Colder Weather and Heartier Meals

Even in LA, it’s starting to get cooler (yes, I’ll admit that to me, weather in the 60s feels cool). For some, as the winter weather nears, the natural tendency to opt for heartier meals can prove to be a challenge if you’re trying to stay Paleo, for no other reason that what may come to mind are non Paleo foods.

Stews brimming with potatoes, soups with noodles or rice or freshly baked bread may all be thing you used to begin adding more of when the cold weather hit, but now that you’re Paleo, you may be at a loss with regard to what to eat when those fillers are a thing of the past.

First of all, acknowledge that it’s normal to feel slightly hungrier in cooler temps; your body is going to expend more calories trying to keep itself warm compared to the summertime, when you’re inclined to eat a bit more lightly in the heat.

Please note, we’re not talking several hundred calories, so don’t take this as a free-for-all to stuff the gullet!  Rather, just keep in mind there is physiology behind it.

Opt for warm foods, yes, but still keep it Paleo and in balance.   Make a hearty grass-fed beef stew, loaded with veggies, or a homemade marinara to serve over spaghetti squash and free-range turkey meatballs.   

Also, include warming spices, such as cinnamon and ginger, and perhaps opt to include more steamed and sauteed veg, as opposed to raw, just to keep the hot food coming in.

No need to stray and load up on hot crescent rolls; eating protein, veg and fat in steady balance all day, just as you do in warmer months, will prove hearty enough without the dire consequences.

Check out my recipes and books for more recipe ideas!