When the darkness descends over the days and the cold gets a firmer grip on the season. I find it easy to huddle up inside, wrap myself up in a blanket and refuse to go outside. I find it increasingly harder and harder to motivate myself to venture out in the cold and go to gym – and I tend to opt for heartier, heavier meals.
It’s also easy to get stuck in a rut with food and the motivation for healthy eating may drop since there may not seem to be loads of fresh fruits and greens everywhere.
However, there are plenty of vegetables in season now to enjoy, and also nifty ways to keep up your healthy eating regime during the dark and dreary winter months. Let me tell you how with my 10 tips for getting through winter while continuing on a healthy eating path.
Juice – Now is the time to enjoy citrus fruits. Take advantage of them in their prime time. You also need all the vitamin C you can get during winter, plus you save a buck on the price since buying fruits in season are a lot cheaper.
Use frozen berries in smoothies – Even if you cannot get fresh berries, opt for frozen ones. They still consist of hefty amounts of vitamins and minerals.
Get your greens on – ensure you get your greens by adding raw green powders to your juices or smoothies. Nettle, dandelion, wheatgrass, chlorella etc works really well with orange juice.
Steam – winter vegetables and use in salads. Steaming keeps more of the nutrition alive in vegetables than cooking if you prefer a hot meal.
Grow your own herbs in your kitchen window – I have mint, parsley and basil in my window seal in the kitchen. They spruce any dish by being sprinkled on top of any dish and feel like a little luxury during winter.
Sprout – a great way to get your minerals during winter. Can be used in smoothies as well.
This is the season for dates – which means raw candy. I have plenty of easy recipes you can try. Such as these crunchy raw walnut bites for example.
Make hearty – warm green soups from frozen spinach or fresh, finely chopped kale.
Drink loads – of herbal tea instead of water, if you are cold.
Make raw, hot chocolate – use yummy non-dairy milk, raw cacao powder, coconut oil and coconut nectar sugar. Heat up the non-dairy milk in a pot on the stove (stay below 32 degrees C) and mix in the cacao powder, sugar and half a teaspoon of coconut oil to your desired preference. Keeps cravings at bay and minerals on top!
What are your favourite tips for surviving winter?