THE RECIPES

7 Yummy Veggie-Packed Comfort Food Dishes to Make Now

When the weather calls for comfort food but your body is begging for something green, hearty and nutritious, these recipes hit the sweet spot. Think creamy, cozy and deeply satisfying—but built on beans, lentils, squash, cauliflower and plenty of colourful veggies.

These are the kinds of dinners that feel indulgent in the moment and smart in hindsight (and they’re so good, your kids won’t notice the extra dose healthy ingredients). Warm, filling and packed with the good stuff, these recipes prove that comfort food doesn’t have to leave you in a carb coma.

Mac and Cheese with White Beans
Creamy, cheesy and completely kid-approved, this mac and cheese quietly folds in white beans for extra protein and fibre without changing the classic comfort-food vibe.

Butternut Squash Shepherd’s Pie
The savoury base topped with mashed butternut squash gives this cold-weather staple a vegetable-forward makeover.

Lentil Loaf with Creamy Garlic Mash
Hearty lentils and other flavour makers come together in this satisfying plant-based loaf, served with garlic mashed potatoes for full comfort-food effect.

Rainbow Stir Fry
Your fave protein and a vibrant mix of vegetables are tossed in a flavourful sauce for a quick weeknight stir-fry that delivers on colour and crunch.

Slow Cooker Vegetarian Lasagna
Layered with vegetables, sauce and cheese, this hands-off slow-cooker lasagna turns simple ingredients into a lighter take on the Italian classic.

Cauliflower “Popcorn” with Curried Mayo
You can make these as a dinner side or as a snack on their own! Roasted until golden and crisp, these bite-sized cauliflower pieces are perfect served with spiced curried mayo.

BONUS: A sweet fruity treat—Chocolate Dipped Clementines with Pistachios
Juicy clementine segments dipped in dark chocolate and sprinkled with pistachios make this healthy-ish dessert feel decadent.

THE POLL

How’s Cold and Flu Season Treating You This Winter?

Ask any parent with kids in school or daycare how winter is going and you’ll likely get some version of, “Great… when we can stay healthy for more than five minutes.” Between germy classrooms, carpools and extracurriculars, it can feel like someone always has a runny nose, a cough or a mysterious “low-grade something.” And just when the household seems back on track, another bug makes the rounds. So, we want to know: How’s your crew holding up this cold and flu season?

TODAY’S POLL

Results from last week’s poll

Do your kids cover for or tell on each other?

🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ They cover for each other every time. Ride or die. (14.3%)
🟨🟨🟨🟨🟨⬜️ They tell on each other immediately. (38.1%)
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 It depends on the crime and the sibling involved. (42.9%)

THE QUESTION BOX

What Do I Do When I Feel “Touched Out” by My Partner and Kids?

If you’ve ever flinched at one more tiny hand tugging your sleeve—or felt your whole body tense when your partner reaches for a hug—you’re not broken. You’re very likely just tired of being touched. It’s a very real nervous system response to prolonged physical contact, and it’s especially common for parents of young kids.

The hard part? The guilt. You love your people and you want to connect. But when your tank is empty, pushing through doesn’t give them more of you—it gives them an overstimulated, irritable version of you.

The more loving move is often the harder one: asking for space so you can come back present, warm and more emotionally available.

Here’s what helps:

• Understand what’s happening: Being touched out is physiological, not personal. Your nervous system needs a reset.

• Take micro-breaks: Step outside, shake out your arms, breathe deeply, splash cold water on your face, play a song that makes you feel reconnected with yourself.

• Talk to younger kids in plain terms: “My body needs time to be quiet.”

• Talk to older kids honestly: Explain that your body needs to recharge so you can be fully present again.

• Talk to your partner with love and clarity: Reassure them it’s not rejection and offer a clear path to reconnect later.

Click through for the full article and practical scripts you can use with your kids and your partner.