Mindful and Intuitive Eating
As the days grow shorter and the air turns crisp, many of us naturally crave warmth and comfort in our meals. Winter is a season for nurturing our bodies, but it's also easy to fall into habits that leave us feeling sluggish or depleted.
This month, I want to talk about mindful and intuitive eating—a way of approaching food that prioritises what your body truly needs while still indulging in the joy of seasonal flavours. I tend to rely on three rules to keep me on track during winter:
1. Comfort food doesn’t have to mean processed or heavy meals that leave you lethargic. Instead, focus on whole, nutrient-dense ingredients that provide both flavour and vitality. Think hearty stews packed with vegetables, rich soups, curries with warming spices, and fibre-rich legumes.
2. Winter often brings celebrations, cosy evenings with mulled wine, or holiday toasts. Enjoy these moments but remain mindful of how alcohol affects your energy and recovery. A helpful tip: alternate alcoholic drinks with sparkling water infused with citrus or herbs to stay hydrated and balanced and still allow you to feel like you’re enjoying the party spirit!
3. Prioritise unprocessed, whole ingredients in your meals. These are packed with the vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants your body needs to support immunity during winter. When planning meals, try to build your plate with a variety of colourful vegetables, whole grains, and quality proteins. Protein can come in either animal or plant sources and ensure you are having enough in each meal to stop you snacking between mealtimes.
To get you started, I wanted to share two comforting and nourishing recipes perfect for chilly nights, and just happen to be some of my celebrity client favourites!
White bean, lentils, burrata and pesto with roasted tomatoes
1. Roast cherry tomatoes in the oven
2. Fry anchovies from a jar in their oil until they become a paste
3. Fry a chopped onion
4. Fry off garlic, add white wine or veg stock, add jar brown lentils (cooked)
5. Add a jar of white beans, oregano, thyme and black pepper and basil stalks
6. Add water if needed
7. Sprinkle with fresh basil, tomatoes and burrata
8. Add a spoon of freshly made pesto
NB … make your pesto with anything you may have in your fridge, e.g., watercress, rocket, garlic, lemon zest and juice, olive oil, basil, parsley and nuts.
We use pine nuts or pistachios and sometimes we mix walnuts with them
Yellow split pea lentils curry with roasted cauliflower
1. In a pan with coconut oil add black mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, curry leaves, and cumin seeds
2. Once seeds pop, add a cup of water, make it a paste and add curry powder [garam masala is my choice for this] let it simmer
3. Add 4 cloves garlic, 2 thumbs of ginger
4. Squeeze 1 lime
5. Simmer for 2 mins
6. Add more water, and cooked lentils and cook on medium heat
7. Add chopped coriander stems
8. Blend 5 tomatoes and add
9. Cook for a while on a low heat, you may need to add water if it needs
10. Roast the cauliflower in slices with a drizzle of olive oil and cumin while the curry simmers for about 20 mins (I prefer it more crunchy than soft)
11. Add hot chilli powder to the curry
12. A few crushed cardamom pods
13. Add a tin of coconut milk
14. Toasted almonds and chopped coriander to serve
By tuning into your body’s needs and focusing on mindful choices, you’ll emerge from winter feeling energised and balanced. Remember, food is more than fuel—it’s a way to care for yourself.