Spring Nourishment

I am sooooo looking forward to spring, the warmer weather and getting rid of the layers of clothing. The thing about spring is that we cannot jump all the way from winter to summer, the in-between of spring is exactly what the body needs to transition. So our foods need to support that.

Now I often tell people that I’m not much of a salad person. That means not much of a “lettuce, tomato, cucumber” salad person. It is just not enough food for me. When I say food I mean bulk, satiation, nutrient values, yum factor, and digestion time to give me energy for hours; all in all – nourishment.

Add fiber and fat

The way we get more nourishment is not only that there is all the good yummy stuff in it that I mentioned above, it is also that it makes us feel healthy, vibrant, full of energy, lean (not bloated…not talking skinny here), and clear headed feeling ready to go. That kind of nourished!

In my book EAT TO FEEL FULL and nourish yourself for good I talk about how we can “design” our meals for more nourishment, which means feel full, satisfied, satiated, but also master our hunger and fight off our cravings by eating balanced meals. You can get the book here:

Eating for the season

For a good way to transition between seasons is to mix foods from the different seasons.

So here I mixed some sweeties with savory and spicy. We are nourished by taste because it “ignites” our different sensory systems. That is why mindfulness makes us more alert and aware, we slow down and pause so we can pay attention and take it all in. With food that means a gourmet meal even if it is not fancy.

Of course adding some good fat for more nourishment, more satiation, feeling full and absorbing the nutrients.

Now in this salad I rebelled, because I added roasted peaches. Normally I do not suggest to mix fruit with your meals because it can cause more digestive distress. If peaches do not work for you …no problem – just go all sweet roots!

Lentil-Root Salad

Rinse and cook the lentils for 25 minutes or until they are all dente if that is what you prefer, longer so they get soft if that is what you prefer.

• 1/2 cup lentils for 1 1/2 cup water. Do not add salt until after they are cooked
• In this recipe I used roasted peaches and butternut squash but you can do any roasted root vegetables that you like. (pre-cook them and keep them around for easy fast meals) – see the recipe here for how to roast roots
• Mix with your favorite herbs and spices and some fresh arugula (or another green that you like)
• Sit, smell, smile… eat, chew, taste… and feel nourished.