Amanda Miller
Columnist
Lettuce Eat Local
It’s still winter out there.
The snow was gorgeous. I was particularly delighted the one night when those fat flakes were falling gently down, the rest of the world so still that you could hear their soft patter. It was like the air froze along with everything else, calm and beautiful in the starlight. Cold, but ethereal.
The blizzardy snow was also a kind of spellbinding; the flurries were so fast and furious that they were all you could see, and the snow obfuscated the landscape from ground to sky in white. I didn’t have to go outside, so it was almost magical.
But at this point it doesn’t feel quite so enchanting anymore. The snow that’s left on the ground has melted and refrozen on repeat, and while that unfortunately doesn’t seem to hinder my son from scooping it up and eating it, it is just not as appealing on many levels: crusty and dusty.
And it’s cold out there, so cold. I figure if it’s going to be cold, it might as well snow; which is a viewpoint I still hold to, but also, just because there’s going to be snow, doesn’t mean it has to be this cold.
You know it’s bad when I regret not wrestling into coveralls for my ten minutes of chicken chores. Some days the wind has felt like me, too cold to move, but other days I wonder if this is what Antarctica feels like as the cold wind hits as I step outside, literally taking my breath away.
I’ve learned to appreciate some of the finer points of winter, since being married to a farmer who works hypothetically less during a few of the colder months. But I would without fail rather be too warm than too cold, so eventually, this weather is just too much. Or too little, looking at the numbers on the thermometer.
I used to have days when it’s like my bones got cold and just couldn’t warm up fully, no matter how many layers I’d put on. Growing kids has recalibrated my internal thermostat to a good extent, and I often have a hard time even wearing long sleeves. But the t-shirts have gotten a rest the last couple weeks, as cozy and warm must be the name of the game to survive.
It doesn’t help that the winter emotional blahs correlate with the weather sometimes. Seasonal Affective Disorder is a real thing, and while Kansas sunshine makes a huge difference to me, it’s not always enough for everyone. Our family just had a chaotic week that left us with some emotional whiplash, and our mood the last few days has been a bit frosty and meh.
Time to bring out the warming foods. Of course we think of hot soups, hot casseroles, hot chocolate…and I also think of hot sauce. While spicy foods don’t actually heat up your body temperature, they can make you feel warmer momentarily. A placebo doesn’t have to be effective to work.
An often overlooked source of spicy in our Midwestern world is wasabi. Though essentially all the wasabi you’ll encounter around here is going to be horseradish dyed green, it’s still delightful and that little extra pop of color can’t hurt in this winter wonderland. Its spiciness can sear through our nostrils and its piquant flavor can stampede through our tastebuds, energizing us physically and mentally. The wasabi/horseradish burn tastes ironically like a cold hot, a nice complement to these wintry, yet hopefully warm, days.
Creamy Avocado Wasabi Sauce
Some people who don’t handle spicy food well can still enjoy wasabi-style heat (like Brian), since it burns and then leaves, instead of lingering like chile-based spice. We are hosting a sushi-making night this week, so it’s perfect timing for me to whip up some wasabi sauce, but I need to remember to use it on more than just sushi — it was already delicious dipped with baby carrots, but I’m thinking roasted cauliflower, scrambled egg sandwiches, or even swirled into other warm-food favorites like chowders or creamy pasta for a little zing.
Prep tips: I used two kinds of wasabi because I had them, but just one style will work. Keep in mind different brands may have highly variable heat levels, so you do you.
¼ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup thick plain yogurt or sour cream
1 avocado
2 teaspoons powdered wasabi
2 teaspoons prepared wasabi
2 teaspoons hot or regular honey
½ tablespoon rice vinegar
¼ teaspoon salt, or to taste
Smash/whisk all ingredients together; adjust to taste.
