An embrace in a bowl!
Give yourself this dose of sweetness and comfort without the processed sugar.
I have been looking forward to Wednesdays.
There is a new café in my Parisian neighbourhood open only Wednesday to Sunday and they make the most amaaazing cinnamon rolls! The 4 minute walk from my home office to Café Mardi is a ritual I look forward to every wednesday afternoon.
Now had it been summer, I might not have appreciated this cinnamon roll just as much. So why do sweet and comforting foods have such an appeal for us in winter?
Sugar cravings are our body’s way to self regulate when we are low on energy — which tends to happen in the cooler months of the year.
In winter we are exposed to less sunlight. Less sunlight leads to low levels of serotonin in our body. Serotonin being a chemical that regulates mood, emotions and energy, a drop in serotonin levels = a dip in our mood and energy.
Now, I am a big fan of cinnamon rolls and I will never completely give up on them. However Ayurveda gives us delicious alternatives to processed sugar. NO - I’m not talking about honey! I’m talking about harnessing the natural sweetness of root veggies, cashew nuts and spices like cardamom, cinnamon…
Exhibit A is my version of this classic Indian winter dessert — a carrot halwa. Trust me, this feels like a warm hug in a bowl!
Ingredients for 2:
4 medium sized carrots, 1 tbsp unsalted butter or ghee (purified butter), 6 whole cardamom pods, 2 cinnamon sticks, 1 glass of milk, 1 table spoon of almond, cashew nuts or pistachios — you chose the nuts you like.
Cooking time: 30-40 mins
Peel and grate the carrots
On a pan, heat the butter or ghee and throw in:
3 whole cardamom pods
1 cinnamon stick (1 inch)
Grated carrots
Cook for about 15 minutes. Keep stirring. Keep the flame low.
Slowly stir in a glass of milk (dairy, oat or spelt).
Crush and throw into the pot:
The nuts of your choice
2 cardamom pods
1 cinnamon stick (1 inch)
Slow cook for about 20 minutes. Keep stirring. When the milk evaporates and the carrots turn mushy, you are done.
Some foods you may add to your diet this time of the year: Carrots, sweet potatoes, beetroots, peas, basmati rice, whole grain wheat, grilled almonds, cashews. They have a natural sweetness to them, they are energy rich and have a satiating quality to them.
Healthy Hedonism is a series of practical and pleasurable tips for winter wellbeing. 1 voice note and a written transcript by email every week for 7 weeks.
Until next week,
Love
Gayatri
Ps: If you have missed the last four editions, catch up on them here: