Inspired by vibrant Mediterranean flavors, this savory yogurt bowl pulls together a lemon-garlic infused yogurt, chickpeas, tomatoes, cucumbers and herbs. Best of all? It's packed with protein, fiber and probiotics and you only need 10 minutes to make it.

Most mornings? We have yogurt for breakfast. It's simple, nourishing and fast to put together. And, most of the time, that yogurt leans sweet: berries in the summer, citrus and cacao for our winter yogurt bowls, maybe a smidge of honey or a spot of jam.

But my favorite? A savory version of the yogurt bowl. We opt for a lemon- and garlic-infused yogurt topped with chopped seasonal vegetables and fresh herbs touched with extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice.

I usually serve it with hunks of whole-grain bread - whatever we have on hand. Often that's sourdough, focaccia, or even naan. The bread helps to sop up all the yogurt and vegetables.

Ingredients + Substitutions

Yogurt is the foundation of this breakfast bowl. I favor homemade yogurt, but store bought yogurt is fine. Look for plain, full-fat yogurt with out additives. Greek yogurt is a nice option, if you prefer a thicker base.

Lemon, garlic and sea salt give the yogurt its savory edge. Sometimes, I'll also add spices such as ground cumin, sumac or coarsely ground black pepper.

Vegetables provide the real bulk of the recipe. My favorites for this recipe include cherry tomatoes and little Persian cucumbers. That's fine for summertime, when they're in season.

Leftover roasted vegetables are also a nice substitute for the fresh tomatoes and cucumbers. In winter, I usually add roasted butternut squash, beets and Brussels sprouts to the bowls along with thinly sliced greens such as Tuscan kale or radicchio.

Pulses add fiber and protein, while helping to bulk out the yogurt bowls so they're little more satiating. Most of the time, I use chickpeas, but any type of pulse works. Lentils, kidney beans, cannellini beans. You name it.

Herbs bring the breakfast bowls to life. Flat-leaf parsley, dill and mint are the herbs I use most often. But it also changes from season to season.

In winter, fresh thyme is a nice choice. And summer practically begs for the addition of basil. In essence: Use what is fresh and what you like the most.

Roasted, Salted Nuts and Feta Cheese add a pleasant finish. They both add a punch of salt and a little texture: creaminess from the feta and crunch from the nuts. Sometimes a few briny olives make a good addition, too.

Print

Savory Yogurt Bowl Recipe

Immensely satisfying, this yogurt bowl is a go-to when you don't want a sweet breakfast. Instead, it's packed with Mediterranean-inspired flavors for a simple, nourishing start to the day.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American, Mediterranean

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 2 servings

Author Jenny

Ingredients

For the Lemon-Garlic Yogurt

• 1 ½ cups yogurt (plain, full-fat)
• 2 cloves garlic (finely grated)
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
• fine sea salt (as needed)

For the Toppings

• 1 cup chickpeas (cooked)
• 1 ½ cups cherry tomatoes (halved)
• 4 Persian cucumbers (peeled and sliced thin)
• ¼ cup finely chopped mixed herbs (such as dill, mint, parsley, and oregano)
• ¼ cup chopped roasted nuts (such as almonds or hazelnuts)
• ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese

To Serve

• extra virgin olive oil (for drizzling)
• lemon wedges
• whole-grain bread

Instructions

Make the Lemon-Garlic Yogurt

• Stir the yogurt, garlic, and lemon zest together in a small bowl. Season to taste with fine sea salt, and set aside for 5 to 10 minutes so the flavors can marry.

Assemble the Bowls

• Spoon the yogurt into bowls, then top with chickpeas, tomatoes, cucumbers, herbs, roasted nuts and feta cheese.
• Drizzle with olive oil and freshly squeezed lemon. Serve with whole-grain bread.

Love this recipe? There's more.

Join Nourished Kitchen+ for ad-free browsing, nourishing monthly meal plans, live workshops, and access to all our premium downloads.

Join Now

The post Savory Yogurt Bowl appeared first on Nourished Kitchen.

The post Spring Herbal Wellness appeared first on Nourished Kitchen.

Fermenting garlic is a cinch. You only need four ingredients, a jar, and about 10 minutes in the kitchen. Beneficial bacteria do the rest of the work. After a week or two bubbling away on your counter, they'll be ready.

Garlic is one of the easiest vegetables you can ferment. You start by slipping the cloves from their papery skins. Then you tuck them into a jar, cover them with brine, and add a few herbs if you like.

Set the jar aside for a week or two while beneficial bacteria get to work - transforming the garlic into a mellower, salty-sour version of itself. It's the same method we use when fermenting garlic scapes or even carrots: pack a jar, cover with brine, and wait.

As an added bonus, fermented garlic is rich in beneficial bacteria that help support gut health. It's also packed with antioxidants, including allicin, the compound responsible for garlic's bold flavor and many of its health benefits.

Ingredients + Substitutions

Garlic turns salty and sour when you ferment it, just like a pickle. You can ferment any variety, but we prefer the heirloom varieties like Georgian Crystal which has a crisp texture, deep flavor and large cloves that are easy to peel.

Brine keeps the garlic fermenting safely by encouraging the proliferation of beneficial bacteria. Its salt content also keeps the garlic crisp. I generally use additive-free fine sea salt when I ferment, but iodized salt also works although some people complain of a metallic finish.

Dill gives the garlic a pleasant flavor reminiscent of fermented pickles. Dill is my favorite pairing for garlic, but any fresh herb (and most spices) will work.

Print

Fermented Garlic Recipe

Salty and sour with a mellow intensity, fermented garlic is one of our favorite fermented foods to add to a charcuterie board or blend into homemade vinaigrettes.

Course Ferment

Cuisine American

Keyword garlic, herbs

Servings 16 servings (1 pint)

Author Jenny

Equipment

• Pint-Sized Mason Jar
• Glass Weights (or a cabbage leaf)
• Fermentation Seal

Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• 1 ¼ teaspoons fine sea salt (about 7 grams)
• 1 ½ cups peeled garlic cloves
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

Instructions

Making the brine

• Warm the water on the stove over medium-low heat. Stir in the salt, and continue stirring until fully dissolved. Let the brine cool to room temperature.

Fermentation

• Drop the garlic and dill into a pint-sized jar. Cover with brine. Drop a glass fermentation weight into the jar to keep the garlic submerged. Alternatively, wedge a cabbage leaf in the top of the jar to keep the garlic from floating. Note, that all vegetable matter should rest below the level of the brine to ensure safe fermentation practices.
• Seal the jar tightly. If using a fermentation seal, allow to ferment for up to 2 weeks. Then transfer to the fridge, and consume with in 6 months.
• If using a regular jar with a regular lid, seal tightly. Shake the jar daily and burp the jar each day. Allow to ferment for up to 2 weeks, then transfer to the fridge and consume within 6 months. 

Love this recipe? There's more.

Join Nourished Kitchen+ for ad-free browsing, nourishing monthly meal plans, live workshops, and access to all our premium downloads.

Join Now

The post Fermented Garlic with Dill appeared first on Nourished Kitchen.

The post Cooking for the Heart appeared first on Nourished Kitchen.

Citrus and yogurt may seem like an odd partnership, but they work beautifully together in this winter breakfast bowl. As you spoon through it, bright fruit cuts through the creaminess, while bitter cacao and toasted nuts bring texture and balance.

Most mornings, I begin the day with yogurt, fruit and nuts. It's a simple and satisfying breakfast - light and steady.

Here, bright citrus folds into creamy yogurt, with bitter-edged cacao and toasted nuts adding depth and crunch. The result is a satisfying, fiber-forward breakfast that comes together quickly, but somehow feels luxuriant.

Key Ingredients + Substitutions

Yogurt forms the base of the bowl. Full-fat plain yogurt works best. I often use homemade yogurt; heirloom styles like matsoni or filmjölk are especially good here.

Citrus is at its best in winter, when it's both abundant and affordable. Oranges and grapefruit are my usual choice, though mandarins, clementines, or blood oranges all work nicely.

Lemon curd adds gentle sweetness and sharpens the citrus notes. I use a honey-sweetened curd, but store-bought is fine. In a pinch, a spoonful of honey works well. If you're feeling particularly ambitious, you might try drizzling bergamot syrup over the yogurt, too.

Raw cacao nibs bring a pleasant bitterness and crunch, balancing the sweet-tart flavors of the fruit and yogurt.

Toasted nuts add richness and texture. Hazelnuts are my favorite, but almonds, pecans, walnuts, or pine nuts are all good options.

Fresh mint adds color and a clean, bright finish. Very thinly sliced lemongrass or makrut lime leaves deepen the citrus notes, though their texture is notably more fibrous.

Print

Winter Yogurt Bowl Recipe

In the heart of winter, citrus takes the lead. Ir works beautifully in this simple breakfast bowl, finished with a swirl of lemon curd, fresh mint, and a scattering of nuts and cacao.

This recipe makes enough for six, but it scales easily for one or two.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Keyword citrus, fruit, yogurt

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 0 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings

Author Jenny

Ingredients

• 2 medium oranges
• 1 medium grapefruit
• 1 quart yogurt (full-fat, plain)
• ½ cup honey lemon curd
• ½ cup cacao nibs
• ½ cup toasted nuts (hazelnuts, walnuts, pecans, almonds, etc)
• 1 cup fresh mint (loosely packed)

Instructions

Preparing the citrus fruit

• Finely grate the orange and grapefruit zest, taking care to avoid the bitter white pith. Place the zest into a small bowl and set it aside.
• Using a sharp knife, slice off the top and bottom of the fruit so it sits flat on the cutting board. Cut downward to remove the remaining peel and white pith, following the curve of the fruit.
• Holding the peeled fruit over a bowl, cut along each side of the thin membranes to free the citrus segments, letting them fall into the bowl.

Finishing the bowls

• Stir the reserved citrus zest into the yogurt. Spoon the yogurt into each of six bowls. Drizzle the lemon curd over the bowls of yogurt, and then arrange the reserved citrus segments onto the yogurt.
• Sprinkle the cacao nibs and toasted nuts over the yogurt and fruit, then garnish with the bowls with plenty of fresh mint. Serve immediately.

Other citrus-forward recipes for winter

Love this recipe? There's more.

Join Nourished Kitchen+ for ad-free browsing, nourishing monthly meal plans, live workshops, and access to all our premium downloads.

Join Now

The post Winter Fruit and Yogurt Bowl appeared first on Nourished Kitchen.

Bright, floral, and honey-sweetened, this lemon curd cooks up in minutes on the stovetop into a silky, spoonable spread. Naturally sweetened and deeply lemony, it's an easy upgrade for biscuits, homemade yogurt, or toasted sourdough bread.

Lemon curd typically calls for four ingredients: lemons, eggs, butter and sugar. I swap refined sugar for honey. It sweetens the curd while adding a floral depth white sugar can't match.

Key Ingredients + Substitutions

Lemons are the heart of this recipe. You'll use both the juice and the zest. If you can find them, opt for Meyer lemons. They're slightly sweeter and less sharp than regular lemons, with fragrant zest that pairs beautifully with honey. If Meyer lemons aren't available, regular lemons or a mix of lemons and clementines work well.

Eggs and egg yolks thicken the curd, making it velvety smooth like custard. Pasture-raised eggs give the richest color an deeper flavor.

Butter adds richness and a silky finish. While most recipes call for unsalted butter, I find that salted butter works best. That delicate nudge of salt balances the honey's sweetness and the lemons' sourness. Keep in mind that unsalted butter and a pinch of sea salt works fine as a substitute.

Honey deepens the flavor and gives the curd a richer color. Orange blossom honey is a particular favorite of mine in this recipe, but just about any honey will work. For best results, use smooth-flowing liquid honey rather than one that has crystallized.

Print

Honeyed Lemon Curd Recipe

A silky, stovetop lemon curd is naturally sweetened with honey instead of refined white sugar. Ready in about 20 minutes and perfect for making ahead, it keeps well in the fridge for easy breakfasts and simple desserts all week.

Course Condiment

Cuisine American, british

Keyword citrus, honey, lemon

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 1 pint (8 servings)

Author Jenny

Equipment

• mixing bowl
• Whisk
• saucepan
• Wooden Spoon
• Fine-mesh Sieve

Ingredients

• ¾ cup honey
• 2 whole eggs
• 4 egg yolks
• ⅔ cup lemon juice (from 6 to 8 lemons)
• 2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest
• 4 tablespoons cold salted butter (cubed)

Instructions

• Whisk the honey, eggs, egg yolks, and lemon zest in a bowl until smooth and velvety.
• Heat the lemon juice in a small saucepan over medium heat until it just begins to bubble at the edges. Whisking constantly, slowly pour the hot lemon juice into the egg mixture, and then continue whisking until smooth.
• Transfer the mixture to the empty saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, about 5 minutes, until thick enough to coat a spoon. Turn off the heat, and stir in cold butter until fully incorporated. Strain the curd through a fine-mesh sieve. Refrigerate until cold, and store up to 5 days.

Love this recipe? There's more.

Join Nourished Kitchen+ for ad-free browsing, nourishing monthly meal plans, live workshops, and access to all our premium downloads.

Join Now

Some of My Favorite Winter Citrus Recipes

Common Recipe Questions

The post Honey Lemon Curd appeared first on Nourished Kitchen.

The post Winter Fermentation appeared first on Nourished Kitchen.

Brimming with winter squash, ribbons of hardy kale, tender chickpeas, and sturdy whole grains, this winter minestrone is the kind of soup that'll carry you through the darkest, coldest days of the season.

This is one of those recipes that's endlessly adaptable. It's more of an idea tossed together in a pot than a proper recipe. A riff on what's available in your pantry an at the farmers market. Some homemade bone broth. A can of tomatoes. Beans and grains. The last of the winter veg tucked away in your crisper drawer - it all works here.

Cannellini beans can stand in for the chickpeas. Whole wheat orzo or another small, tiny pasta can substitute for emmer. Swiss chard or even spinach can find a place instead of kale. And, any which way, it seems to turn out just right.

It comes together without a fuss and is mercifully light on your budget. Warming, wholesome, packed with fiber, it's a soup that we return to again and again.

Key Ingredients + Substitutions

Aromatic vegetables include onion, garlic, celery and carrots. They give the soup a richness, and you'll find them as the base in most minestrone recipes.

Dried herbs include thyme, basil, oregano and crushed red pepper. You can swap in fresh herbs if you have them, but add less since dried herbs are more concentrated.

Butternut squash forms the bulk of the veg in the soup. If you don't have butternut squash, you can swap in another winter squash option - kabocha, red kuri, and pie pumpkins will work, too.

Kale added right at the very end adds color, flavor and a good dose of fiber. You can also substitute most other hardy winter greens (mustard greens, spinach, chard).

Emmer is an ancient grain related to einkorn and spelt. It tastes deliciously nutty with a chewy texture. You can swap in small whole-wheat pasta, such as orzo or ditalini.

Chickpeas add bulk and give the soup plenty of fiber and a protein. Other options include cannellini beans, cranberry beans, or even kidney beans.

Chicken broth and diced tomatoes pull the soup together. Just about any broth recipe will work here,

sponsored

Where to Find Emmer

Grand Teton Ancient Grains is our favorite source for organic and regeneratively grown grains.

Their emmer has a beautiful texture, sweet nutty flavor and you can mill it into flour for baking or use it in salads like this one.

Check it out

Print

Winter Minestrone Recipe

Overflowing with winter vegetables and brimming chickpeas and emmer wheat, this winter minestrone makes for a nourishing, nutrient-dense supper during the darkest days of the year.

Course Soup

Cuisine Italian

Keyword ancient grains, herbs, pulses, vegetables

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 8 servings

Author Jenny

Ingredients

Preparing the Minestrone

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion (chopped)
• 3 garlic cloves (chopped)
• 3 medium carrots (chopped)
• 3 ribs celery (chopped)
• 1 ½ teaspoons fine sea salt (plus additional to taste)
• 2 teaspoons dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 2 ½ cups cubed butternut squash
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1 (13.5 ounce can) diced tomatoes
• 1 ½ cups chickpeas (cooked)
• 1 ½ cups emmer berries (cooked)
• 1 bunch kale (stemmed and sliced thin)
• grated parmesan cheese (to serve)

Instructions

• Warm the olive oil in a stock pot or Dutch oven placed over medium heat. Stir in the onion, garlic, carrots and celery. Sprinkle with sea salt and cook until fragrant, about 6 minutes. Stir in the basil, oregano, thyme and crushed red pepper, and continue to cook for a further 3 to 4 minutes or until the vegetables have softened.
• Stir the butternut squash into the pot, and then continue to cook a further 3 to 4 minutes, or until it begins to soften around the edges. Pour in the chicken broth and tomatoes. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then turn down the heat to medium-low and continue cooking until the squash is tender and cooked through.
• Stir in the chickpeas and emmer, and continue cooking for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat, stir in the kale and let it wilt in the residual heat of the pot, about 5 minutes further. Serve hot. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Other Bean + Greens Soups You'll Love

Love this recipe? There's more.

Join Nourished Kitchen+ for ad-free browsing, nourishing monthly meal plans, live workshops, and access to all our premium downloads.

Join Now

Recipe Questions

The post Winter Minestrone with Butternut Squash and Emmer appeared first on Nourished Kitchen.

The post Gifts from the Kitchen appeared first on Nourished Kitchen.

You'll love this nutrient-packed Beet and Emmer Salad. Earthy beets combine with vibrant pops of jewel-like pomegranate arils, sweet oranges, fennel and mint. It's all tied together with a delicate Maple-Dijon Vinaigrette.

Winter food can feel stodgy - lots of roasted vegetables and meats, stews. But this salad is a whole new take on winter vegetable recipes: vibrant, bright and intensely fresh.

It takes a little advanced planning. As a grain, emmer benefits from soaking over night so it cooks up plump and soft. But, beyond that extra bit of planning, it comes together quickly.

Ingredients + Substitutions

Emmer, also known as farro medio, is an ancient variety of wheat with a rich nutritional profile. It has a beautiful nutty flavor and chewy texture. Einkorn and spelt are good substitutes for emmer, but if you're gluten-free, you might consider red rice.

Shredded raw beets are the foundation of the salad, providing its bulks. Raw beets tend to have a milder flavor than roasted, and work well in salads.

Fennel provides a delicate sweetness and a good dose of crunch.

Oranges and pomegranates provide sweetness and acidity. These winter fruits pair well with both savory and sweet dishes.

Fresh mint adds brightness and color. If you dislike mint or don't have any on hand, then tarragon, parsley and even dill work well here.

sponsored

Where to Find Emmer

Grand Teton Ancient Grains is our favorite source for organic and regeneratively grown grains.

Their emmer has a beautiful texture, sweet nutty flavor and you can mill it into flour for baking or use it in salads like this one.

Check it out

Recipe Tips

Soaking emmer (and other grains) does two things. First, it softens the grain making it easier and quicker to cook. Second, soaking grains makes them little easier to digest for some people while improving the body's ability to absorb the grains' minerals.

You can cook the emmer in a pressure cooker (my favorite no-fuss method) or on the stove by boiling it until tender. The pressure cooker takes less time, but you can gauge doneness better when boiling it on the stove.

Shredding the beets is best done in a food processor with the grater attachment or on a mandolin. They provide consistent results and thicker cuts, but you can also use a box grater.

Segmenting the oranges can be a little tricky. You'll need to slice off the peel and pith, then slide your knife through each segment of the orange, separating the flesh from the membrane. If you're short on time, you can

Print

Beet and Emmer Salad

This winter salad balances earthy beets, citrus, and chewy emmer with mint and fennel, creating a dish that feels bright yet grounded. It's both vibrantly fresh and deeply seasonal - rooted in the very best that winter has to offer.

Course Salad

Cuisine American

Keyword ancient grains, beets, citrus, herbs, mint, wheat

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Soaking the Emmer 12 hours hours

Total Time 12 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings

Author Jenny

Equipment

• medium mixing bowl
• Instant Pot (or large stock pot)
• colander
• Pint-Sized Mason Jar

Ingredients

For the Emmer

• ⅔ cup emmer berries
• 1 ½ cups water (plus additional for soaking)

For the Salad

• 3 medium beets (peeled and shredded)
• 1 medium fennel bulb (sliced thin)
• 2 medium oranges (peeled and segmented or cut into supremes)
• 1 cup pomegranate arils
• ½ cup chopped fresh mint

For the Dressing

• 1 medium shallot (minced)
• 1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard
• ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Grade A dark maple syrup

Instructions

Prepare the emmer.

• The night before you plan to make the salad, dump the emmer berries into a medium mixing bowl. Cover with warm water by two inches, and allow to soak overnight (8 to 12 hours).
• Drain the emmer, and transfer it to the insert of an Instant Pot, add an additional 1 ½ cups water, and pressure cook for 20 minutes. Alternatively, you can boil the emmer on the stove until tender, about 45 to 50 minutes. Drain, and reserve.

Preparing the salad.

• Combine the shredded beets, fennel, orange segments, pomegranate arils and mint in a large mixing bowl. Stir in the reserved emmer.

Preparing the dressing and finishing the salad.

• Add the shallot, mustard, salt, olive oil, vinegar, and maple syrup. Shake the jar vigorously until the dressing is well-emulsified. Drizzle over the salad, toss to coat and serve.
• Store any leftovers in a tightly sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Love this recipe? There's more.

Join Nourished Kitchen+ for ad-free browsing, nourishing monthly meal plans, live workshops, and access to all our premium downloads.

Join Now

Recipe Questions

The post Winter Beet and Emmer Salad appeared first on Nourished Kitchen.