Hygge is the best thing about winter

And that means nourishing food that make you go yum – like soup. In Scandinavia we like hygge, because that is how we make winter something good. It is dark and cold, so we need and want comfort food, and that means adding some sweetness to our food.

Comfort is hygge

My favorite source of comfort is adding sweetness to a meal and that means sweet root veggies.

Root vegetables are one of the most universal heritage foods. But they have developed an undeserved bad reputation: they bring to mind farmer’s food, which we tend to think of as heavy and dense, and because of their starchy complex carbohydrates, they have been vilified by popular diets that tell us they are “bad” calories that should be avoided. We end up not eating them, and instead end up seeking comfort in processed food like white bread and pasta—which, as we have seen, are more deserving of the label “bad”.  Why is this the case? No, it’s not because you have no willpower, though most of my clients come in with that belief. It’s because you actually do need comfort food, and that means starches. Starchy foods calm you down, ground you, and generally help you relax. It is natural for your body to try to find balance, so when you are stressed and tired, a desire for comfort and relaxation naturally follows.

CARROT-BUTTERNUT SOUP:

Ingredients:

 serves 6 

• 3 cups of carrots
• 3 cups of butternut squash
• 1 large sweet onion
• 1 bulb of fennel
• 1 teaspoon of dried orange peel
• 1 teaspoon of whole red peppercorn
• Sea salt
• Coconut milk or oat milk

Method:

Cut carrots and butternut squash into large chunks, and place them in a pot with water, a large dash of sea salt and 1 teaspoon of whole red peppercorn. Add 2 cups of coconut milk and the cooked vegetables to a blender and blend until smooth. Coconut milk is optional; water can be used as a substitute. Return blend to the pot to heat and mix with the water from the cooked vegetables for desired consistency. Salt to taste and serve with something refreshing on top. Or not…

This recipe is part of the ASPIRE DESIGN AND HOME MAGAZINE Winter issue about Nordic Nourishment and Hygge.

Learn more about how to take better care of YOU, change your habits and feel nourished for good by joining the online course for self-nourishment, or learn to master your appetite with my book “EAT TO FEEL FULL and nourish yourself for good”.