Article by Jaime Joshi Elder

Recipe by Recipes For Success

As winter settles around the country, menus start to shift to heartier fare like stews and soups featuring braised meats, root vegetables like potatoes and carrots and leafy greens like kale. 

However, in South Florida – the temperatures linger in the low 80s, we have more ice in our tea than on our windshields and our meals are less stick-to-your-ribs and more influenced by the climate as well as our geographic and cultural proximity to Latin America and the Caribbean. 

Instead of dense starches and ample stews, soups and casserole dishes, Floridians can eat healthily and mindfully while eating seasonally and enjoying the abundance of fresh flavors of herbs and citrus fruit. 

“Prioritize lean protein like chicken, stone crab and salmon so you can stay fuller longer,” said bariatric and foregut surgeon Michael Shockey, MD of Advanced Surgical Physicians. “Protein helps you feel satiated and will reduce the likelihood of overeating less nutritious foods.”

Instead of classics like mashed potatoes or macaroni and cheese, expand your palate and try a fiber-dense grain like bulgur or farro as a delicious side. Bulgur is common in Middle Eastern cuisine and contains about eight grams of fiber per cup while farro is a staple of Italian and Mediterranean cuisine and contains approximately seven grams of fiber per cup. 

Small changes like this not only introduce new flavors to your table but also add up in terms of your health. 

“Mindful eating isn’t about perfection—it’s about paying attention and giving your body what it needs,” Shockey says. “Small steps add up, and you deserve to feel good about the way you nourish yourself.” 

Recipes For Success is a full-service catering program run by Extraordinary Charities. Founded in 2022, the program’s mission is to empower both neurotypical and neurodivergent individuals through culinary education and workforce development, creating pathways to economic stability and success.

The following recipe was provided by Chef Greg Schiff and showcases the bold, vibrant tastes of South Florida’s winter bounty while remaining both healthy and satiating. As Chef Schiff said, “Prepared together, these dishes strike a balance of brightness, texture, and comfort. It’s a winter meal that feels both restorative and celebratory — a vibrant symphony of herbs, citrus, and warmth.”

A Winter Table: Bright Sofrito, Herbed Farro, Roasted Squash, and Crisp-Skinned Salmon

In kitchens across the Caribbean and Latin America, sofrito is the aromatic backbone of countless dishes. Here, its vivid herbs and citrus serve as the opening note to a meal that marries bright, fresh flavors with the cozy depth of winter produce and a perfectly seared fillet of salmon. Prepared together, these components form a vibrant, elegant plate worthy of any cold-weather gathering.

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Sofrito

A good sofrito should be lively, fragrant, and just textured enough to feel handmade. This version leans on sweet peppers, plenty of garlic, and a duo of culantro and cilantro for unmistakable herbal intensity.

Ingredients

6 to 8 sweet peppers

1 bulb garlic

½ white onion

1 bunch culantro

1 bunch cilantro

8 pitted olives (optional)

1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Juice of 1 lemon

1 tbsp key lime juice

Preparation

In a food processor, pulse the garlic, onion, peppers, and olives until they form a coarse mixture. Add half the cilantro and half the culantro, pulsing in batches before incorporating the rest. Once the herbs are fully blended in, add the olive oil and pulse again. Follow with the lemon and key lime juices. Season with salt and pepper, then pulse until the mixture is smooth but still holds a bit of texture. Sofrito keeps beautifully and becomes more flavorful as it rests.

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Herbed Farro

Nutty farro provides a warm, hearty counterpoint to the bright sofrito, absorbing the aromatics in the pot as it cooks.

Ingredients

2 cups farro

4 cups chicken or vegetable stock

½ white onion, diced

1 tbsp rosemary

1 tbsp thyme

1 tbsp sage

1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Preparation

Sauté the diced onion in olive oil until translucent. Stir in the rosemary, thyme, and sage, allowing the herbs to bloom. Add the farro and cook briefly to toast the grains before pouring in the stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, until tender with a slight bite.

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Roasted Winter Squash

Delicata and acorn squash, with their natural sweetness, shine when roasted with a hint of heat and a touch of caramelization.

Ingredients

1 large delicata squash

1 large acorn squash

1 to 2 tbsp brown sugar

Red pepper flakes

1 to 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper

Preparation

Heat the oven to 400°. Halve the squash, scrape out the seeds, and cut into your preferred shapes. In a bowl, combine brown sugar, red pepper flakes, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Toss the squash in the mixture until well coated. Roast for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the edges begin to brown and the flesh yields easily to a fork.

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Pan-Seared Salmon with Crispy Skin

A properly seared salmon delivers contrast: crackling skin and tender, just-cooked flesh.

Ingredients

6 to 8 oz skin-on center-cut salmon

1 to 2 tbsp olive oil

Salt and pepper

Preparation

Pat the salmon thoroughly dry on both sides; moisture is the enemy of crisp skin. Season both the flesh and skin with salt and pepper. Heat a cast-iron pan and add the oil, allowing it to shimmer. Place the salmon skin-side down and sear for 6 to 8 minutes without disturbing it. Flip and cook over medium-low heat for about 3 minutes more. Serve immediately while the skin is at its peak crunch.