Beat the January blues with these delicious and comforting grab-and-go meals that take the edge off the cold nights.
The Big Cheese Poutinerie Montreal Smoked Meat Poutine
Not the healthiest of dinners, but cold weather occasionally calls for indulging so why not grab a big mound of fresh fries topped with authentic cheese curds, salty smoked meat and, of course, gravy. Even healthy eating resolutions deserve a bit of a break, right? (207 10 St. N.W., 587-350-2873, mybigcheese.com, @mybigcheese)
Calgary Co-op Fresh To Go Hunter Chicken Stew
Now serving at two locations (Crowfoot and Macleod Trail), Calgary Co-op’s Fresh To Go program dishes out a whole bunch of made-from-scratch dishes perfect for dinner at home. Try this rich chicken stew on top of rice for a taste of comfort in every bite. (35 Crowfoot Way N.W., 403-219-6025, calgarycoop.com, @calgarycoop)
Inglewood Pizza Pulled Pork Pizza
Few things in this world are as satisfying as melt-in-your-mouth pulled pork, smoky barbecue sauce and gooey cheese. Any leftovers also make for a great midnight snack. Just saying… (1225 9 Ave. S.E., 403-237-8220, inglewoodpizza.ca)
Khao San Thai Kitchen Massaman Curry Short Ribs
Exotic spices have a way of warming us up in no time and this fragrant short rib dish from this Thai eatery on 17th Avenue is no exception. Fall-off-the-bone beef in a coconut milk-based stew is a perfect dinner for this time of year. (1314 17 Ave. S.W., 687-353-2668, khaosanthaikitchen.ca, @khaosanthaikitc)
Trawlers Seafood Kitchen Seafood Chowder
When the snow is blowing and your bones are shaking, there’s nothing like a big bowl of creamy soup. This casual seafood institution on 14th Street and 16th Avenue S.W. offers up a homemade chowder that’s loaded with scallops, halibut and more to warm you up. (1515 14 St. S.W., 403-245-6311, trawlersseafood.com)
Wings n Tings Rice and Peas
For something a bit more exotic, stop by this new stand in the Kingsland Farmers’ Market for some Carribean-inspired fare. Take home a few orders of this rice-and-peas dish, made with creamy coconut milk and some scotch bonnet peppers for heat. After all, a little kick of spice is the best way to crank up your internal temperature. (771 Macleod Tr. S.E., 403-370-6895, wingsntings.ca, @wingsntingsyyc)