According to the Ayurvedic medicine, a 5,000-year-old practice, eating foods according to their harvest seasons is essential to promoting balance, both in temperament and physical health.
It's easy to lose sight of the fact that certain foods aren't in season in a world where almost anything is available, at any time of the year. Fresh berries in December? No problem.
However, if we stop to notice the difference in taste and textures of seasonal foods, the fruits and vegetables that are harvested at their natural time of the year are the ones that really taste, smell and look their best. Butternut squash eaten in the fall and winter is far superior to the same squash eaten in the summer, after 8 months of storage. Summer lettuces and peppers can't be compared to the pale flavor of those transported vast distances mid-winter.
By eating seasonally, we can take advantage of more locally grown produce and we can support our vital organs that keep us strong, healthy and full of good energy. Eating with the seasons is also a great way to lose weight, beat food cravings and get fit.
The following foods are considered best eaten during the winter months. This isn't to say that you shouldn't eat anything that isn't on the list, but by increasing these foods and decreasing summer and spring foods, you can help boost your immune system, increase your energy and align yourself with the natural rhythms of the earth.
Fruit and Vegetables:
Cooked apples, bananas, dates, figs, grapefruit and oranges, grapes, lemons and limes, mango and papaya, persimmon, tangerines, avocado, beets, Brussels sprouts, carrots, chillies, garlic, squash, sweet potatoes
Grains:
Amaranth, oats, brown rice, quinoa, wheat
Nuts:
Almonds, brazil nuts, cashews, filberts, flax, macadamias, peanuts, pecans. pine nuts, pistachio
Dairy:
Butter, buttermilk, cheese, cottage cheese, cream, ghee, kefir
Meat/Fish/Seafood:
Eggs, beef, chicken, crab, duck, lamb, lobster, oceanfish, oysters, pork, shrimp, turkey, venison
Sweeteners:
Maple Syrup, molasses
Oils:
All nut and seed oils, olive oil
Spices/teas:
Cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, anise, basil, black pepper, cumin, fennel, saffron, turmeric
Salt:
Use good quality salt such as sea salt without additives to help warm the body. Think of how salt is used to melt road ice - it can do the same work for our bodies. But note: eating high sodium, processed foods is not the same as adding good quality salt to home prepared foods! And if you have a medical condition that prohibits salt, continue to avoid.
Easy Recipes for Winter Health!
Beet and Orange Salad
This easy to make salad looks beautiful on a plate and tastes great, even to those who claim they don't like beets.
Ingredients
6-8 beets
2 large navel oranges, rind cut off with a sharp knife and cut into quarter inch slices, drizzled with 1 tbsp. honey
4-5 thin slices of red onion
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
Dressing:
In a small jar, mix the following ingredients and shake to mix:
1/4 cup white wine or rice vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1-2 cloves crushed garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
1. Cover beets with water and cook with skins on. Simmer for 30 minutes or until beets can easily be pierced with a fork. After cooking, allow the beets to come to room temperature, remove peels and slice into rounds. Marinate beets and sliced onion in dressing.
2. Compose salad by layering beets and onions with orange slices and top with chopped walnuts.
Your Choice Curry
This easy curry is extremely versatile.
It's a great way to use leftover and create a warm, tasty meal that improves circulation.
Serves 4
Choose a protein of your choice: legumes, chicken, turkey, beef, pork, fish, seafood, tofu or tempeh will all work with this warming recipe that takes minutes to make.
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds cooked protein 3 tablespoons Olive Oil 1 cup sliced onions
1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk, light or regular
1 tablespoon red curry paste
2 1/2 cups mixed vegetables: broccoli, peppers, peas, cauliflower, green beans, okra, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, winter squash, bamboo shoots.....your choice, cut into bite sized pieces
Salt, to taste
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
Directions
Slice protein and set aside. In large sauté pan or pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions; cook 3 minutes. Add coconut milk; whisk in curry paste. Add protein, cover; cook 3 minutes. Add vegetables, cover and cook an additional 5 minutes; stirring occasionally. Season with salt and garnish with cilantro. Serve hot over brown rice, quinoa, millet or couscous.
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