5 easy ways to keep your summer shape
It's that time of year again when a chill comes to the air, and warm comfort foods fill the aisles of the supermarket. To really enjoy the season, here are a few plant secrets that will help you keep all the right curves through winter.
- A fall favorite that is guaranteed to fill you up and make a satisfying meal are warm and hearty grains. Steamy bowls of oatmeal are a classic choice, but when searching for a versatile grain that breaks the ho-hum of oats, consider polenta. For a spin on rice, search out black rice, which contains more antioxidants than blueberries! It's also a good time to opt for wheat noodles, given they have a more rigid texture that is perfect for soups and stews.
- If low carb is your body's preferred weight control system, then the fall selection of vegetables should have you cooking up a storm. Grab a spaghetti squash to easily make a plant filled pasta or pick up a spiralizer to give zoodles a try, zucchini noodles. Pumpkin isn't just for pie and coffee! It makes incredible smoothies, casseroles, breakfast porridge and side dishes. If you're not into squash, dig into cruciferous veggies like brussels sprouts, cauliflower, bok choy, cabbage and broccoli.
- Sometimes the cool temperatures make you miss the fresh flavors of summer. Don't worry, there are many options for crisp salads and juicy fruits. Fall is the time for citrus like tangerines, blood oranges, and pomelos, and tart fruits like cranberries and pomegranates. For a good dose of iodine, add some persimmons to your diet. Make a fresh salad with kale, frise, swiss chard, leeks, or broccoli rabe.
- For a tasty snack, use the flavors of fall with your favorite nuts and seeds. Spices are best enjoyed when there is a nip in the air, so consider all-spice, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and clove when you are roasting a pan of pumpkin seeds or fresh cracked pecans.
- A cool weather dish that will please your taste buds, waistline and immune system is soup. Make a rich vegetable broth with the roots of the season like parsnips and rutabaga. Add in your favorite bean or a mix of beans for flavor, fiber and substance. Then boost its healing properties with seasonal herbs like bay leaf, garlic, ginger and coriander.
Veestro can help fill your plate and your stomach this season with winter classics like our Thai Chick'n and Stew, Golden Chickpea Stew, Moroccan Melange! This fall, embrace the flavor without the weight gain.
Read more about Mid-Summer Bikini Body Rescue.
