Hello from my bed, where I will be for the foreseeable future after an elective surgery I’ve been waiting what feels like a lifetime for. I don’t rest well, which anyone who knows me will not find surprising. But in this moment, rest isn’t really optional. If I don’t rest, I don’t heal. So here we are. Heated Rivalry in the queue, my ever growing TBR stack, lots of Substack drafts, and a very intentional slowing down for at least two weeks.
Winter, for me, is all about soft, rooty, warm food that heat your bones. And nothing embodies winter nourishment quite like a cottage pie. Wait….don’t you mean shepherd’s pie? Nope. This one uses beef, which makes it a cottage pie. Swap in lamb and you’ve got a shepherd’s pie. Either way, it’s the kind of dish that is made for cold, short days.
Being forced into stillness has made me more aware of how I feed myself when I can’t rely on my usual rhythm. I’m drawn to meals that can be eaten slowly, reheat well, and feel like they’re doing some of the work for me, and it so happens that cottage pie is exactly that kind of food. As my body heals, I’m focusing on softly cooked vegetables, collagen-rich foods, bone broth, animal protein, beans, and hydration — warm, mineral-rich food that is simple and forgiving. This cottage pie fits squarely into that box: familiar, grounding, and built from real ingredients that actually sustain you. I make mine a little different: dijon mustard, less butter, bone broth, and fennel. I am always looking to diversify flavor profiles
If you are looking for more nourishment this winter season, I have some really delicious dishes I developed that I will be revisiting while I heal: this Pot Pie and these Miso Oats. Or, my insanely craveable creamy soup. As far as other’s recipes in the planned rotation, this beef stew, this chickpea situation, Kichari (my favorite dish to make someone post partum for healing), and any white chicken chili.
What about you? What’s your go-to food when you need to heal, slow down, or just feel taken care of? Send me inspiration, please.
A Wintery Cottage Pie
