Cold weather might not be the best motivator in terms of going out and exercising, but being stuck indoors is a great opportunity to get reacquainted with your kitchen and focus on healthy nutrition. Get ready to dig in to these nourishing winter foods…
Citrus Fruits
Seasonal citrus fruits like oranges, grapefruits, and tangerines brighten up winter days and contain vitamin C to boost the immune system during cold and flu season. Citrus fruits are also good sources of cancer-fighting phytochemicals like flavonoids. Eat them out of hand or add them to warming drinks like Natural Cough Control Tea and Warm Grapefruit Tea.
Root Vegetables
Carrots, parsnips, and turnips are the humble, yet comforting, vegetables of winter. Roasted, mashed, or puréed, these vegetables provide us with vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Think roots are boring? Try these recipes from Eating Well and you might very well change your mind.
Winter Squashes
Pumpkin, acorn squash, spaghetti squash … the whole spectrum of winter squashes is colorful, sweet, and full of antioxidants and vitamins A and C. You can learn more about the world of winter squashes and find some easy ways to prepare them over at Women’s Health.
Comfort Food
Let’s face it, we all want some comfort food this time of year. Fortunately, it doesn’t have to be unhealthy! For nutritious, filling recipes, check out these Hearty Soups and Stews and 5 Healthy Muffin Recipes.
Do you have any favorite winter recipes to share?
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Image: Florian Schroiff
I must admit I have a fetish for cupcakes. It might seem irrational that, in the same breath, I advertise healthy diet habits, saying you are what you eat (which would make me a cupcake – not too shabby!), and then I bring up my cupcake adoration! Perhaps I should explain my cupcake philosophy…
Today I would like to share one of the best core exercises I know, which is a plank/back extension.
