I don’t know for sure what it is, but this recent cold snap we have been on has really been getting to me. I think it is due to a lot of different factors. Tell me if I am wrong, but I feel like the last few winters weren’t super cold. Especially earlier this winter, there were days in December that I wore shorts and a T-shirt outside.

Now, I am sitting in my house under two blankets with a dog on my lap, and I am still freezing. I am notoriously frugal, so I refuse to turn the thermostat above 62. I am lucky that my wife is like me and prefers to be more cold than hot. I feel like it is so much easier to make yourself warm than it is to make yourself cool. Throw on some sweatpants and a hoodie, get under a blanket or two, maybe do some snuggling under those blankets, and you’ll be warm in no time.

Aside from the recent warmer winters, I think the biggest factor in my newfound susceptibility to the cold is my age. I am by no means old, but I am older than I used to be. As a teenager, I was the guy who wore shorts to school all year round. It didn’t matter what was going on; the cold weather didn’t bother me. Now, if we have another week like this in the teens, I am going to order electric socks and long johns from Amazon.

Thankfully, as a chef, I find other ways to beat that cold. Unfortunately, I am still fine-tuning the flux capacitor on my time machine, so I can’t blast myself into a warmer future. But perception is reality, so if you can trick your brain into thinking it’s summer, you can help warm yourself up. The best way for a chef to do that is with food. So in the wintertime, I love to cook dishes that make me think of warmer days. For me, that warm summer comfort food is tacos.

I always like to use as much fresh, local produce as I can. That can be difficult when it comes to making tacos in the middle of winter. That is why I like to change things up and make a delicious taco highlighting winter vegetables.

In our recipe today, we are going to take chorizo sausage, for a little bit of heat, and pair it with caramelized carrots, onions and turnips, then top it with cheddar cheese, crisp thin-sliced cabbage, and a tangy lime crema. The spice of the sausage pairs great with the sweetness of the root vegetables. Then the slaw provides some acidity and crunch before the creamy aioli rounds everything out.

Between the heat and the summer vibes that come with eating a delicious messy taco, you will be breaking out the A/C before you know it. So, try this recipe at home, and hopefully you can find a way to beat the winter blues without breaking the bank. Cheers!

Winter Vegetable Tacos

Start to finish: 45 minutes

Serves: 4

Eight 6-inch flour tortillas

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 pound raw chorizo sausage

1 cup carrots, peeled and diced

1 cup red onion, diced

1 cup turnips, peeled and diced

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

1/2 small head of green or purple cabbage

1 cup sour cream

2 limes, juiced and zested

Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the loose chorizo sausage and use a spoon or tongs to crumble the meat as it cooks.

After the sausage has released some of the fat, add the turnips, carrots and onions. Continue to sauté until the vegetables start to caramelize.

Once the vegetables have caramelized, deglaze the pan with 1 cup of water or beer. Cover the pan, reduce the heat to medium, and allow the vegetable and sausage mixture to simmer for about 5 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender and the liquid has reduced.

While the vegetables are cooking, zest and juice the limes. Whisk to combine the sour cream and lime zest and juice to make a lime crema.

Heat a dry sauté pan over high heat. Add the tortillas and allow them to warm. Remove them from the pan once they start to blister lightly.

To assemble the tacos: Carefully spoon the sausage and vegetable mixture into the warm tortillas. Top with the shredded Cheddar cheese, thin-sliced cabbage, and crema. Serve with your favorite tortilla chips and sides. Enjoy!

Editor’s Note: Chef Christopher R. Grove currently works with dining services at Penn College. At the end of each month, Chef Grove contributes a recipe to “Culinary Creations.”