Well, it’s winter and this weekend is supposed to show us that fact by bringing us cold and possibly some snow. Do you like to cuddle up with something hot on these cold winter days? There is nothing quite like wrapping your chilly hands around a warm bowl of soup or a cup of cocoa or hot tea. But not all soups and cocoas are created equal. You need to make sure they are full of the right nutrients and not just empty carbs, salt and sugars. Foods high in copper and iron will help your muscles use more oxygen and boost your immune system. Grab foods like black beans, shellfish, kale, spinach and dark chocolate. Look for foods that help blood flow. Peppers-not too hot though (If you sweat, you are actually cooling off!), pomegranate, onion, cinnamon, garlic and fresh ginger root are all great for helping circulation. Whole grains and complex carbs help you fill up and stay full as they take longer to digest. The extra work it takes to digest these foods increases your body temperature as it expends more energy. Foods rich in B vitamins and magnesium help the thyroid and adrenal glands regulate the body's temperature in cold weather. Avocados, legumes, nuts, some fish, and dark chocolate again are all foods to increase especially in winter. Coffee is great to warm you up. The high amounts of caffeine in coffee stimulate your metabolism, encouraging your body to burn fuel. Your best bet is drinking it black since cream and sugar will just break down instantly and produce a sugar crash. Want an even better way to warm up? Drink it cold. Your body temperature will fluctuate to try and counteract the effects of hot liquid, meaning your body temperature will drop from drinking even one cup of any hot liquid. Cold water has the opposite effect, raising your core temperature to counteract the chilly liquid. More cold in the winter is better for you! Must be why I crave ice cream more in the winter! One more tip before I get to the recipes. One of the worst things to take in the winter is alcohol. While you might originally get a flush of heat, the alcohol causes the blood to rush to your extremities and in extreme temps or if you are outside, this actually increases the risk of hypothermia. These are just a few ways to warm up from the inside out naturally. The recipes below include some of the suggested foods from above to give you a way to incorporate some of them into your diet. Make your grocery list and meet me in the kitchen this weekend for foods to make you feel warm and toasty!

Golden Milk Tea

2 cups refrigerated unsweetened coconut milk (such as Silk) 1 Tbsp. honey 1 tsp. ground turmeric 1 tsp. grated fresh ginger

⅛ tsp ground cardamom Pinch of salt Dash of black pepper Bring all ingredients to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium, stirring often. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand 5-10 minutes depending on how strong you want the flavor. If you aren’t sure, taste it after 5 minutes and then every 2 minutes after until it’s good for you. Strain and discard solids.

Recipe adapted from cookinglight.com

Rice Pilaf with Mushrooms

2 ½ Tbsps. extra-virgin olive oil ½lb small, white mushrooms, quartered 5 medium scallions, thinly sliced crosswise Salt and ground black pepper, to taste 4 large garlic cloves, minced 1 Tbsp. low sodium soy sauce 1 cup long-grain brown rice 1 cup vegetable stock or low-sodium broth 1 cup water ¼ of a lime Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a medium skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add mushrooms and all but 2 tablespoons of sliced scallions, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until any liquid from the mushrooms has evaporated and mushrooms are browned, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and remaining olive oil and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until garlic is golden, about 2 minutes. Stir in soy sauce and rice. Then add stock and water and bring to a boil. Add a salt and pepper to taste. Spoon rice into a 9-inch square glass or ceramic baking dish. Cover rice with foil and bake for 45 minutes, or until the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is tender. Let the pilaf stand, covered, for 10 minutes. Squeeze the lime over the pilaf and fluff with a fork. Garnish with reserved 2 tablespoons of sliced scallions and serve. Feel free to add cheese, I do!

Recipe adapted from foodandwine.com .

Coconut Waffles

1 cup flour 2 Tbsps. sugar 1 tsp. baking powder ½ tsp baking soda Pinch of salt 1 cup coconut milk 3 Tbsps. coconut oil, melted 1 large egg Mangos, sliced, if desired Whipped cream, if desired-if using mangos or any fruit, I go with whipped cream instead of syrup Maple syrup, if desired In a bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and a pinch of salt. In liquid measuring cup, whisk together melted coconut oil, coconut milk and egg. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, and stir until just combined. Let sit while you heat up your waffle iron. Grease your waffle iron if needed and cook waffles according to waffle iron instructions or until the waffles are golden brown and crispy. Serve with sliced mangos and cream and syrup, if desired.

Recipe adapted from imafoodblog.com .

Baked Salmon with Peanut Butter Glaze

Don’t turn your nose up at this without giving it a try. This is actually good! 1lb salmon 1 tsp. olive oil ground black pepper, to taste ¼ cup natural no sugar added peanut butter 2 tsps. chili garlic sauce ¼ cup orange juice Preheat oven to 400°F and line baking sheet with parchment paper. Place salmon on baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and season with pepper. Bake salmon for 15-20 minutes until cooked through. Fish should flake easily with a fork when done. In small sauce pot over medium low heat, whisk together peanut butter, chili garlic sauce, and orange juice and cook until warm. To serve, pour peanut butter glaze over salmon.

Recipe adapted from loveandzest.com

Baked Honey Garlic Chicken

2lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1 inch pieces 2 cups Panko bread crumbs 2 eggs beaten ½ cup honey ¼ cup low sodium soy sauce 2 cloves garlic, minced ½ tsp ground turmeric Salt and pepper Green onion for garnish Preheat oven to 375°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Place Panko bread crumbs in a shallow bowl and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Place chicken pieces in the beaten eggs and then in the bread crumbs. Toss until full coated with bread crumbs and place on baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes and then remove from oven, flip chicken pieces and bake 10 additional minutes. Add remaining ingredients in a small sauce pan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook for 3-4 more minutes while stirring occasionally. Pour sauce over baked chicken making sure to coat each piece.

Recipe adapted from foodlovinfamily.com .