1. Leafy greens
Leafy greens in winter? You bet. Frozen spinach and kale are as good as fresh. They’re super sources of vitamin C, an immune-system booster; vitamin K, which aids blood clotting; and, vitamin A, important for vision. Of course, you’ll eat them warm!
Menu idea: Stir-fries are natural vehicles for spinach, kale, and arugula. You can also add your veggie to smoothies.
2. Root vegetables
Root vegetables like beets, carrots, and turnips are plentiful during the winter months and packed with essential nutrients, including beta-carotene, and vitamins C and A, which give your immune system the boost it needs to protect you from colds and flu.
Menu idea: With olive oil, lightly coat sliced root vegetables and roast them slowly in a 350-degree oven until their natural sugars caramelize.
3. Citrus fruits
Vitamin C boosts both your immune-system and your mood. Traditional sources include citrus fruits, like oranges, grapefruit, and lemons. Strawberries, mangoes, and kiwis are also high in vitamin C.
Menu idea: Add vitamin-C-rich broccoli, cauliflower, and bell peppers to any dish. If you can’t find them fresh, then buy them frozen.
4. Vitamin D-rich foods
Vitamin D-rich foods are essential during the dark winter months. Salmon is a great source of vitamin D, as are egg yolks, fortified cereals, milk, red meat, and shitake mushrooms.
Menu idea: Rub a little olive oil on a salmon fillet, and sprinkle finely minced ginger root on top before baking at 350 degrees.
5. Beans
Beans like chickpeas (known as garbanzo beans) are full of protein and contain nearly all of the essential amino acids.
Menu idea: Add dried or canned beans to soups or salads, or blend them with extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, tahini, and salt to make your own hummus.
6. Low-sodium soup
Soup is a perfect winter food, as long as it’s homemade or low sodium. Low-sodium soups contain 140 milligrams or less of sodium per serving. “Reduced” sodium means that only 25% of a soup’s sodium has been removed. Steer clear of recipes that call for cream, beef, and salt, and use those that use chicken broth, vegetable broth or water as the base and call for lots of vegetables.
Menu idea: Add canned or dried beans or lentils to your soup for extra fat-free protein and fiber. Beans curb your appetite by slowing down digestion and controlling blood sugars, which can help control hunger and bolster mood.
