When I was at the University of Minnesota finishing my undergraduate degree, I found myself in line for the microwave in the student lounge with the Dean of the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences. He asked what I studied and when I told him I was in the Nutrition Dietetics program, he asked what motivated me to take that direction. 

"I'm interested in local food systems," I replied. 

In response, he said something to the effect of, "I like the idea of local foods, but I can really only eat so many turnips and rutabagas, so it loses me come wintertime." 

At the time, I honestly didn't know how to respond. I probably laughed, blushed, and went back to my lunch, but the conversation stuck with me all these years. At the time, I think turnips and potatoes probably were among the few local foods that we available in the midst of the cold season (you see, edible plants don't grow too well under several feet of snow...). Over the coming years, we strengthened our local economy and farmers followed demand. The MN Department of Agriculture and the USDA both provided grants and loans for building season-extending infrastructure on farms to provide Midwesterners with carrots, beets, onions, garlic, winter squash, sweet potatoes, potatoes and even some cold-hardy greens in the winter. Last year I bought locally-grown carrots at my neighborhood grocery store all the way into the spring! I don't know about you, but that makes my heart warm...and my mouth water - winter carrots are the sweetest!

The global market is an incredible thing (it's also deeply flawed, but that's a conversation for an environmental economist to tackle and for me to sit in the back of the room cheering). The global market brings citrus and avocados to Minnesota, where it's going to take several more decades of global warming before we can grow those on our home turf. This market also puts a huge variety of foods in front of us at every grocery store. And while the variety and creativity that selection offers is exciting and probably nutritionally beneficial, it also disrupts our connection to the physical world we live in. 

Here's an example: 

In Minnesota, tomatoes, watermelon and cucumbers are ready to harvest in the heat of the summer. These foods are full of water and electrolytes, which help balance the amount of sweat we produce in the humidity and heat. They cool us down while replenishing our body fluids. That's needed at that time of year. 

Now we move forward a few months and the temperatures drop. Our bodies are working hard to stay warm. The last thing we need is to eat cold foods like salads, smoothies or ice cream, or cooling foods like raw tomatoes, watermelon and cucumbers when goosebumps are a permanent accessory to our outfits.

So what is a way of eating this time of year that supports balance and restores harmony in our bodies? 

1. First and foremost, eat warm foods. There's a reason why you wake up on the first Saturday in November craving soup! Give in. Give in often. I make a pot of soup every weekend to enjoy during the weekdays and it never gets old. 
   
   
2. Cook with warming spices like ginger, chiles, black peppercorns, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, coriander and cumin.
   
   
3. Follow your cravings...with caution and intention. It is perfectly reasonable that you crave starchy, comfort foods like pasta, potatoes, breads and other yummy carb-heavy foods. It actually takes quite a bit of energy to stay warm. And while most of us are not spending much time outside, but instead move from one climate controlled environment to the next, we're adjusting the those fluctuations, which takes energy. Simple carbs like those mentioned above are easy sources of energy. We break them down quickly and efficiently, and they rapidly get transported in our bodies to our cells to use as fuel. BUT. These foods live on a slippery slope that often leads to overeating and/or nutritional imbalance (where we fill up on pasta and forget to eat veggies, etc.). Look to the winter farmers markets for inspiration for foods that give you more bang for your buck nutritionally and still satisfy that craving for easy, starchy sustenance. Winter squash, sweet potatoes, beets, parsnips, carrots, purple and red potatoes are all heroes this time of year. Build your meals around these buddies instead of refined grains.
   
   
4. Pair raw, cold veggies and fruits - if you must - with warm, cooked foods. Have a cup of soup with your salad at lunch instead of just a salad. Sip some bone broth or herbal tea while snacking on your hummus and carrot sticks. Your digestion will thank you. Your enjoyment of winter will increase. The clouds will part, the angels will sing. All will be good in this world (if only it were that simple...).
   
   
5. Drink room temperature or warm beverages. Only super ruddy, warm-blooded folx can handle ice in their beverages in the dead of winter. Seriously - brr!
   
   

Here's one parting thought for you before you fish the ice cubes out of your water bottle: 

If you start feeling the pot roasts and mashed potatoes settle into your middle section, send the extra insulation your gratitude. When we remember that we are part of the animal kingdom, it makes good sense that we'd put on a little extra weight for the cold season. Before you consider skipping lunch or following some fad diet, reassure yourself that spring is coming. And with it comes lighter foods, longer days and restless energy just waiting to take you for a jog. Spring is a season primed for detoxification and lightening up.

You are part of this beautiful planet, remember that.  So put on a few pounds and stay in touch. I'll share some tips for losing it when the time comes to do so. 

​I usually find it easier to eat clean and healthy during the summer, because there is so much delicious, local food available at the farmers markets and from my backyard garden. But, for the first time in my life as an avid cook, I am overwhelmed with the amount of preparation and time it takes to prepare healthy meals. This post is a reminder for myself on how simple it can be and 3 simple steps to take to eat well, and still have the energy to enjoy the food I cook during a busy work week.


Step 1: Make a plan

Eating well is like anything else: if you set yourself up to succeed, you will. And all it takes is a few short moments to get organized, choose recipes, and schedule them into the week (This is even easier since I started using Plan to Eat). In my household, we can get away with cooking 3-4 unique meals each week and feed ourselves with the leftovers the other days of the week. We cook extra each time we cook and package up serving size containers of leftovers to reheat for the next day's lunch. I encourage those of you who do not like leftovers to get over it: leftovers make life so much easier! 


Step 2: Rely on quick cooking whole grains

Whole grains, like brown rice, quinoa, millet, and farro, are not only delicious, but packed with nutrients and fiber. Every week I make 1-2 "deli" salads with a whole grain base for lunches - easy breezy! Many whole grains take up to an hour to cook, which is easier to work into a weekend meal than a weekday meal. If brown rice is your thing, make it easier on yourself by either cooking a big batch at the beginning of the week to use in dishes throughout the week, or cover the rice with water before you head off to work and let them soak all day. This is halve their cooking time (and make them deliciously digestible). Another option is to play with quicker cooking grains, like quinoa, soba (buckwheat) noodles, and farro, which cook up in only 25-30 minutes.


Step 3: Prep your veggies ahead

Some vegetables take a while to prepare, so to incorporate a cornucopia of these nutrient powerhouses often requires some planning. I try to prepare as much in advance as possible, so it's easy to throw together a meal for lunch or dinner during the work week. Here are a few tips:
* Wash and shred/tear/chop salad fixings for the whole week: lettuce and salad greens, carrots, pea pods, cucumbers, bell peppers, beets, etc.Make a lot and only turn the oven on once, especially when it's hot outside. Roast a bunch of beets, summer squash and zucchini, or root vegetables in one fell swoop and enjoy them all week long in various forms. If you season them lightly with just salt and pepper, they can be as versatile as you need them to be.Have quick cooking veggies on hand for those days you're scrambling to get a meal in between commitments: pea pods, green beans, cherry tomatoes, baby lettuces, asparagus, broccoli and cauliflower florets. With a few other ingredients to flavor and round out a meal, these simple ingredients keep you packing healthy energy.


I hope these tips help you get in the kitchen...and happy to be there. Happy cooking! 

It's winter. And in the Midwest, winter is in full force this year. Yesterday, we endured the 42nd day below 0 in Minnesota this season. So, yeah, it's been kinda rough around here. If weathering the cold - and grey - is making you glum, here are a few ideas for boosting your mood and exciting your energy so the next 42 days don't feel so heavy.

1. Fortify yourself with vitamin D-3, the 'sunshine vitamin.'  Low blood levels of vitamin D are linked to depression, as well as obesity, diabetes, heart disease, autoimmune disease, osteoporosis, and cancer.  This fat-soluble vitamin is the only vitamin that can be generated by the body in a super cool chain-reaction that  is catalyzed when our skin is exposed to sunlight, specifically UV-B rays.  Sadly, after approximately September, UV-B rays do not penetrate the atmosphere north of Atlanta, GA, and don't return until April-ish.  So, even if you were crazy enough to step out into the subzero temperatures with your skin exposed in the dead of winter, you would gain no benefit (besides badass cred). 
   
   Other sad news on the vitamin D front: there are only a few sources of the sunshine vitamin in food and it is present in only small, sub-therapeutic amounts: grass-fed beef and whole-fat dairy, pasture-raised egg yolks, and fatty fish (salmon, tuna, and mackerel) and fish liver.  Mushrooms exposed to UV rays contain some D, but in a form that is not readily used by the body (D-2). 
   
   So, what's a girl to do?  I recommend supplementing with D-3. The standard recommendation is 400 IUs per day, but experts like Dr. Andrew Weil recommend up to 2,000 IUs per day.  My thought is that if you are fighting seasonal affect disorder (SAD) or depression, start by getting your vitamin D levels checked by your physician.  If you are deficient - like 25% of the US population - start on a higher dosage until you get your blood levels up, then taper off to a sustainable level.
   
   
2. Feed the bugs in your gut.  Awe-inspiring research has exposed the integral relationship between the gut and mood.  As it happens, the bacteria in our gut stimulate the production of serotonin and 'tickle' the vagus nerve in our bellies to transmit information to the brain.  When there is a thriving ecosystem of microorganisms in the gut, the blues are a color of the past. 
   
   There are several ways to integrate probiotics into your daily diet:
   
   1. Eat fermented foods: yogurt, raw saurkraut, kimchi, or other fermented veggies.
   
   2. Drink ferments: dairy, water, or coconut kefir, kombucha, or kvass.
   
   3. Take a probiotic supplement: Shop around for a probiotic with 6 or more different strains of bacteria and 20 billion CFUs (or more).
   
   
3. Move your body.  Physical activity is a simple way to boost your energy and your mood. Spending 30 minutes a day, three to five days a week stimulates the production and release of endorphins, our feel-good brain chemicals.  This is also a sure-fired way to stimulate and support your immune system.
   
   Added bonus: working out turns up your body temperature. Hey, it's cold outside! Doesn't that sound nice?
   
   If 'exercise' is a swear word to you, consider this: you don't need to go to the gym, buy fancy equipment, or a special outfit to get the benefits of moving your body.  Find something that is fun to do and easy to work into your life schedule, like talking walks during your lunch hour or running a few circuits of this 7-minute workout in the morning.  Grab a buddy or two, and all of a sudden you're having a killer time!
   
   
4. Get your social on. The polls are in: you're happier the more you socialize.  Americans report that they are happier when they spend 6-7 hours a day in the company of others.  Did a gasp just escape your introverted lips?  Keep in mind that interacting in the work place counts, and very well may satisfy your social needs.  But tuck this tidbit into your hermit hat.  When your home starts to feel like a cage, and when hunkering down for another cold night is not rejuvenating anymore, get out there and socialize! 
   
   
5. Spend time outside.  I know what you're thinking.  "Who's this crazy lady telling me to go outside in the middle of winter?  Doesn't she know it's freezing out there?!"  Yes, yes I do. 
   
   When I suffered from seasonal affective disorder (SAD), I changed my lifestyle so that I was spending time outside every day.  It made a world of difference.  Not only was I out, moving my body (mostly walking or biking), but I was also experiencing the season in a new way.  Instead of racing from outdoors to indoors, I found a way to appreciate winter for what it was.  Nowadays, I don't really mind the cold or the grey. 
   
   Oh, before you start trudging through the snow off to your next destination, let me say just one more thing. The ticket to enjoying being outside in the winter: bundling up.  Don't go out there in your pumps and nylons, girl!  That's just crazy.  And, put a hat on.
   
   
6. Get some rays. Another sneaky benefit of spending time outside everyday is that the sun is very therapeutic.  So, when it shines its beautiful face on us, a couple super cool things happen.
   
   1. Sunshine acts as a pacemaker for our circadian rhythm, the wake and rest cycle, by decreasing our stress hormones (cortisol) and increasing our rest hormone (melatonin).
   
   2. Sunshine regulates our mood-regulating neurotransmitters, serotonin and dopamine.
   
   3. Those beautiful golden rays bring us pure, unadulterated joy. Win win!
   
   By now you may have realized a snag, a hitch, a snaffoo in this here information. There are parts of the world (ahem, MN) that have very short days in the winter (like MN), and even when the days lengthen the sun frequently does NOT grace us with her presence (I'm looking at you, MN).  So, you can get your time in the outdoors and not see a ray of sunshine for days, weeks, or even months of the winter.
   
   This is where light therapy enters the scene. Our brilliant engineers have created UV and full-spectrum light bulbs that mimic the sun and provide the same benefits for the beholder. They fit in a large assortment of light fixtures and are also available in specially-crafted light therapy boxes.  If you suffer from SAD or seasonal insomnia, light therapy is a risk-free, low-cost option I encourage you to explore.
   
   This leads me to my 7th and final tip for beating winter blues:
   
   
7. Go to bed early and get plenty of rest. How much is 'plenty'? Probably more than you think you need, and more than you get the other three seasons of the year.  Keep in mind that our ancestors rose and retired with the sun, and our bodies are programmed to do the same.  It may be unrealistic for you to go to bed at 4:00 pm, but start winding down as early as possible.  Shut down electronics and lower the lights in your home when you sit down to dinner.  Don't make too many plans for yourself after 8:00 pm, so you have time to unwind, get cozy, and tuck into bed by 10:00.  Like our brother Bear in the woods, winter is our season for slowing down and resting. If going to bed a 10:00 sounds just way too crazy, consider this: getting an extra 60 to 90 minutes of sleep each night would make most of us happier, healthier, and safer.

Beat back the winter blues, my friends!  You've now got the tools to even enjoy it a little bit.  Maybe.