Scrumptious Scandinavian

There’s no better way to enjoy winter than with body- and soul-warming Nordic recipes—especially after a day of brisk outdoor activities. Scandinavian countries, often snowbound and chilly for most of the year, supply a great lesson in this play hard, relax hard lifestyle. It’s called hygge (pronounced “hoo-gah”).

Nearly impossible to define, hygge roughly translates to coziness. It almost always includes friends, family, and food. Hygge, especially popular in Denmark during the winter months, is built around roaring fires, a warming menu, and good conversation.

We often think of comfort food as rich, heavy, and sleep inducing. When hygge is applied, Nordic recipes with pickled and fermented foods, vegetables, whole grains, and less meat mean more energy to keep the conversation going. And this Scandinavian (Nordic) cuisine is not only delicious and soothing, but it’s also full of health benefits, including improved insulin sensitivity (particularly important for diabetics), better brain health, lowered blood pressure, and safe weight loss.

Winter comfort food that tastes great defies translation. Build a fire, grab your family and friends, cook a few Nordic dishes, and hygge!