Sunday 11 December 2011

Winter Good Things ~ In the Kitchen

Winter makes me feel crap. I put a lot of effort into not letting it get me down, sometimes with success and sometimes not. I'm really interested to hear if winter gets you down and what you do to prevent it. Spending time in the kitchen is one of the things which helps me. So I thought I would share three things which we are making a lot.

Homemade granola. I use this recipe and add only a pinch of salt. I love to eat it with chopped fruit and yogurt in the morning or as a snack when I get home from work. I find that eating something delicous for breakfast makes getting up in the dark a lot less depressing and helps me start the day on a good note.

Lots of hearty meals. We get a weekly veg bag filled with seasonal vegetables. I've also been going to a farmers market which started up at the end of our road recently. That is where I get our meat. With good quality meat and good quality veg I find we have all we need to make hearty, tastey food each evening. We've been making things like pork with cheddar and apples with a squash and potato mash. Delish!


Chai Tea. I'm obsessed. I use this stuff mixed with hot milk and it's delicous. Having a spiced hot drink makes the dark, winter evenings a lot cosier.
I'd like to hear what you do in the kitchen to keep the winter from being grim, if you'd like to share. Hope you are having a bright, cosy and enjoyable weekend.

5 comments:

  1. Things I do to cheer up the winter:

    eat citrus, nothing like those bright summery colors and fresh zing to cheer me up

    try to get sunshine in the mornings, and take a walk each day in the light, even if it's just around the block or down the street, or even if I can only stand by the window for a few moments. the light is the main thing that cheers me up.

    try to take a walk at sunset, the sky is very beautiful then and it's my last chance to see every

    in the kitchen, I make no-knead bread a lot, recipe here: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/08/dining/081mrex.html

    I try to wear bright colors, even just as a scarf, like orange and yellow

    we also play scrabble more with special music mixes and I always light colored candles in the evening if we don't make a fire.

    these make it sound quite cheery around our place even though I really hate the darkness and it can be so depressing ~ solstice is just around the corner and then the sun will be back, thank fortune!

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  2. I wish I was better at making the most of the winter... Lighting candles is one of the things I do anyway, and I like to drink tea in the evenings like you but without milk.

    I wish I could say I take a long walk everyday, but I don't. But I want to, to get fresh air and daylight. When it gets dark at around 3.30 pm you need to get some daylight if you don't want to be sleepy all the time...

    Like the way you tell about your life in drawings! :-)

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  3. The good news is the nights start drawing out this month....Invest in a slow cooker, comfort food for when you get in! x

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  4. first I want to say that I'm loving your drawings
    they exhale peacefulness & cozyness :)
    I have special recipes for going through winter
    here, we get more sunlight than you in London
    and I am obliged to walk to/back from school
    I echo the suggestions above of adding a splash of color to your outfit
    xoxo

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  5. i love your drawings too
    i also really enjoyed a lovely weekend away and a trip to the ocean today

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