The holidays can create a lot of nervous, tense, excited energy. There’s tons of action going on: cooking, imbibing freely, wrapping paper flying, giving and receiving, loving and maybe fighting.

After the holidays, a lot of us get a “hangover.” We become used to all that stimulation and copious love, and then feel either anxious and wired or kind of blue and fatigued when it all winds down – depending on our inherent personalities – and we head back to work and our apartments from our warm holiday cocoons.

Whatever combination of emotions comes into play for you, we could all use some grounding, rejuvenating tools after the holidays. Yoga and meditation are great ways to gain perspective, refresh ourselves, and set our emotions on an even keel.

Try a set of 12 sun salutations to start your day, or 20 minutes of meditation using a mantra or guided track.

One of my favorite secret weapons that works on a deep physical level is sweet vegetables.

The natural sugar in foods like carrots, sweet potatoes, onions and squash balances blood sugar levels, soothes our stomachs, and gives us that warm-cozy-calm feeling we all need. They naturally boost our energy and cause us to produce serotonin – the “feel good hormone” – leaving us happy and calm after the presents, pie and wine are drained.

I’m not one to swear off sweets, but these types of vegetables satisfy serious cravings to some extent, so that we can approach the heavy duty desserts with moderation and full consciousness, and really enjoy every bite of them, instead of numbing out over an entire pan of brownies.

I don’t promote lengthy, depriving cleanses, but we could all use some simple, healing, cleansing foods after holiday indulgences, and vegetables are a great place to start. Sweet root vegetables are incredibly easy to cook, since they produce so much natural sweetness without much cajoling.

Caramelized carrots are an easy favorite, and a definite crowd pleaser – check out this super straightforward recipe. You’ll feel calm, grounded and smiley-all-over just from the simplicity of the process – no tempering, braising or basting here (as much as I love all those things):

Ingredients

Serves 2-3
1 bunch carrots  (any type that looks beautiful at the farmer’s market – love the purple ones!)
2 tablespoons olive oil
sea salt
black pepper

Method

Trim and scrub carrots clean. Leave the skin on – it contains the highest concentration of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and fiber. Next, lay your clean, dry carrots out on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, sea salt and black pepper to taste. Pop them in a 350 degree oven and roast for about 15 minutes, or until soft and caramelized – depending on size of carrots.

I love serving these carrots with a massaged kale salad for a light, satisfying meal post-holidays, or as a side dish with a bigger meal.

Bon appétit!

Now I would love to hear from you. How were the holidays for you? What was the highlight, and did you come up against any challenges? How did you handle them? How are you feeling post-festivities? Leave a comment below, or shoot me a note at lula@lulabrown.com.