The transition from summer to fall, as far as food goes, is always a challenge for me. From the moment spring hits, and into summer, my rule about eating is that I have no rules. I eat light, I graze on vegetables, I drink smoothies for breakfast, that are packed with enough greens and fruit to justify skipping lunch, and I am compelled to eat more raw foods, fresh from the farmers market. Fall rolls around and I start to notice that I am slowing down a bit. I start craving heavier foods and I am more conscious of mindful eating. There was a time when I had a dysfunctional relationship with food and it was certainly served with a copious amount of guilt. I don’t ever want to go back to that place However, that old behavior, which lingers in the back of my mind, has been a good reminder, during the winter months, to stay on track.

I live in an area where farmers are king and we can get just about anything when the season permits. But the farmers that still grow the greens that I crave in greenhouses in the fall and winter, are few and far between. So I look to my local grocers during that time to get my organic kale, mustard, spinach and lettuce greens. I cannot get enough lettuce greens! It’s always hit or miss with tomatoes and cucumbers so my salads become winter salads. I’ll use just about anything in a salad in the winter just to keep my spirit in the summer. Roasted beets, squash chunks, cherries, currents, pumpkins seeds, goat cheese, salmon, organic chicken and I have been known to eat a salad for breakfast topped off with a local egg omelet. And my dressings are mine. I haven’t purchased a bottled dressing in years. I keep it simply… olive oil, lemon juice; a little fresh, crushed garlic and reduced, balsamic vinegar. I always slightly warm my dressing too. There’s nothing better.

cropped-img_024111.jpgI remember when I started on my journey to better health about 20 years ago and going to a local holistic practitioner…she asked me about my foods and I told her about how I ate salads every day. She looked over her glasses and said, “You shouldn’t be eating so much salad in the winter. You need grounding food like soups, squash and foods that are warming as well as foods and spices that are sweet, salty and sour. Her own food principals were based on an Ayurvedic diet and so I listened. She was giving me an Ayurvedic crash course and it wasn’t registering. I wasn’t there yet. I had other issues that needed to be addressed and so we left that door open. I never stopped eating salads but I did get creative and they thoroughly satisfied me. I may have actually eaten too much at one sitting but that’s for another blog.

I encourage you to get creative with your salads this winter. Try some roasted cauliflower on your favorite greens or a roasted beet salad with goat cheese or a warm farro and white bean salad with your favorite herbs, lemon & artichokes. Don’t stop there. Try your favorite green salad with an omelet on top for breakfast. Even on the coldest day…you’ll feel that summer spirit.