Seasonal Eating - Winter

While technically it is fall here in Chicago, according to Ayurveda, November marks the beginning of the Winter season. Between November and February, it's recommended we eat more soups, stews, fat and protein.  Cooking veggies (rather than consuming them raw) during this season is also important. During these colder months, we can focus on foods that taste sweet, sour and salty. Foods that contain at least 2 of these tastes will be balancing and more easily digestible. Preparing foods that are well cooked with oil will also balance you during this drier time of year. 

This is the time to focus on root veggies like sweet potatoes, beets, carrots, white potatoes and turnips. As well as squash, brussel sprouts, avocados and pumpkins. And warming foods like ginger, chilis, onion and garlic - which for me are an amazing base for almost any dish! Enjoy fruits like bananas, papaya and grapes and all of the citrus: grapefruit, oranges, tangerines, lemons and limes. Cooking with warming spices like cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, cardamon, black pepper and ginger and herbs like rosemary, basil, tarragon and thyme. Serve your veggies with split yellow dal (kitchari is wonderful this time of year) or tofu and enjoy oats, quinoa, rice and wheat during these months. There are many exciting combinations to put together from this list that will help you feel satiated, grounded and well balanced. I have some suggestions for you linked throughout this article. What are your favorite foods this time of year?