8 February Foods We’re Krushin’ On
One of my sisters always says to me, “How do you know what to choose to eat each day? How do you customize your bowl and know that all the ingredients will taste good together?”
It’s a great question, and I have ideas to share:
One of the things that’s amazing about seasons, is that different fruits and vegetables grow ~and nourish us~ at different times of year. In winter, I actually crave the vegetables that are in season at farms around the country. Also in winter, our bodies want to be nourished by foods that are warming, comforting, deep in color, and high in vitamin C.
Before I make my bowl, I ask myself how hungry I am, and what the rest of my meals that day will look like. If I’m really hungry and haven’t had a proper meal yet, then I go for a hearty grain + greens + veggie + protein bowl. If I have eaten already that day or have a big meal coming up, I go for salad greens + veggies+ various protein, and keep it a little lighter!
Bone Broth – I often make my lunch or breakfast meal into a bone broth. Bone broth, due to its collagen and red blood cells, makes our joints feel happy and our gut linings composed and strong. My go to Bone Broth bowl: celery, sautéed kale, lemon juice, sweet potatoes, soba noodles and salmon if I’m really hungry. The most famous bone broth we sell is called The Mer: chili oil, apple cider vinegar, turmeric, ginger. So healing, so spicy, so delicious! For a homemade recipe and more info on Bone Broth see here .
Brussel Sprouts – These cute little vegetables are packed with flavor and health benefits; According to Dr Axe, they are known to fight cancer because of their high antioxidant concentration. I love the way Krush cooks them, roasted at high temperature to get them a little crispy on the outside and soft on the inside; these get added to my bowls at dinner time regularly!
Carrots – It’s interesting how temperature affects how vegetables grow. Chilly conditions cause carrots to convert stored starches into sugars to keep the water in their cells from freezing. This makes carrots taste extra sweet in cooler weather. In fact, carrots harvested after a frost are often called “candy carrots.” This vegetable also happens to be highly nutritious. Carrots are an excellent source of beta-carotene, which can be converted to vitamin A in the body. One large carrot contains 241% of the daily recommended intake of vitamin A~ which is amazing for immune function and eye health!
Our Immunity Shot and our Fighter cold-pressed juice use both carrots and citrus, and were made specifically to help us all get through winter!
Fran, my partner, makes a mouth watering bowl most days of grilled chicken over lettuce, adding avocado, basil, roasted carrots, zucchini, and lemon and olive oil dressing!
Lemons and Citrus – During the dark days of winter there is a reason that citrus fruits grow: they add an abundance of vitamin C to our immune system. I’m actually growing a lemon tree for the first time (this brings A LOT of joy) so I find myself squeezing lemons into and onto everything! At Krush, I choose the Lemon Herb dressing for every bowl, I add lemons in my broth bowls, and I devour our cold pressed juices with this citrus fruit. So far I have made it through winter without getting sick!!! I love this article here about citrus in winter.
Kale – I love myself some sautéed kale! Almost every bowl I create starts with a base of this vegetable. If I’m really hungry and needing some carbs, I split the bowl with 1/2 kale and 1/2 quinoa. Kale contains water, which helps reduce skin dryness, as well as being high in vitamin K, which helps with boosting circulation and protecting the liver. I love kale either sautéed, raw, massaged with lemon and EVOO and salt or in a cold pressed juice.
Mushrooms – Because Mushrooms support the immune system I tend to add these to most of my dishes as well. Mushrooms contain varying degrees of protein and fiber. They also contain B vitamins, as well as a powerful antioxidant called selenium which is what helps to support the immune system and prevent damage to cells and tissues. Have you tried our veggie frittata or breakfast wrap? The mushrooms are crazy good in these dishes.
Red cabbage – This vegetable is so pretty, it’s a must for most bowls I build. It’s also high in vitamin C: one cup of red cabbage contains 85% of the daily recommended intake of vitamin C and high amounts of vitamins A and K. The bright color of this vegetable comes from pigments called anthocyanins. Anthocyanins belong to the flavonoid family of antioxidants, which have been linked to so many health benefits. Read more about this here.
Turmeric – Turmeric is such a potent healing herb; it reduces inflammation and helps the liver detoxify; you can grate fresh turmeric or use a powder, or even juice it. We do all those culinary approaches at Krush, and I enjoy them all. I think because it has a bitter taste, it actually reduces my sugar cravings and certainly helps me drink an alternative beverage to wine on the evenings I choose not to have alcohol. Mixed with lemon, cinnamon, and a little ginger…hmm it makes my brain happy just thinking about it! I love this book that we carry at Krush, called Eat Beautiful by Wendy Rowe; she dives into the benefits of so many different foods and it inspires me to constantly add and explore! Our tahini turmeric dressing is a great dressing for any bowl you may build!
There are so many extra toppings I love: items like avocados, cashews, a fried egg, sunflower seeds, walnuts, olive oil.. these contribute healthy fats to my bowls and offer variety each day!
So…final bowls for the win: Kale with roasted carrots, mushrooms, red cabbage, walnuts & salmon, topped with lemon herb dressing OR grilled chicken with avocado, basil, roasted carrots, and zucchini! Notice the combo of winter veggies with healthy fats and proteins!
We are Krushin’ on these February foods! Try a Krush Your Own Bowl with one or two or three of these ingredients and you will be adding such depth and nutrition and beauty to your winter eating plan!
