The holidays are approaching, and I’m sure that you’ve already noticed talk about sugar cookies, holiday weight gain, and awkward family moments. It can be a stressful time for many people, so I’d like to share several ways that you can make your holiday meals MAGICAL! With these tips, you’ll have plenty of healthy options, even if you have food sensitivities. The meals will speed you to your health goals, and you’ll know when to stop eating, without feeling unsatisfied.
Here are 5 new ideas to create a nourishing holiday food experience this season:
1. If you’re going to a potluck, bring 2 dishes. One can be an entrée that you love and that will satisfy all of your dietary needs. Choose something that you would be perfectly happy eating if it were the only thing you will eat that night. You never know if the host will have food that works for your needs, so bring something that you can eat and share. Also bring a healthy dessert, like tapioca pudding sweetened just with the coconut milk it was made in. Fruit dipped in chocolate is great, and so are baked pears with cinnamon.
2. Focus on what feels good for you, but isn’t a crutch. Eating a whole bag of chips or half of a pie might feel good in the moment, but not for long. Look for ways to stay positive that don’t always involve eating. Savor delicious spoonfuls of something that you love to eat, and also take part in what creates true joy in your life and in your body. If you need ideas and inspiration, please read the blog posts at www.AvaWaits.com about 30 Days of Wonderful™, a project that I will be running again in late January, 2013.
3. Embrace a few new foods now, and continue to love them all the way through the holiday season. Use cinnamon on top of hot rice cereal or oatmeal. Ginger has been going in to my smoothies to provide warming qualities. This way, the smoothies feel great, even on colder days. Ginger also helps to break down foods that are high in protein, like the beans and meat that many of us crave in the cold months. Try more raw cauliflower, which is easy to eat and pack as a snack when you’re away from home. It has anti-cancer properties, and helps to stimulate liver function.
4. Reach out for meal inspiration from other cultures. Bring home a tradition that you’ve experienced while visiting another country or culture. I still stuff bell peppers with Brie cheese and grill them like I did on an organic farm in Geneva, Switzerland. One of the reasons I enjoy gluten-free and dairy-free crepes is because a woman from the Czech Republic made me what she called “egg pancakes” one morning several years ago. You’ll find a similar recipe for Gluten-free Egg Crepes on my blog, along with other recipes inspired by cultures of the world.
5. Ward off Seasonal Depression by planning more “parties” in the months of January and February. Seasonal depression can creep in, not only because of shorter, greyer days, but also after eating too many party foods (these usually taste good for a few bites but are high in sugar and low in nutritional density). Get together with friends and give each other a little lift. Throw a soup party where you and friends come together to make 5 different batches of soup, which you then split up and take home. Have a squash cooking party with a prize for the most creative stuffing for your squash. Or have a contest and food photo shoot for the most beautiful plating of a dish made with your favorite greens.
© 2012 Ava Waits
Ava Waits is an inspirational speaker, business mentor, and forthcoming author.She believes that making money should feel like bliss, and through her work, she provides innovative business, money, and marketing guidance to entrepreneurial women worldwide.
Ava first used entrepreneurship to pull herself out of poverty, going from food stamps and the food bank line, to signing on over $17,000 worth of business in one month. She is passionately committed to helping other women release financial constriction, feel content with money, and live richer lives through entrepreneurship. Ava’s clients often receive surprise income, travel the world with their businesses, and start signing on new clients at their highest prices yet.
As a speaker, Ava has been interviewed on television, and has been invited around the country to inspire audiences at business events, women’s organizations, and financial companies. To connect with Ava, and to view article and video archives, please visit www.AvaWaits.com.
