For many of us, this is the time of year when finding a balance with food can be a challenge.
Sweets, desserts, drinks, and treats are plastered all over cooking shows, magazines, blogs, and grocery stores everywhere we turn. I think I even have a pair of holiday socks with cookies on them! It’s easy to start thinking that chocolate fudge makes the perfect daily breakfast staple or washing vitamins down with spiked cider is totally normal.
Well, some days I guess. I won’t judge.
But let’s be real for a minute. Sugar overload doesn’t make most of us feel our best on a day to day basis. I love sweets and indulgences as much as the next person (ok maybe more…), but I’ll be the first to admit that too much of it can leave me feeling tired, unmotivated, and blah. Over the years, I’ve realized that food and winter blahs can be closely related. When I eat crappy, I tend to feel crappy too.
Einstein said that insanity is “doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” and I kind of live my life by that theory. When something doesn’t work, change it up! So that’s exactly what I’m going to do.
[Did I really just quote Einstein in a food post?]
Over the next few weeks, I’ll be featuring 12 days of healthy meal recipes** that will hopefully inspire us to stay on a healthy path over the holiday season. That’s not to say that I won’t be indulging or posting a couple holiday sweet recipes (it is me you’re talking to!), but I also want to make more of an effort to fit in healthy meals whenever possible. Eric and I are both busy with work right now (he just started a new position and I’m wrapping up my cookbook proposal), so we need these healthy meals to stay at the top of our game. Plus, more healthy food means more room for Crazy Woman Chocolate Blender Pudding, of course.
**subject to change, based on how many casseroles I burn, how many gifts I have left to wrap, and how many cats I have to remove from the Christmas tree.
Your recipes are the best! Can’t wait to see what you come up with!
I’m excited for this! It can be way too easy to rely on take out after a long day of Christmas shopping – but I’m sure these recipes will give me motivation to actually get into the kitchen and cook instead!
I have been thinking about that Einstein quote too, for the same reasons. I think too much sugar starts this unhealthy circle and it takes a bit of effort to get out of it. Hate the feeling! That’s why I love this post, (you are awesome to inspire others) :) For me exercising helps to get back to ‘normal’ a bit more.
Angela,
This is such a great idea. I love inspiration to stay healthy over the holidays. My family does a family fitness challenge this time of year to try to combat all of the seasons temptations.
Locked in and ready to rock it out! Bring on day number 1!
Love that pudding! Tasty and mostly good for you! :0)
CANNOT wait! This post totally beat the Monday blahs for me. :) The Einstein quote was the icing on the cake. Thanks, Angela!
Thank goodness! Being “good” during the holidays is NOT always easy… so thank you for taking a load off. ;)
Yay! I always crave fresh veggies, especially, around the holidays. I get sugar overload just *looking* at typical Christmas dessert recipes.
I think this is definitely a good idea. As much as we all want to eat cookies at every meal and enjoy eggnog for a dessert drink every night, it just isn’t healthy. Plus, if we do that daily it is not as appreciated. I think it’s hard enough with cold weather in the winter and desserts surrounding us to stay on track and all the pushing of desserts around this time doesn’t help. I’ll definitely be having desserts; heck, I made gingerbread snowmen yesterday and pumpkin dough balls today. However, the gingerbread men was sent with my mom to work and I haven’t eaten any of the dough balls yet. I enjoy eating and baking all those desserts but I can’t go crazy all month. Like you said, I need to fit the desserts into the diet, not have it make up my diet.
During the holiday season everybody tends to let himself eat unhealthy and a lot! Thanks for such a healthy recipe roll in the time when it’s needed the most! :)
I understand sugar overload! I have been there since Thanksgiving! I am so glad your posting healthy stuff! I’m trying to do that myself!! Look forward to seeing what you have in store!!
Oh my god, you are a rockstar. I need this so much. A combination of living on my own and some pretty horrible depression (usually managed, but I’ve just changed over meds and am having a shitty time of it right now) means that recently I’ve considered it totally appropriate to eat three still-frozen scones straight out of the freezer while crying and calling it dinner. Needless to say I am not at my… peppiest. Healthy, creative, vegan input would be so, so appreciated, you lovely woman you.
Looking forward to it! :)
PERFECT timing on this one.
My aim for the holidays this year is to stay as nutritious as I can with my meals and snacks and then to have treats as treats! I think I’ll come out saner and healthier for it!
I’m looking forward to it. After a sugar overdose yesterday, all I want to eat is veggies and healthy stuff :) Why doesn’t anyone bring in that kind of stuff to the office?! Serenity now!!
P.S. What is up with cats and Christmas trees? We’ve had cats growing up, and they were always, in, on, or under it…presents and all.
Angela, Just have to say I love your blog. My husband and I read “The China Study” seven months ago, turned plant-based, and haven’t looked back. I’ve made several of your recipes and they are always a hit. Thanks for sharing with the world!
Hey DeAnna, Thank you for your kind words…so happy to hear that you are enjoying the recipes. :)
I love that you’re doing this! It seems like all of the recipes being published right now are sugar-based. While there’s certainly a fun and festive place for that, I definitely crave some healthy meals after too much sugar. I’m looking forward to keeping up with (and hopefully trying) some of your recipes in the next few days.
Cant wait, I really need as much direction as possible too much temptation!!
Angela you’re hilarious, I love the Einstein quote
heh