Autumn Comfort Food

It's getting nippy outdoors, and it's making us hungry.  When the weather starts to turn so do our appetites, out goes the iced drinks and in comes the spice!

Did you ever wonder why you start craving sweets, spices, and all the carbs?

Well, aside from the cultural influences such as holidays that make us eat more, there is our human biology. According to (Katz, 2008; p377) hunger is "the sensations induced by a deficit in readily metabolizable energy sources". This is different, but not uninfluenced by appetite, "a desire for food influenced by cravings for specific tastes and availability of specific foods".

Here is a handy little diagram of the factors that are involved in our hunger habits.

Katz, 2008; pg 381. Actual Food Intake/Effects on Health & Weight

But though we all may a have a little scavenger/hunter in us that demands that we calorie load to get us through the hard cold winter, remember we are not bears, a lot of our cravings are psychological comfort and coping mechanisms to get us through the long dark. So while we ponder the question of why we are really hungry, lets look at a few recipes to hit those cravings.

Turkey burger with chanterelles and Gruyere

Kavanagh, J. & Murray, W. (Oct, 2018). Turkey burgers with chanterelles and Gruyere. The Irish Times. Online.

For your side, or even just a main if you are a vegetarian. Why not try this:

Potato and apple braise

Somers, C. (Sept, 2018). Potato and apple braise. The Irish Times. Online

And how could we ever forget dessert!

Toffee apple and brandy trifle

Somers, C. (Sept, 2018). Toffee apple and brandy trifle. The Irish Times. Online

So after that if you weren't hungry before, I hope you are hungry now!

Caution: after excessive eating it is wise to exercise, but maybe after a nap! Enjoy!

cc. Pixabay. (2018). Fat cat.