55+ Living Guide Fall 2018 Issue | Page 31

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