I live in the Midwest, so it’s finally starting to really snow this year and it has me in a cozy mood with recipes for sure.

When it comes to your meal planning and cooking this season, you don’t have to keep things “same ol’, same ol’” all year round. Mix it up according to the season and the mood you’re in! 

Especially if you have a fat loss goal and are working on your long-term consistency…you can’t keep eating the same things over and over. So, here are 3 of my favorite “winter-inspired” recipes lately that are perfect for fat loss. 

What makes a recipe good for a fat loss goal? It’s blood sugar balancing. Meaning it is high in protein, healthy fat, and fiber. This is incredible to keep you off a “blood sugar roller coaster” and keep your hormones in a fat-burning mode. Read more about this here.

Cinnamon Roll Smoothie

3/4 c unsweetened nut milk
1/2 banana
1/4 c full-fat, plain Greek yogurt
1 Tbsp almond butter
1 serving vanilla protein powder
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 pitted date
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 Tbsp ground flax seed

Chili Mac

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 lb extra-lean ground beef
salt and pepper (to taste)
1 yellow onion (diced)
2 garlic cloves
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp paprika
1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes
1 c red kidney beans (from the can)
1 1/2 c beef broth
2 oz cheddar cheese
4 oz chickpea pasta

Instructions

1. Heat oil in a large pot with a lid over medium heat. Add onion and cook about 5 minutes or until softened. Add garlic and cook an additional minute
2. Add beef and cook until browned. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Add all ingredients except cheese and noodles and bring to a boil. Add noodles, reduce heat to simmer, cover with lid, and cook until noodles are desired softness.
4. Turn heat off, then top with cheese. Leave on the burner until cheese is melted.

Maple Brussels Sprouts, Squash and Sausage

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

4 c Brussels sprouts

1 acorn squash (seeds removed, sliced)

1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 Tbsp maple syrup

1 Tbsp Dijon mustard

1 tsp garlic powder

salt + pepper (to taste)

4 chicken sausages

1/3 c pomegranate seeds

1/3 c slivered almonds

Instructions

1. Preheat air fryer to 380°F OR oven to 355°F.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, Dijon, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to taste. Drizzle over the Brussels sprouts and acorn squash until well coated.
3. Cook the sausage in the air fryer for 5 minutes, then add Brussels sprouts and squash. Cook for another 12-15 minutes, until fork-tender and browned. If using an oven, cook an additional 3 minutes.
4. Remove and top with pomegranate seeds and slivered almonds before serving.