Baby It’s Cold Outside – Try This!

Keeping the body warm while maintaining a primarily raw food diet can be a bit challenging during the cooler months. Sometimes we just need food that warms us up from the inside! November feels like the perfect time to share some of my favorite ways to fire up that inner warmth on those chilly days, so here goes.

1. Dispense with the dogma. If you feel as though you need something hardy and warm then go ahead and eat it … and do so minus the guilt. Quinoa, sweet potatoes and steamed veggies are some of my favorite foods to indulge in when I’m feeling this way. They’re healthy and nutritious and taste great too.
2. Warm your food in your dehydrator. Setting the dial at 115 degrees preserves the natural enzymes to ensure that you receive optimal nutrition.
3. Blend it! Your high-speed blender is another great way to make warm soup with minimal cleanup, which is always a plus. The friction from the blade heats up the ingredients and makes a delicious warm meal. Just be sure to pay careful attention so it doesn’t get too hot!
4. Eat warming foods that contain higher levels of thermal properties. Ginger is one of my favorite winter additions to the sauces, dips and dressings for this very reason, although I also love the taste. I even add some to my daily green smoothie.

Other warming foods include things like pepper (all types), onions, nuts, seeds, watercress, mustard greens, cinnamon, cloves, cumin, etc.

For example, when I feel like having some guacamole, I include some crushed garlic, cumin and a dash of chili pepper.

Or when I’m in the mood for some warm quinoa, I cook it gently by bringing it to a boil and then turning off the heat with the lid on so it absorbs the water. Once it’s ready I put some in a warm bowl and add a bunch of fresh raw shredded veggies and some sauce that has some warming spices.

Are you beginning to get the idea? Having strategies to help keep warm during the cooler months can make all the difference in how you feel and whether you choose to continue eating this way.

I’d love to hear some of the things you do to stay on track. Please drop me a line and tell me about them!