Eating In Rhythm With Fall + 4 Stress Relieving Recipes

I've always been quick to say Summer is my favorite season. Being a Gemini, cold body, and always craving to paddle, swim, or be near natural bodies of water. It makes for an obvious choice.

What I've noticed over the years is that I actually love the 4 seasons and the transitions each of them hold. It's the dance from one to the other that gets me excited knowing different foods, clothes, activities, and rhythms are around the corner.

Currently being in late summer rolling into early fall, I ran to our storage trailer the other day to pull out my big fleeces and black suede high tops. Made sure warm spices like cinnamon, cardamom, clove, and ginger were stocked. Reorganized my camping gear and prepped the house for colder temperatures. 

As the days get shorter, you might recognize a new pattern arising. Maybe going to sleep earlier, and waking earlier. Wanting to stay home a bit more to relax in the evenings. And maybe even simplifying your to-do list. It's also normal for your taste buds to change and your appetite to increase, too.

What does it mean to eat in rhythm with fall?

Nature has a cycle of seasons (winter, spring, summer, & fall) and when you are in alignment with those cycles you benefit from that relationship feeling less stress and more balance.

You can be in sync with these rhythms based of your food choices. So instead of eating ice cream as a dessert, go for a warm apple crisp. Instead of eating salads and smoothies, go for a grain bowl with fish. Instead of juices go for a cup of tea with lots of warm milk. 

Think of the characteristics of fall outside. The leaves dry up, the winds increase, the temperatures get colder, and there's less sunshine with a cool, lightness in the air. To stay balanced and feel good you want the opposite qualities like wet, warm, heavy, grounded, heavy, and slow to balance your body and mind.

When you do this you experience work/life balance, better sleep, a more robust immune system, less overwhelm, and a general contentment being in your body. You're not fighting the changes nature is producing. 

When and how often should I eat this season?

Listen to your body. Has your appetite increased? Honor that and eat more! It's not ideal to skip any meals (which can often happen in summer with a more chill appetite and lots of activities) so do prioritize breakfast and lunch, especially lunch. I know it can be challenging to eat at work with a constricted window of time, or glaze right over your lunch break to keep working at home, but this is when your body is at its peak digestive mode. You'll also feel less hangry and irritable around 2-3pm.

Because fall can be windy, eat at similar times so your body can anticipate when it will get food and know that it's safe. Create a routine and follow it.

What foods and dishes are best?

All root vegetables from the ground like squash, carrots, beets, and radishes. Plus dark leafy greens like kale and chard and coniferous veggies like cauliflower and broccoli. Eat those sweet, heavy fruits like apples, bananas, dates, figs, grapefruits, grapes, and oranges. Add in more fats like sesame oil, olive oil, ghee, butter, cheese, almonds, tahini, and cashews. Also, eat more animal protein like eggs, beef, chicken, turkey, and fish.

Although we have these magical systems that regulate air temperatures in buildings and homes, your instincts kick on and you are still preparing for winter so don't deny your body rest, food, and warmth.

For meals, think about those opposite qualities of fall: wet, warm, heavy, grounded, heavy, and slow. Fall is all about soup, stews, grain bowls, slow cooker meals, and baked goods.

Keep your meals simple but make them incredibly satiating. 

Include lots of fat and satisfying flavors with herbs and spices.

Limit cold, frozen, and raw foods (buh-bye salads).

Try a few of these recipes

Gluten-Free Flat Bread

At least my version I've come up with from camping trips. 

1 cup all purpose gluten free baking flour

1/2 cup almond flour

1/3 cup water or milk (I love creamy soy milk)

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 egg (optional)

Pinch of salt

Splash of apple cider vinegar (helps it not stick in the pan)

Optional: Add spices and garlic to give it a bit more flavor.

Heat up a cast iron pan, drizzle olive oil, and pour and cook bread similar to a pancake. Flip once and let it get crispy on the edges. Top with a thin layer of butter, salt, and nutritional yeast. 

Savory Maple & Cardamom Oatmeal 

1/3 cup Bob's Red Mill quick cooking oats (available gluten-free)

1 tsp ghee

Hot water (how sludgy or soupy do you like your oatmeal?)

(The rest of the ingredients at your own amount)

Almonds

Cranberries 

Ground flaxseed

Coconut flakes

Maple syrup

Milk

Pinch of salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon & cardamom

Pinch of clove & ginger

Add all ingredients to a bowl, pour hot water to desired amount. Cover and let sit for 10 minutes. 

Roasted Vegetable Rice Bowl with Basil Tahini Sauce 

1/2 cup white basmati rice

1 cup of hydrated chickpeas

1 medium zucchini

3 small beets

1 small onion

4 medium carrots

Olive oil

Salt & pepper

large bunch of fresh basil

1/3 cup tahini 

2 large garlic cloves

1/2 inch fresh ginger

1/2 squeezed lemon

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place chopped vegetables on pan and drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper.  Bake for 30 minutes or until vegetables tender and slightly browned. Add chickpeas halfway through.

Cook 1/2 cup rice with 1 cup water. Bring to boil then cover and bring to low heat until water is absorbed. Turn off heat and let sit for 10 minutes with lid on.

While veggies, chickpeas, and white are cooking, prepare the tahini sauce. Add tahini, salt, pepper, fresh basil, olive oil, garlic, ginger, and lemon into food blender. Blend until smooth. Add a couple tbsp of water to blend easier. 

In bowl lay a bed of rice, veggies and chickpeas on top, and drizzle tahini sauce. Enjoy!

Cozy Tea with Warm Milk & Ghee

Take your favorite tea (I love Yogi Detox tea this time of year)

Tea

5 oz hot water

5 oz warm milk (dairy or unsweetened nut)

1/2 tsp ghee

Boil water, add tea to steep 5 minute, and cover. Separately warm milk on stove top. Do not boil. Add ghee to melt. Stir and pour milk/ghee into tea and stir. 

Best enjoyed after dinner, but before bed. Warm milk and ghee will help you stay warm, improve sleep, and helps your morning poop to happen.