Many of my weight loss clients over 50, are not taking
seasonal eating into consideration. In their attempts to
lose weight, they tend to eat more summer appropriate
lighter foods in the winter, and then notice they don’t feel
great while their weight escalates instead of going down.
To help you avoid this trap, the following is a list of win-
ter appropriate foods, spices and cooking methods.
Winter food choices need to be foods that take longer
to grow, tend to grow under-ground, are higher in fat/
oil, take longer to cook so they are more warming, and
help produce internal heat. These foods include; animal
protein, root vegetables like parsnips, sweet potatoes
and beets and winter squash, deep sea fish, figs, pears,
apples, cranberries, heavier greens such as swiss chard,
collards, kale and spinach, and nuts and oils like
walnut, olive, flax and coconut.
How you season food makes a difference in the winter
verses the summer too. Certain spices and herbs gen-
erate more internal heat and are better for winter cook-
ing. Spices like ginger, cardamom, fennel, pumpkin pie
spice, cinnamon, mustard seed and cloves add flavor and
warmth for winter stews, casseroles, and meals in general.
Cooking methods also need to vary with the seasons.
Eating raw food in winter is not recommended (think
Eskimo’s and salad); better cooking methods in winter are
those that encapsulate the food in heat for longer periods
of time. Baking, steaming, stir frying and slow cooking
soups, stews, curries a are much more warming and lubri-
cating for all body tissues than raw, grilling, sautéing and
smoothies – which are best for the summer.
If we put the above principles into action, we get meals
that taste exceptional, are warm, nurturing and desirable,
include meals, spices and cooking methods appropriate to
the cool seasons and will result in maintaining a desirable
weight, because you feel satisfied and cared for from the
inside out!
Sweet potato hash browns with eggs drizzled with tahini
is a great winter breakfast. Roasted butternut squash in
walnut oil and cinnamon, paired with baked chicken,
and kale and cranberries wilted in walnut oil, is a satis-
fying winter dinner. Chili with ground turkey and beans,
garnished with avocado could be an easy to make lunch
for the week.
Hopefully these ideas will help you put together your
own winter meal creations. I guarantee if you follow
winter seasonal eating principles October through March,
you will notice miraculous improvement in your energy,
health an