Boost Your Mood Food
Hi all,
I hope your New Year is starting off in a gentle and kind way. I am popping into your inbox to wish you well, to wish you good health and to share a recipe that is easy to make, super versatile and packed full of nutrients that help boost your brain function and your mood. I cannot speak for you, but I find this time of year a mentally challenging. I think the darkness and the amount of time I find myself spending indoors during January and February truly affect my mood and my brain function. I tend to find myself craving more carbs and more fat. Some may say this is a bad thing. I disagree; this is not a desire to be ignored or suppressed. My body is asking for the whole grains and fatty acids that it needs to function. Foods like brown rice and other whole grains, whole eggs, cold water fish like salmon, and sardines as well as dark leafy greens, nuts and seeds all contain nutrient’s that help boost our mood. These foods contain vitamins and minerals as well as essential amino acids and fatty acids that play critical roles in our brains health and functionality. Did you know that your brain is made up of about 60% fat? I don’t know why but I love sharing that fact. The recipe I am sharing today gives you a base to create a meal that will give you all the nutrients needed to boost your mood. The whole grains and other fiber rich ingredients will help by controlling your blood sugar levels and the essential amino acids and fatty acids will help by feeding your brain the mood food it is craving.
I personally love to mix up the veggies and use what sounds good in the moment or what I have available in the fridge and the pantry. I also have fun playing around with different ethnic flavor profiles within this recipe. Perhaps an Asian style version with bokchoy, ginger, garlic, and tamari or a Central American version with cilantro, jalapenos, mango, beans, maiz, and pumpkin seeds. The combinations are endless. I am presenting a Mediterranean style version today. I like to eat this salad warm on the day I make it with some fresh fish like baked salmon or trout. I encourage you to try it cold the next day for breakfast with a poached egg or you can have it for lunch with some canned sardines tossed in and maybe a little bit of raw onion slices to top it off. The possibilities are truly endless.
I hope you love this recipe and I hope you have fun playing around with all the possible variations. Don’t forget any GF whole grain will work great in this recipe. You have so many choices I am just sharing one variation.
Eat Well my friends and take good care of yourselves
Rosie
References:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20329590/
American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. "Secret Ingredients Behind Germinated Rice." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 24 September 2008. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/09/080922155950.htm>.
University of Manchester. "Healthy diet can ease symptoms of depression." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 5 February 2019. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/02/190205090511.htm>
University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences. "Omega-3 Boosts Grey Matter, May Explain Improved Moods." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 7 March 2007. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/03/070307080827.htm>.