This post is sponsored by Daiya Foods.

It’s Cuffing Season again—aka that time of year where people settle into relationships and take a break (be it temporary or permanent) from the casual dating game. The logic: Why haul your ass out in the cold to play Get To Know You when you’ve got someone in the picture who’s more or less content to stay in with you? Depending on how comfortable you get, many people also love the appeal of giving up shaving and skipping the gym in favor of cuddling under cozy blankets, etc.

As a nutritionist, I still encourage prioritizing your own health and wellness regardless of whether you’re single or coupled up, but as someone who grew up in the northeast, I get it. The darker days can leave us tired and cranky, but to put a positive spin on it, it can be a good opportunity to actually get to know someone. Another way to look at it: You can tell how well you actually work with someone when you get snowed in together and have to start, like, talking.

I see this happen a lot with my clients—they spend the cold months on the couch watching Netflix and eating comfort food with their Sig Fig, only to panic when the weather warms up and they either want to feel confident in their swimsuit for that beach getaway or they’re newly single and want to get revenge-hot, stat. For the record, revenge hotness is never a good goal, especially for mental health, but that’s a story for another day…

Also, if you’re lucky enough to think you’ve found your person this Cuffing Season, then you want to up the chances of your growing old together and enjoying each other’s company for the long haul. Diet is a huge factor in disease risk, and research has shown that a plant-based diet is associated with decreased risk of various health conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and many cancers.

Today I’m teaming up with Daiya to bring you a healthier comfort food recipe that delivers on taste and satisfaction. Consider it your Cuffing Season Survival Kit. 

For my plant-based clients, I frequently recommend Daiya’s plant-based foods like frozen pizzas, burritos, and desserts as well as Greek yogurt alternatives, cheeze spreads, blocks, shreds, and sauces for those times they just want something that looks, tastes, and has the same mouthfeel as dairy-based products. My clients love their Non-Dairy Frozen Desserts, Greek Yogurt Alternatives, Burritos, Pizzas, Cheezecakes, Cream Cheeze Style Spreads, and cheese alternatives like Blocks, Shreds, Slices and Cheeze Sauces that can be found in the freezer and dairy aisles. They also recently introduced some shelf-stable products like Cheezy Macs and Dairy-Free Dressings.

Daiya is committed to continuously expanding their line of delicious, better-for-you versions of comfort foods that people already love to eat. They recently launched an awesome national campaign, “Comfort Foods That Love You Back,” to highlight the benefits of its extensive line of great tasting comfort foods that are free of dairy, gluten and soy. It features a hilarious video titled “Daiya Loves You Back.”

Daiya will also be giving away 150 “Boxes of Love,” the same talking box featured in the digital video, to fans who share the video on social media. Out of 150 winners, three will win a year’s worth of Daiya products.

Because accessibility is a big factor for me, I also love that Daiya products are available in more than 25,000 grocery stores in the U.S., so I don’t feel like I’m sending my clients on a scavenger hunt.

This easy comfort food recipe uses one of my favorites, the cheddar  Cutting Board Collection Shreds, which stretch and melt just like dairy-based cheese. And also, there’s this mushroom bacon. You guys, this stuff is amazing. If I was the kind of person who said, “Amazeballs,” well, yeah. Definitely a delicious must-try.  

Cheddar-Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with Mushroom Bacon

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces sliced crimini mushrooms
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• Sea salt and pepper to taste
• 2 small or 1 large sweet potato
• ½ cup Daiya Cheddar Cutting Board Collection Shreds

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Toss mushrooms with olive oil, maple syrup, and spices. Spread mushrooms evenly on a baking sheet and bake at 400 until crispy, about 30-40 minutes. Set aside.
• Prick potatoes a few times with a fork. Either wrap potatoes in foil and bake while the mushrooms are cooking or steam in the microwave using the Potato button or on high about 8-12 minutes or until potatoes are soft.
• Cut a slit in the top of each cooked potato and scoop flesh into a bowl. Add ½ cup mushroom bacon and all cut 2 tablespoons of the cheddar shreds and mix well to combined.
• Spoon mixture back into potato skins and top each potato with the remaining cheddar. Place under the broiler for 1-2 minutes or until cheddar is melted.
• Put one potato on each plate. Serve with a salad.

What’s your favorite comfort food?

This post is sponsored by Daiya Foods. I received free samples and was compensated for my time. Opinions are my own.