So technically it isn't winter for another 10 days but it sure feels like it! I love seeing everyone's great meal ideas. It's so helpful when I get stuck.

Tonight I made a layered egg dish - shredded butternut squash as a crust with sauteed chard, lots of garlic and eggs. We had refried beans and salsa on the side. Quick and easy while still warm and tasty

wow, that is really imaginative! love the butternut squash "crust"...did you have to prebake it first, or just throw it all in the oven quiche-style?

It has been cold and damp here and I've effectively turned my nose up at salads as a main course. I need warmth! DH and the kids are having blackened chicken ceasar sandwiches tonight and I'm having lentil soup. It's too cold for cold meals!

I still love my salad for lunch, but am definitely in the winter mode for dinner. I had planned to do one of Kalyn's egg casseroles for dinner tonight but we worked all afternoon. I was pleasantly suprised to find I had frozen a batch of split pea with vegetable soup. It's heating now and I mixed up a batch of Pumpkin Coconut bars for an after dinner treat.

I'm going to make pork carnitas this week, or my approximation. Cooking up some pork loin in the crock pot with lime, garlic, cayenne, and cumin until it's falling apart, then I'm going to throw it in a hot pan with some olive oil so I get some cruncy bits. I'll use it to make a flatout burrito for me, with lots of salsa and some ff greek yogurt. Spicy food = awesome!

Debbie those pumpkin coconut bars sound yummy. Care to share the recipe?

Zeff - I just shredded the squash and cooked then flattened in the bottom of the pan. I have a great new nonstick pan so it worked on the stove.

The recipe, as is, isn't SBD friendly, so I just tweak it depending on my mood.
Tonight, I added splenda instead of the sugar. If I'm taking it to a potluck I'll use agave instead of the sugar. I did add a few choc. chips, but not the amount suggested. She has a link to the original recipe at Fit Sugar which uses succanat.

http://megansmunchies.com/pumpkin-co...ate-chip-bars/

carnitas sound wonderful! so do those pumpkin bars!

Tonight is chili in the crockpot - lots of beans, lean ground sirloin, and hot italian turkey sausage along with fire roasted tomatoes, bell peppers and onions. hopefully it will feed us for two nights

Turkey chili with crustless pumpkin pie for dessert. Very yummy.

I made a great yummy meal in the crockpot tonight - cook a pork roast in the crock pot in some broth. I coated the roast in kosher salt and black pepper, you could put onion in now. I cooked it on high for 2-3 hours. Then I added a can of black beans, and 2 cans of pinto beans, along with about a cup of SF BBQ sauce, and cooked it for a couple more hours.

It was so good, and so warm and comforting!

I just figured out what I want to make tonight: Butternut squash mac & cheese. I beachify that recipe: Whole wheat elbows, lowfat cheddar cheese (from Kerrygold - soooo good), ww bread crumbs (or leave out). I use a veggie stock from Imagine Foods that has carrot in it, so it is perfect for a dish with squash...

Oh man, I love this recipe. I will have to divide up portions and freeze, though. It's that good.

I had other plans but never made it to the grocery store so it was work with what was here. I made a saute of cabbage, rotel, veggie crumbles, beans & a little brown rice. It's a variation of something I make frequently in the winter. I tossed in some hot sauce and a little rf cheese, quick and easy!

Mmmm...just put the mexican fiesta casserole in the crock pot. Can't wait!

Tonight we're having beef stew. I can't wait. I had a lean roast cut into cubes and lots of veggies and some red wine. yum!

Zef that sounds so good and congrats on your new carrot! Tonight we are having the Fireside White Bean Soup with Turkey Sausage. It's already in the crockpot and is starting to smell........hmm good.

T&T, is that a south beach recipe? sounds yummy!