Comfort foods…….how are they working for you?

Rather than explain to you all the psychological and physiological reasons as to why we reach for comfort foods, I’d like to share with you tried tested and approved ways to enjoy comfort foods while staying within the guidelines.  The guidelines that will apply here are: low glycemic, as local as possible and stretching those leftovers.

Let’s start with hot cereals.  This is a big comfy one for me.  Not only it’s warming with a right down to your toes feel,  but also fond childhood memories of my bowl of hot cereal with the fish oil in the middle dissolving, is warming to my soul.

When I am not enjoying a NUTRIMEAL shake, this time of the year hot cereal does it.  In learning about oils I have realized that we can have a variety in our pantry.  I have teff, cream of wheat, regular oats and steel cut oats.  The BIGGEST rule with hot cereal is NO NO NO instant!  In comparing all of the above noted ones, they are pretty close in carbs and fibre.  I’m not too interested in calories.  Usually foods that are high in fibre will be lower in calories.  The longer it takes to simmer the better it is for you.

My pre health awareness bowl of hot cereal would have contained a generous and I mean generous tablespoon of brown sugar.  Change is a good thing.  I now increase the nutritional value in my start of the day by adding nuts, any kind that are your fav; some frozen fresh fruit and a squirt of agave.

My health gem for this week is cranberries.  I bought a bag of the fresh ones in preparation for our Christmas Dinner.  I’d love to see a show of hands as to how many people at a table actually eat these.  Minimal.  In having leftovers, I froze them.

In looking at my diminishing last bag of fresh picked from last summer strawberries, I reached for the frozen cranberries.  Oh my goodness.  Yes I get excited about food.  I get excited about simple food.   To create a week full of healthy breakfasts I cooked a triple batch of steel cut oats on Sunday morning.  Stop the cooking while there is just a bit of water left.  You can now reheat (use the microwave if you must) what you like and spice it up.  Which reminds me, add a sprinkle of cinnamon to help stabilize your blood sugars just a bit more.

There is one more that I would like to share.  Seeing the length of this post and realizing the value in your time, that will be Comfort Foods……..Part 2.