The second it gets cold my body screams for carbs. From warm cereals to gooey desserts, I just want to wrap myself in warmth from the inside out, light a fire, get a wool blanket and hibernate. But January is the healthy month when we are all supposed to be hitting the gym at 5 a.m. in the dark and avoiding the wine at 5 p.m. It is a conundrum.
Most weight loss experts will tell you that weight loss is 75 per cent what you eat and 25 per cent what you do. Resisting that rice pudding becomes even more important when you know that. Of course you can drop the obvious treats like cinnamon buns, but do you have to give up ALL warm yummies to stay on track? I don't think so.
Here are ways to honour your weight loss goal without suffering for months:
- Save space for serendipity. If you blow your day on a useless cookie at the drive through while you are getting your black coffee on the way to work. Just because it's a buck doesn't mean it is under 250 calories. Save those calories for later when you really need them.
- Load up on root vegetables and roast them on the weekend. Not a few, but pounds and pounds. Roast a batch to use in salads or to add to broths or just to warm up as a snack. They are just as yummy as fries and hit the carb spot in a wholesome, low-cal way.
- Figure out if your oven has a dehydrate feature (really just a super-low temperature setting) and put apples, pears and cranberries in overnight. Sometimes a good chew is all you need to get you through the evening munchies.
- Try this alternative recipe for "baked apples" that can be whipped up in the microwave in minutes, with nuts and seeds for protein as well as warmed yogurt.
No need to suffer through the cold winter carb cravings, indulge and be better for it.
These baked apples have all of the comfort and softness of old fashioned sugary butter versions but with a bonus. Add nuts and seeds like hemp, almonds and chia for protein, fiber and nutrients and hack a traditional no no into a nourishing treat.
Simple Seed Baked Apples
Makes: 4 Takes: 6-8 minutes
4 apples
1 teaspoon lemon juice
4 tablespoons Qi'a Superfood or a blend of hemp, chia and almonds
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon melted butter
1 cup vanilla yogurt
Peel and core apples making sure not to pierce all the way through the bottom. Drizzle insides with lemon juice.
Stir together Qi'a or blend of seeds, cinnamon and melted butter.
Divide mixture into four apples set in a casserole dish and place into oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes or into microwave on high for 4-7 minutes just until apples start to soften and you begin to smell them.
Serve on a plate topped with vanilla yogurt. Top with more Qi'a.
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