The Skinny Chick's Cookbook

  Being born and raised in Boston, I hated the winters growing up. But ever since moving to California, I find myself more and more missing something I never thought I’d miss… snow! Every year, I make it a habit to plan a winter trip. Sometimes I go back home for Thanksgiving or Christmas, other times I rent a cabin in Big Bear for the weekend. I always make sure to reserve a cabin with a fireplace, because there’s nothing I love more than curling up in front of the fire with a blanket, a book, and a warm drink. After toying around with many spiked cocoas, hot toddys and ciders, this fireball apple cider is definitely my winter drink of choice. I made it for the first time last Thanksgiving, as my family and I were hanging around the fire in Cape Cod, and the warm apple cinnamon flavor was the perfect way to end the day. (And don’t worry ladies – it doesn’t taste anything like whiskey!) Fireball Apple Cider Ingredients 1 cup apple cider ¼ cup Fireball cinnamon w...

  Tis the season for homemade soup! Whenever I come down with a cold in the winter, all I want is a big bowl of homemade minestrone soup. This minestrone is packed with hearty vegetables, kidney beans, and a few scoops of shell pasta. I try to avoid any type of store-bought soup or canned soup because they tend to be very high in sodium. I use low-sodium vegetable broth for this recipe, and I even add a little bit of water so it isn’t too salty. Those on a gluten-free diet are welcome to use brown rice shell pasta in place of regular pasta. Homemade Minestrone Soup Ingredients 3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth ½ cup tomato sauce 1 cup cooked whole grain shell pasta ¼ cup white onion, diced ½ cup carrots, sliced ½ cup celery, sliced ½ cup zucchini, chopped ½ cup diced tomato 1 cup kidney beans, rinsed ½ cup spinach leaves, chopped ½ cup water Sea salt, pepper and basil, to taste 1-2 tsp olive oil, for grilling Instructions In a medium pot, cook shell pasta in boiling water until sof...