter Night In

With a focus on "healthy comfort," there is no one better to inspire us than our friend Stephanie A. Meyer. She is the perfect expert when it comes to inspiration for a bounty of nutrient-dense, fresh ingredients in cozy, comforting, and easy-to-prepare dishes. Stephanie is a cook, author, and nutrition nerd passionate about fresh ingredients and delicious dishes.

We are thrilled that she is sharing a few of her current favorite recipes with us (and one even has an Instagram account of it's own! Meet and follow @healinggreenbroth. The recipes below are naturally grain-free, gluten-free and can easily be made dairy-free. Enjoy!

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Healing Green Broth

Serves 2 in small mugs or 1 in a bowl. | Paleo, Whole30, Low Carb

Ingredients

• 1 cup rich broth or stock
• 1 cup watercress or arugula leaves
• 2 tablespoons each chopped tarragon and chives (or other favorite fresh hers)
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice (or more to taste)
• 1 tablespoon ghee or grass-fed butter
• 1 tablespoon collagen peptides (optional)
• sea salt to taste

Instructions

1. Heat broth until very hot.
2. While broth heats, put remaining ingredients except salt in a Vitamin or other high-powered blender. Pour broth into the blender and (carefully, especially when working with hot liquids) blend on high speed until pale green and frothy. Season to taste with salt and additional lemon juice.

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Grilled Salmon Salad with Dill, Tomatoes, and Avocado

Serves 4 | Paleo, Whole30, Gluten Free

For the dressing and salmon

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1 small garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 4 (4-ounce) salmon fillets

For the salad

• 8 ounces small new potatoes
• 4 large eggs
• 3 cups greens (lettuce, spinach, and/or arugula)
• 3 tablespoons freshly chopped dill
• 1/2 cup quartered cherry tomatoes
• 1 large shallot, thinly sliced
• 1 avocado, pitted, peeled, and cut into 1/4-inch slices
• Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Get ready. Preheat a grill to medium-high heat.
2. Prepare the dressing and salmon. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, lemon juice, mustard, garlic, and salt. Sprinkle both sides of each salmon fillet lightly with salt, then spread 1 teaspoon of dressing on one side of each fillet. Set aside
3. Boil the potatoes and eggs for the salad. Fill a large saucepan with cold salted water. Add potatoes and bring to a boil over high heat. Turn the heat to medium, carefully add the eggs to the pan, and set a timer for 8 minutes. When the timer goes off, use tongs or a slotted spoon to transfer the eggs to a bowl of cold water. If the potatoes are tender, drain and leave them in the warm pot; if not, continue boiling for another few minutes, then drain. Set aside.
4. Grill the salmon. Grill the salmon fillets until just slightly underdone, 2 to 4 minutes per side, depending on the thickness (the salmon will continue cooking while it rests). Transfer to a cutting board and let rest while you assemble the salad.
5. Assemble the salad. Spread the greens on a large platter. Scatter the dill over the greens. Quarter the potatoes and arrange over the greens. Top with the tomatoes, shallot, and avocado. Peel and halve the eggs and arrange on top. Spoon half the remaining dress- ing over the salad. Break the salmon into 2-inch pieces and place on top. Top with the remaining dressing. Finish with a light sprinkle of salt and several grinds of black pepper. Serve immediately.

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Chocolate Avocado Pudding

Serves 2 | Paleo, Gluten-Free, Vegan

Ingredients

• 1 medium ripe avocado
• 2-3 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 2-3 tablespoons maple syrup (I start on the low end and add a bit more as needed)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extractpinch of sea salt
• 1 teaspoon of instant espresso powder (optional and skip for AIP; I only use it with carob, not cocoa)
• 3-4 tablespoons of coconut milk OR almond (or other nut milk) OR half-n-half (use coconut milk for AIP)
• 1 scoop (2 tablespoons) collagen peptides or hydrolysate (optional, skip for vegan)

Instructions

1. Add avocado, carob (or cocoa), maple syrup, vanilla, and salt to the bowl of a blender. If using espresso powder, dissolve it in milk. Add milk to blender.
2. Blend until very smooth and creamy. Taste andadjust sweetness or add more milk if the pudding is too thick. Spoon into two bowls and eat them both. 😂😜🙊
3. Cover with plastic and refrigerate. Can be stored for up to 3 days.

Cleaning tip: avocado is super annoying to clean out of a blender! To make it easy, add hot water to the blender bowl and blend the water. Always be careful blending hot liquids – don’t overfill the blender, start on lowest speed, and hold the lid on.

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More About Stephanie

Stephanie A. Meyer is a Minneapolis-based food writer, photographer, cooking instructor and recipe developer. After struggling with exhaustion, weight fluctuation, hypothyroid disorder and depression, Stephanie began eliminating grains and gluten from her diet, and ultimately adopting the paleo autoimmune protocol diet. Within weeks, she started to feel her energy return and feel like her best self, and began embracing her new diet. She is the author of Kickass Condiments and The 30-Minute Paleo Cookbook, and founder of Fresh Tart and Project Vibrancy Meals.

Photography by Stephanie A. Meyer | @stephanie.a.meyer