8 DC Instagrams That Will Give You Cooking Inspo Just in Time for the Holidays

Switch up your dinner party menus with some help from these local food lovers.

1. @pan2pen

Cheers to the most wonderful time of the year! Here’s to one of our holiday tradition, Gingerbread cookies and house. I used cardboard cut outs for this from my story to keep it simple and manageable for kids. Perfect gingerbread cookies recipe from beautiful book, The Tivoli Road Bakery by @michaeljames77 , we will be using it for years to come. ✨ #weekendbaking #holiday #cookies

A post shared by Jinal Contractor (@pan2pen) on Dec 10, 2017 at 8:30am PST

Make your own bread instead of buying it, like this Maryland-based baker.

2. @apartment118

Chicken parm with a whole lot of…. parm ?

A post shared by Abigail and Lee (@apartment118) on Dec 12, 2017 at 5:28pm PST

You don’t need to leave the house for gourmet.

3. @little.green.living

This chilly evening calls for a delicious carrot curry soup! Carrots are an excellent source of antioxidants and help protect against cancer and cardiovascular diseast. Eating carrots (or squash) every day results in a 60% reduction of heart attack risk, as well as a 20% reduction in postmenopausal breast cancer, and a 50% reduction in bladder, prostate, colon, cervix, larynx, and esophagus cancer, as well as lung cancer. They also promote good vision. Plus, warm and comforting and just YUM. . . . . . #whatveganseat #glutenfree #beautifulcuisines #realfood #joyfulfood #plantforward #foodblogfeed #inspirehealthy #hereismyfood #imsomartha #nutrientdense #edibledc #pinefor #pineappledc #food52 #eeeeeats #huffposttaste #feedfeed #healthyrecipes #cleaneats #igdc #iamwellandgood #buzzfeast #thekitchn #foodstagram #dcfoodie #littlegreendc #curry #soup #carrots

A post shared by Christy Halvorson Ross (@little.green.living) on Dec 14, 2017 at 2:42pm PST

Try these recipes for the best cold-night meals.

4. @nourishedblonde

Blueberry lemon yogurt toast ? ?if you enjoy something sweet with a touch of tart you’ll love this. The deets ➡️ quinoa toast topped with @siggisdairy vanilla yogurt. Take 1/4 cup of blueberries and microwave them for about 20 seconds. Add a small amount of honey to taste, and pour mixture over toast. thinly slice and cut the peel off your lemon and add onto toast. Add chia seeds and blueberries and enjoy (another option that would probably taste good is poppy seeds instead of chia but I didn’t have any handy) ??

A post shared by Mariah Aho (@nourishedblonde) on Dec 10, 2017 at 6:49am PST

Get better ideas for healthy snacks.

5. @sofies.choice

Thanksgiving is over and I don't even *like* stuffing, but @cookinglight's Wild Mushroom & Barley Stuffing #recipe was calling my name. After so many simple weeknight dinners this ingredient list feels overwhelming, but I'm looking forward to enjoying 4 different types mushrooms (shiitake, porobello, cremini, & oyster) in tonight's dinner! . . . . #ingredients #mealprep #TheNewHealthy #healthyish #cookinglight #dinner #homemade #dceats #chefmode #freshfood #dcfoodie #fromscratch #edibledc #wholegrain #eatyourveggies #mushrooms #stuffing #meatless #pescetarian #vegetarian #fiber #igdc #instaeats #sundaydinner #t1dlookslikeme #Type1Life #t1d

A post shared by Sofie (@sofies.choice) on Dec 10, 2017 at 3:35pm PST

Experiment with stuffing recipes—they’re definitely not just for Thanksgiving.

6. @tylerwesterfield

Mini strawberry hand pies ??

A post shared by Tyler Westerfield (@tylerwesterfield) on Nov 8, 2017 at 5:28am PST

Try the classic pies on a smaller scale.

7. @paosaysopenwide

Tequila and lime marinated flank steak #mediumrare . . . #paosaysopenwide #edibledc #foodie #homecooking #homemade #originalrecipe #food #igfood #f52grams #dceats #eatlocal #foodporn #instafood #dinnertime #yum #yummy #foodgasm #fresh #instagood #hungry #delicious #huffposttaste #thekitchn #buzzfeast #feedfeed #instapic

A post shared by Paola Annoni Patel, D.D.S. (@paosaysopenwide) on Dec 10, 2017 at 4:46pm PST

Get your tips from this District dentist.

8. @paleo_bee

Warming up with some soup on this super windy night! ? I used the bison bone broth I got from Moms Organic Market, pictured a few posts back, and it was super jiggly like my homemade broth. I was very impressed! ————————————————– ?The recipe for my Turmeric Chicken and Kale Zoodle Soup is on my website! ?It's so simple and packed with healthy ingredients- turmeric, bone broth, kale & more! ?Find the link in my profile or here ➡️ https://www.paleobee.com/recipes/2017/3/22/turmeric-chicken-and-kale-zoodle-soup

A post shared by Brittany | Paleo Bee (@paleo_bee) on Apr 7, 2017 at 5:53pm PDT

Start your New Year’s health kick early.

Abbey Gingras

Editorial Fellow

Abbey joined Washingtonian in September 2017. A Miami University (Ohio, not Florida) alum, she called the Midwest home before moving to Vermont to report for the Burlington Free Press and to be closer to her one true love: Ben & Jerry’s ice cream. Her work has also appeared in Cincinnati Magazine and USA Today. Abbey lives in Falls Church.