Winter Blues and Carb Craving

Hi everyone, I hope you all had a wonderful snowy week! I was so thrilled to wake up this past Wednesday to an email from school saying the campus was closed meaning I could go back to bed and sleep allll day long! Luckily for us Ben had the day off work too which means yes, we slept in until 11:00.

Snowy days are so great... all you want to do is get cozied up in your great big socks and a huge fluffy blanket and watch movies drinking hot chocolate cuddled up with the kitty! I mean at least that's how I feel about them! But what makes them even better?? Binge eating all the warm and hearty carb dishes I can get my hands on. Now that one may be just me... or is it?

Did You Know?

Did you know that a lot of us actually do crave carbs in the winter?? It's actually scientifically proven! Many people may also experience some depressive symptoms during the cold winter months due to a conditions called Seasonal Affective Disorder, or ironically SAD for short! Seasonal affective disorder is an annually reoccurring thing for a lot of us, especially those living in a climate such as the one I live in here in Nova Scotia where winter = shorter days and no daylight for those of us working all day or in classes. Not only do the days get shorter but they're so cold and dreary making it tough to get outside long enough to go for a walk or enjoy the sun! This has a HUGE impact on the way we eat and even when our bodies tell that we're hungry or full. This change in our biological clocks can actually cause us to eat more, and opt for more energy dense foods (cue in those super dense but delicious carb-packed meals).

Now of course not all of us experience SAD.. but even without the depressive symptoms we are still more likely to crave carbs in the winter months! You may be thinking, "I choose carbs because they make me feel energized" or "they're the only things that make me feel full" and you're not wrong about that. Despite what you may have heard from all the keto followers out there, CARBS ARE NOT BAD FOR YOU! Sure there are a lot of high carb foods that aren't the healthiest options, carbs can actually be found in a lot of healthy whole foods too like oats, beans, and yes fruits and vegetables!

Just a quick over view of the carb situation... there is more than one type of carbohydrates. There are refined carbs which are the not so great choices so these include white breads, pasta, and candies. Then there are complex carbs which are complex because they take the body more steps to break down meaning they burn more calories while being digested and also help to keep you feeling fuller longer. Some examples of complex carbs would be again the oats, as well as whole grain options, quinoa and legumes. Refined carbs are typically simple carbs which can be quickly broken down in the body leaving you feeling more hungry more often and less energized in the long run. Now in the average adult, carbohydrates make up 45-65% of our daily energy.. which is a pretty significant chunk of it! So don't be afraid to eat carbs, just try to be more aware of which ones your choosing!

I Think I Got Off Track...

So why exactly do we crave carbs more in the winter? Back to the sunlight thing... it has been suggested that having fewer hours of daylight may have an impact on food cravings. Sunlight triggers serotonin release in your brain, which is important for regulating your mood and social behaviour. It also plays an important role in digestion, sleep, memory, and sexual arousal so it's normal for all of these to be a little off when the seasons change! Do you know what else releases serotonin? CARBS! So when we eat carbohydrate-dense foods in the winter we get that release of serotonin that makes us feel happier and more energized... especially for people with seasonal affective disorder! So you're not wrong when you say that carbs make you happy and give you energy because they truly do! The key is just to be aware of the source you're choosing so that you don't end up packing on the pounds trying to chase that carb-high.

Snow Day Favs

So let's imagine. It's Thursday morning at 6:30 am and your alarm just went off for work. You look out the window... BLIZZARD. You turn on Twitter and lo and behold... SNOW DAY!!! You get out of bed and what do you want for breakfast? Something carby and sweet right? I want to share with you a few of my favourite snow day go to's to get that warm and cozy feelings going while still getting the satisfaction of a heavy carb meal!

1. Oatmeal

I could go on forever about how much I LOVE oatmeal... but I won't. Instead I want to share with you a few ways to spice up your oatmeal in the mornings and load them up with flavour and nutrients! I am perfectly happy just eating the instant oatmeal from Quaker (maple brown sugar, obviously) but I also love to mix it up and add in lot's of other healthy and hearty ingredients like nuts, seeds, and berries!

Oatmeal Raisin

Growing up I always woke up on snow days to Mom in the kitchen with a gigantic pot of oatmeal on the stove and we ate it just with raisins, brown sugar and milk and it was always so good! So that is my first recommendation! Just boil the oats in the pot and the raisins right in there with them and it'll be so worth it. Try adding in some maple syrup and cinnamon to fill out the flavour!

Blueberry Nut

Another way I love to eat my oatmeal is loaded with honey (optional for the vegan followers depending on how you feel about that...), granola, almonds, and blueberries! The honey is a great sweetener to replace the brown sugar, and the granola gives it just the right amount of crunch. You could also throw in some flaxseeds while cooking the oats for added fibre and omegas!

Strawberries and Coconut

One more favourite is to top the oatmeal with chia seeds, coconut flakes, fresh strawberry slices, granola and honey! This is another super nutritious and warming way to eat your oatmeal while getting added omegas and fibre from the chia and the extra coconut flavour!

I always serve my oatmeal with almond milk to complete the meal!

2. Warm Apples and Almond Butter Bowls

This is a super yummy recipe I got from Liv B's cookbook "Vegan on a Budget" and let me tell you... it's great. A bit more complex than the oatmeal but totally worth it!

Ingredients:

3 apples, peeled and chopped

1/4 cup water

1 tbsp maple syrup

1 tsp ground cinnamon

3/4 cup almond butter

1/2 cup coconut granola

Directions: Heat apples and water in a frying pan over medium heat. Cover for about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the cinnamon and maple syrup.

Divide the apples between 2 bowls and add 2 tbsp of almond butter to each. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of the granola over each bowl and serve immediately or keep in the fridge for tomorrow! Make sure to reheat in the microwave if serving the next day!

3. Vegan Cinnamon Pancakes

Now I've already given you guys my pancake recipe in one of my previous posts, but hey since they're so good I'm going to recommend it again!

Ingredients:

1 cup flour

2 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup almond milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Maple syrup to serve!

Directions: Combine dry ingredients first and be sure to mix thoroughly! Add in the wet ingredients and mix until almost smooth... don't over mix or they may turn out dry! Cook over a skillet on medium heat (try using coconut oil to grease the pan!) and serve however you'd like with whatever fruits and other toppings you've got! Mix it up by throwing in some bananas, blueberries, or vegan chocolate chips while cooking for more flavour!

4. Cheesy Vegan Vegetable Soup

Yes... another favourite from Liv B!

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 small cauliflower head

1 medium white potato

1 carrots, chopped

4 cups low sodium vegetable broth

1 tbsp nutritional yeast (you can find this in the natural section at the grocery store!)

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp black pepper

Directions:

In a large pot, heat oil and onion and cook on medium for 5 minutes. Add in the cauliflower, potato, carrots, and broth and bring the mix to a boil over high heat reducing immediately to medium-low heat. Let simmer for 10 minutes or until the vegetables are soft. Add in the nutritional yeast, apple cider vinegar, salt, garlic powder and pepper and stir. Transfer the soup to a blender (in smaller batches if needed) and blend until smooth. Transfer the soup back into the pot and reheat on medium for around 5 minutes.

I hope you can enjoy some of these recipes on your next snow day!

♡