10 Ways to Take a Plant-Based Diet into Winter
In winter, we crave comfort; we seek warmth and shelter from the cold. Whether we like it or not, these tendencies seep into our nutrition and health.
We go for foods that offer that cozy and warm feeling. Often, these foods aren’t exactly the most nutritious or healthy options, think mashed potatoes loaded with butter or sugary items.
These binges and indulgences usually lead to energy crashes and can even put you in a mental slump which if you’re prone to Seasonal Affective Disorder might set you up for a long and hard winter.
Getting Ahead of Winter Binges
Guess what? You can plan for it. You can dive into healthy food you should eat and healthier recipe options.
These foods will help you avoid winter slumps that come with the long and cold winter months. It makes sense, why not choose more uplifting foods that make you feel good rather than settling in with less healthy options?
Hint: A plant-based diet can help get you there.
If you’re wondering “what plant-based recipes or food should I eat?” Or “what items can I
We’ve got you covered! Here are 10 ways to guide you toward a healthier plant-based diet through the winter. Let’s take a look!
1. Make Roasted Veggie Soups
Nothing screams warmth and comfort like a tasty soup, especially when you find a yummy recipe that isn’t full of extra cream or calories. You can make a healthy choice. We suggest trying a butternut squash soup or a carrot soup - or even a beet soup with a vegan-substitute for sour cream. It’s oh-so-yummy!
Not sure where to find a good soup recipe? Check this one out here.
2. Keep Fruits On Hand for Easy & Simple Snacks
If you want to emphasize your nutrition and health, fruit is where it’s at.
Fruits are loaded with healthy sugars for energy and nutrients that your body needs and wants. Plus, diving into a bowl of fruit or including it in your meals will set you up not to binge eat later on.
So if you’re prone to those late-night junk food binges, include fruit throughout your day! Try bananas, strawberries, blueberries, or raspberries. Hey, you could even have a morning smoothie for breakfast in the morning. Make it work.
3. Throw in Some Tofu
Tofu gets a bad rap. It’s considered a top non-meat food you should eat if you’re going vegan or meat-free. But… it really depends on how you cook tofu.
Do scrambled tofu in place of eggs in the morning, trust us - this one is delicious. Or, make ground up variations for tacos. Tofu has the ability to become so many different things, you just have to experiment with it!
4. Have a Piece of Chocolate a Day
Why not? It’s got major health and wellness benefits too! For example, a piece of dark chocolate (around 70% dark chocolate types) can reduce stress and cortisol levels in the body.
You could even bake a healthier vegan cake with this chocolate. Find a vegan brand. Trust us - you won’t even notice the difference between that and any other type of dark chocolate. But you’ll feel all-around a bit better about it.
For a vegan chocolate mousse recipe, click here.
5. Load Up on the Veggies
Nothing is more delicious than a warm veggie stir-fry. These are good carbs and like fruit, they are loaded with nutrients. Throw in asparagus, tomatoes, brussel sprouts, beets, carrots, and more! There’s so much variety here.
If you need some superfood ideas or some new and superhero veggies, find ideas in this article.
6. Dive Into the World of Teas
Because why not? It’s a warm and comforting drink that’s super healthy. There are also many types of tea that offer up tons of antioxidants and more. Become a tea fanaticIt doesn’t take much. A bit of research… a few tea purchases… you’re already there.
Plus, if you’re getting up there with the number of coffee cups you have a day, you may benefit from throwing a cup or two of tea into the mix instead.
7. Start Loving Coconut
Seriously. Coconut has serious health benefits, like better heart health and help with blood sugar control. Bonus, switch out regular ingredients and cook with coconut flour and coconut butter instead! They’re healthy vegan substitutes you can use in all kinds of recipes and they taste great.
10. Make Fries with Different Veggies
Try sweet potato fries, carrot fries, and more. It could make things a little more interesting. Plant-based diets don’t have to be boring or plain.
Mix things up and have fun with it. You could even try the sweet potato fries with cinnamon and sugar as the spice. It makes it a nice winter treat.
World Vegan Day is November 1st
Start trying out the above 10 suggestions. You don’t even have to go fully plant-based, instead, you could start including some more sustainable food options in your life. At the end of the day, our nutrition and health are interlinked. Plus, you’re doing the planet some good and we can’t be mad about that.
Dive in and enjoy! What recipes can you come up with?
