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Slow-Cooker Beef-Barley Soup with Red Wine & Pesto

Winter is coming, so it’s time to warm up with these cozy dinner recipes. Featuring seasonal produce like Brussels sprouts, kale and sweet potatoes, these four- and five-star rated dishes are comforting choices for the chilly weather. Recipes like our Butternut Squash & Black Bean Enchiladas and Skillet Chicken Potpie are delicious, satisfying meals.

01of 20Slow-Cooker Beef-Barley Soup with Red Wine & PestoView RecipeHearty, thick, rich–this is just how a winter soup should be. The meat and carrots become tender yet retain their texture, and the kale offers freshness. Garnish each serving of this slow-cooker beef and barley soup with additional pesto and fresh basil and oregano sprigs, if desired.

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Slow-Cooker Beef-Barley Soup with Red Wine & Pesto

View Recipe

Hearty, thick, rich–this is just how a winter soup should be. The meat and carrots become tender yet retain their texture, and the kale offers freshness. Garnish each serving of this slow-cooker beef and barley soup with additional pesto and fresh basil and oregano sprigs, if desired.

02of 20Mom’s ChiliView RecipeThis healthy basic beef chili recipe is well worth doubling so you can throw a batch in the freezer. Serve topped with diced red onion, sliced scallions, shredded cheese and your favorite hot sauce.

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Mom’s Chili

Mom’s Chili

This healthy basic beef chili recipe is well worth doubling so you can throw a batch in the freezer. Serve topped with diced red onion, sliced scallions, shredded cheese and your favorite hot sauce.

03of 20Ground Beef & Pasta SkilletView RecipeAdd extra vegetables to your day with this easy one-skillet pasta recipe. Finely chop mushrooms to resemble the texture of ground beef and stir them into a classic meat sauce for a healthy twist on a dinnertime favorite.

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Ground Beef & Pasta Skillet

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Add extra vegetables to your day with this easy one-skillet pasta recipe. Finely chop mushrooms to resemble the texture of ground beef and stir them into a classic meat sauce for a healthy twist on a dinnertime favorite.

04of 20Pepper, Pesto & Spinach StromboliView RecipeJason DonnellyStromboli can often be heavy with meat and cheese, but this version is packed with veggies. Nutty fontina is more flavorful than classic mozzarella, so a little goes long way. Serve with your favorite marinara sauce for dipping.

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Pepper, Pesto & Spinach Stromboli

Jason Donnelly

Pepper, Pesto & Spinach Stromboli

Stromboli can often be heavy with meat and cheese, but this version is packed with veggies. Nutty fontina is more flavorful than classic mozzarella, so a little goes long way. Serve with your favorite marinara sauce for dipping.

05of 20Sausage, Brussels Sprout & Potato SoupView RecipeBake up some Manchego cheese toasts and uncork a bottle of Ribera del Duero to enjoy alongside this healthy pot of soup. Both sweet and hot Italian sausage work well.

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Sausage, Brussels Sprout & Potato Soup

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Bake up some Manchego cheese toasts and uncork a bottle of Ribera del Duero to enjoy alongside this healthy pot of soup. Both sweet and hot Italian sausage work well.

06of 20Minestra Maritata (Italian Wedding Soup)View RecipeForget the marble-size meatballs you find in many versions of this Italian Wedding Soup. In this easy recipe, they’re full-size, full-flavored and plenty filling.

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Minestra Maritata (Italian Wedding Soup)

Bowl of Easy Italian Wedding Soup on a gray cloth background

Forget the marble-size meatballs you find in many versions of this Italian Wedding Soup. In this easy recipe, they’re full-size, full-flavored and plenty filling.

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Sheet-Pan Salmon with Sweet Potatoes & Broccoli

photography / Caitlin bensel, Food Styling / Emily Nabors Hall

Sheet-Pan Salmon with Sweet Potatoes & Broccoli

08of 20Gochujang-Glazed Salmon with Garlic SpinachView RecipeJacob FoxGochujang, a Korean red chile paste, and honey give this salmon a little bit of sweetness and a whole lot of spice.

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Gochujang-Glazed Salmon with Garlic Spinach

Jacob Fox

Gochujang-Glazed Salmon with Garlic Spinach

Gochujang, a Korean red chile paste, and honey give this salmon a little bit of sweetness and a whole lot of spice.

09of 20Skillet Chicken PotpieView RecipeA store-bought pie crust, frozen veggies and precooked chicken simplify the prep for this easy potpie. This healthy dinner recipe is comfort food at its best.

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Skillet Chicken Potpie

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A store-bought pie crust, frozen veggies and precooked chicken simplify the prep for this easy potpie. This healthy dinner recipe is comfort food at its best.

10of 20Butternut Squash & Black Bean EnchiladasView RecipeGreg DuPreeA crisp, citrusy slaw contrasts nicely with the enchiladas' creamy squash filling.

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Butternut Squash & Black Bean Enchiladas

Greg DuPree

Butternut Squash & Black Bean Enchiladas

A crisp, citrusy slaw contrasts nicely with the enchiladas' creamy squash filling.

11of 20Chicken-Noodle CasseroleView RecipeFlavorful Chicken-Noodle Casserole comes to life with this diabetic-friendly recipe. Select light sour cream to lower fat and calorie content.

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Chicken-Noodle Casserole

Chicken-Noodle Casserole

Flavorful Chicken-Noodle Casserole comes to life with this diabetic-friendly recipe. Select light sour cream to lower fat and calorie content.

12of 20Massaged Kale Salad with Roasted Sweet Potato & Black BeansView RecipeJacob FoxLoaded with roasted sweet potatoes and shallots, black beans, quinoa, feta and pepitas, this salad makes for a satisfying meatless meal. Not only does massaging the kale tenderize it, it also helps the greens absorb more of the bright dressing.

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Massaged Kale Salad with Roasted Sweet Potato & Black Beans

Massaged Kale Salad with Roasted Sweet Potato & Black Beans

Loaded with roasted sweet potatoes and shallots, black beans, quinoa, feta and pepitas, this salad makes for a satisfying meatless meal. Not only does massaging the kale tenderize it, it also helps the greens absorb more of the bright dressing.

13of 20Vegan Lentil SoupView RecipeThis vegan lentil soup recipe is packed with fresh ingredients and plenty of lentils that deliver a healthy dose of fiber in each bite. This vegan soup is the perfect cold-weather lunch or healthy dinner the whole family will love.

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Vegan Lentil Soup

Vegan Lentil Soup

This vegan lentil soup recipe is packed with fresh ingredients and plenty of lentils that deliver a healthy dose of fiber in each bite. This vegan soup is the perfect cold-weather lunch or healthy dinner the whole family will love.

14of 20Black Bean-Quinoa BowlView RecipeThis black bean and quinoa bowl has many of the usual hallmarks of a taco salad, minus the fried bowl. We’ve loaded it up with pico de gallo, fresh cilantro and avocado plus an easy hummus dressing to drizzle on top.

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Black Bean-Quinoa Bowl

Black Bean-Quinoa Bowl

This black bean and quinoa bowl has many of the usual hallmarks of a taco salad, minus the fried bowl. We’ve loaded it up with pico de gallo, fresh cilantro and avocado plus an easy hummus dressing to drizzle on top.

15of 20Cheesy Meatball CasseroleView RecipeJen CauseyThis cheesy meatball casserole is a family favorite, with basil adding flavor to the meatballs and grated onion adding moisture. Melted mozzarella cheese tames the spice, but feel free to cut back or eliminate the crushed red pepper if you prefer a milder dish.

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Cheesy Meatball Casserole

Jen Causey

cheesy meatball casserole

This cheesy meatball casserole is a family favorite, with basil adding flavor to the meatballs and grated onion adding moisture. Melted mozzarella cheese tames the spice, but feel free to cut back or eliminate the crushed red pepper if you prefer a milder dish.

16of 20Adobo Chicken & Kale EnchiladasView RecipePut out your favorite toppings for these quick and healthy layered enchiladas. We like cilantro, sour cream, guacamole and jalapeños.

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Adobo Chicken & Kale Enchiladas

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Put out your favorite toppings for these quick and healthy layered enchiladas. We like cilantro, sour cream, guacamole and jalapeños.

17of 20Slow-Cooker White Bean, Spinach & Sausage StewView RecipeReach for this recipe on a chilly morning when you know you’ll want a steaming bowl of slow-cooker sausage stew for supper. To make this recipe gluten free, use gluten-free sausage.

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Slow-Cooker White Bean, Spinach & Sausage Stew

slow-cooker white bean, spinach & sausage stew

Reach for this recipe on a chilly morning when you know you’ll want a steaming bowl of slow-cooker sausage stew for supper. To make this recipe gluten free, use gluten-free sausage.

18of 20Turkey PotpieView RecipeYou might look forward to the days after Thanksgiving even more than the holiday itself with this easy turkey potpie recipe that’s the perfect use for leftover turkey and extra vegetables like carrots and onions you might have on hand from the holiday. The pie is loaded with veggies and a creamy sauce, then topped with a prepared whole-wheat crust so there’s no need to make dough. No leftover cooked turkey? This healthy potpie is just as delicious with chicken. Serve it up any time you need a dose of comfort food for dinner.

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Turkey Potpie

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You might look forward to the days after Thanksgiving even more than the holiday itself with this easy turkey potpie recipe that’s the perfect use for leftover turkey and extra vegetables like carrots and onions you might have on hand from the holiday. The pie is loaded with veggies and a creamy sauce, then topped with a prepared whole-wheat crust so there’s no need to make dough. No leftover cooked turkey? This healthy potpie is just as delicious with chicken. Serve it up any time you need a dose of comfort food for dinner.

19of 20Cabbage Roll CasseroleView RecipeBrie PassanoThis casserole has all the elements of cabbage rolls—ground beef, onion and rice cooked in tomato sauce—and skips the fuss of rolling. The cabbage is chopped instead and layered with the saucy filling, then topped with cheese, for a satisfying and easy casserole. Feel free to substitute other ground meats, such as turkey, for the ground beef—this recipe would also be great with a vegetarian meat substitute.

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Cabbage Roll Casserole

Brie Passano

Cabbage Roll Casserole

This casserole has all the elements of cabbage rolls—ground beef, onion and rice cooked in tomato sauce—and skips the fuss of rolling. The cabbage is chopped instead and layered with the saucy filling, then topped with cheese, for a satisfying and easy casserole. Feel free to substitute other ground meats, such as turkey, for the ground beef—this recipe would also be great with a vegetarian meat substitute.

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Cheesy Spinach-&-Artichoke Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

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