Eating seasonally – Summer edition

I strive to support a state of balance through the year by making a conscious effort to adjust my activities and the way I nourish my body according to the cycles of nature.

Each season has a distinct personality. I love all of them, I do, but summer has always been my favorite season. Maybe that is why I was always drawn to the magic of land with tropical climates, and as a result, I ended up settling in Florida.

Even though at first glance it seems like I live in perpetual summer, it is not so. The summer season has its distinct ever-expanding character of transformative nature. The abundance of light, all-consuming intensity, passionate fire, and scorching heat contrasted by the sheer energy of unruly tropical storms and the soft and benevolent body of an ocean – that’s what summer is to me.

The adjustments in lifestyle and eating patterns come naturally to me. As summer rolls, a few simple changes dramatically increase my vitality and support my health.

I naturally tend to seek coolness during hot summer days, balancing intensity with relaxation and grounding energy. I tend to gravitate more to quiet and restful activities.

During summer, my body naturally craves light foods and smaller meals. I lean more towards food that is more hydrating to my body, like fresh raw fruits. Taking my time during the meal, eating consciously, savoring my food makes me satisfied and well-nourished.

During the day, often, I treat myself to the most delicious homemade ice cream. For that, I keep plenty of freshly frozen fruit in the fridge.

Some of my favorite places to go on the weekend during this time are farmers’ markets and fruit stands. I always get so excited! I feel so blessed living in the tropical land that showers you with an abundance of all kinds of delicious and juicy goodness.

Local markets during fruit season are always an adventure to me, a treasure hunt, a joy ride, an exploration mission. I never know what awaits and what kind of gifts mother nature has in store for me.

I get the most excited when I come across something that I never tried before. If you’re following me on Instagram (@positivepranic) or Facebook, you see me sharing some of the amazing fruit hunts I had.

The summer way of eating to me is mostly all about seasonal fruits. So fresh smoothies and fruit salads are in abundance daily.

Among all the exotic fruit varieties I’m fortunate to indulge myself with, I have plenty of readily accessible fruits, like mangoes, avocadoes, coconuts and coconut water, melons, plums, peaches, apples, pears. And every kind of berry that comes my way.

In the way of beverages during the heat of the day, I enjoy room temperature water infused with mint or lemon, cooling ash gourd or cucumber juice, cooling herbal teas like peppermint, licorice, fennel, or rose.

As to vegetables, I enjoy ash gourd, cucumber, zucchini, green beans, celery, cauliflower, cabbage and Brussel sprouts, beets, and beet greens, varieties of sweet potatoes.

More cooling vegetables:
artichoke, asparagus, beet greens, broccoli, chard, collard greens, kale, lettuce, okra.

For grains, I favor oats, barley, quinoa.

When it comes to legumes and beans, I tend to eat much less of them compared to other times of the year. During the summer months, I prefer mung beans, peas, cranberry beans, adzuki beans, chickpeas, and chana dhal, white beans (Cannellini), red lentils, pinto beans.

When I cook the beans, I love them to be very well done, you know, more on the overcooked side. I feel it’s is easier on my digestion this way.

When it comes to nuts – blanched almonds are the most conducive to the summer months because of their cooling properties.

For the oil, I tend to use coconut oil for cooking and virgin olive or grapeseed oil for salads.

I love to experience this burst of life that happens around me during this time of year. Everything around is so alive and vibrant, striving and expanding. Did I mention that everything sprouts in my kitchen? Just leave it on the counter for three days and watch it grow. 🤣

And that’s about it 🙂. Let me know in the comments below what you think, and check out this delicious salad I made recently 👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻

Be Alive🌱,
❤ Love, Julia