Plant-Based Comfort in the Winter

Three helpful plant-based tips to navigate the winter cold by Chef Cynthia

Winter storms can turn your life upside down from school closings, unexpected car accidents to food shortages in the grocery store when the freeze hits your town.

What happens when you're confined to the home space because you can't go out to play nor slide into the works place? Well, we start to think of all the things we miss from your favorite iced coffee, the breakfast you pick up on the ride to your morning destination or your favorite park you like to visit or jog around on a sunny day.

Don't let the winter blues get you down. Take the time to reconnect with Mother Earth, find tranquility in your home, and cook up something warm and delicious for yourself or family.

Here's a few tips for creating a tranquil day when you're tuckered inside due to winter doing what she does. Remember, ice is unpredictable so please take precaution. If you don't have to go - stay.

TIPS

Diffuse Essential Oil

Think of oil diffusers as a low-effort entry into self-care: they bring elements of wellness into your home, transforming your space into a tranquil nest where you can (sometimes literally) breathe easier. These aromatic room fresheners, especially plant-based oils, require minimal effort for you to recharge your décor and up your self-care game in the process.

An oil diffuser is a device that breaks essential oils down into smaller molecules, dispersing them into the air for a pleasant or calming effect—depending on the oil that's been put into the diffuser. Source: Byrdie.com

Alexa...Turn on Meditation Music

Think of playing meditation music while you use your oil diffuser and take 3 deep breaths each hour in silence. Breathe in through you nose (deep breath 5-8 seconds) and long exhale through your mouth (4-6 seconds to empty your lungs) now repeat. The calming meditational sounds help to keep the anxiety at bay, creates a flow to help you focus and can sometimes keep the children low key manageable.

Meditation music helps calm down your nerves after intense study or work. So, take breaks and make it a point to play this music and give some rest to your brain. A mind that's constantly working requires relaxation and sleep. This music improves your sleeping pattern, helping you wake up feeling more energetic. Source: ischoolconnect.com

Eat for Comfort

I am a mother and a business owner. Albeit, I am a chef and own several restaurant units, I don't often have the time nor opportunity to cook at home daily like I would want to ensure my daughter has well-balanced plant-based meals to eat each day. It's a source of guilt I carry and I think about often. I work because I love what I do and I am the bread winner. However, what I'd like is to have a day when I can prepare some of my creations for her and my family like I do at the restaurant.

So, when you're at home on a winter day take 30-45 minutes to allow your creativity to flow. I learned years ago our pantry holds secrets to the creativity within you.

Here's a fun recipe I created long ago on a cold winter day when my son, Tyler, was still with us. It became one of his favorites and so I named the dish after him in my first recipe book. Soulful Vegetarian Cooking (now available on Amazon).

Tyler's Special

Recipe:

Serves: 4 - 6

Yield: 6 - 8 cups

Directions:

Prep Time: 45 mins

Total Time: 60 mins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F ( 175 degrees C).

• 1 package angel hair pasta

• 3 / 4 cup frozen organic edamame

• 1 cup sliced organic carrots

• 1 /2 cup chopped organic orange bell pepper

• 1 /2 cup chopped organic red bell pepper

• 12 oz diced firm organic tofu (can also use mushroom of choice)

• 3 chopped organic garlic cloves

• 1 /2 chopped organic yellow onion

• 1 teaspoon fresh chopped parsley

• 1 / 4 cup Angola oil or Grape Seed Oil

• 1 cup water or organic vegetable stock

• 1 /2 teaspoon salt

• 2 teaspoon ground black pepper

• 1 tablespoon garlic powder

• 1 /2 cup Louisiana original hot sauce

1. Set out all your ingredients.

2. Set a stove element with a wok or large skillet

3. Drain and cut tofu or mushrooms into even 1" squares, toss into a bowl with Louisiana hot sauce, garlic powder and salt and lightly spray cookie sheet with cooking spray and place tofu on cookie sheet to bake for 30 minutes

4. Prepare angel hair pasta according to instructions on container in a separate pot

5. Add 2 tablespoons of oil to wok on medium heat (don't let oil bum)

6. Sauté onions, bell peppers, and carrots until slightly tender

7. Add chopped garlic cloves and edamame and sauté for 10 minutes

8. Add tofu with dash of salt, garlic powder and pepper and stir (season to taste)

9. Add angel hair to plate and pour mixture on top and serve warm

Enjoy with toasted and buttered sourdough bread.

To celebrate our restaurant's one year anniversary, enjoy a free copy of my first recipe book and humorous look into my transition to the plant-based lifestyle in Texas.