"An animal is saturated, a person eats, an intelligent person knows how to eat," asserted the French philosopher Brilla-Savarin. And it's hard not to agree with him, because what we eat depends on our mood, health and even the sharpness of our mind. Neurologist David Perlmutter studied the relationship between brain health and nutrition for many years and came to the conclusion that a proper diet is a pledge of good memory and high intellectual abilities.
Based on his research, he wrote the book "Food and the brain" - this is a book for those who would like to live a long, active, full life. The collection of councils for healthy nutrition is also a storehouse of recipes for healthy dishes. They are useful for any modern woman, as they require little time, quickly saturate and make smarter. Try to start with these delicious recipes.
Breakfast
Frittata with zucchini, goat cheese and gruyere cheese
Eggs - one of the most multi-functional products, used both independently and as an ingredient of a variety of dishes. Prepare fritata easy, while it can be an excellent treat for a large company. There are many options for frittate, because some cheeses and vegetables can be replaced by others. Here is one of the variants of this dish.
Ingredients (for 4 servings):
- 3 tbsp. l. olive oil
- 1 onion
- ½ tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. pepper
- 450 grams of spinach leaves
- 9 large eggs
- 1 tbsp. l. water
- 90 g of goat cheese
- 1 vegetable marrow
- 1/3 cup grated cheese
Preparation:
Heat 1 tbsp. l. butter on a heat resistant frying pan, add chopped onion, salt and pepper. Fry over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally until the onion is clear. Add chopped spinach, zucchini, water and cook, stirring, 1-2 minutes. Then beat the eggs, sprinkle with crumbled goat cheese and gruyer.
Cook the mixture for 1-2 minutes until the edges begin to brown. Then put the frying pan in the oven, preheated to 200 ° C, and bake until ready for 10-12 minutes. Serve hot.
Dinner
Salad with herbs and balsamic dressing
This salad can be used as a garnish to the main course, and separately, as a snack for lunch or dinner, especially if you add a little protein (for example, pieces of chicken, fish or steak).
Ingredients (for 6 servings):
- 4 cups mixture of lettuce leaves
- 1 cup of parsley
- ½ cup chopped onions
- ½ cup of a mixture of fresh herbs (watercress, mustard seeds, coriander, wormwood, sage, mint)
- 50 g walnuts
For 200 ml refills:
- 60 ml of balsamic vinegar
- 2-3 cloves of garlic
- ½ shallot bulbs
- 1 tbsp. l. Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp. l. dry or fresh rosemary
- 1 lemon
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. pepper
- 100 g of olive oil
Preparation:
Mix in a bowl chopped lettuce, chives and herbs, add nuts. For filling, beat the chopped onions and garlic with vinegar, mustard, lemon juice, rosemary, salt and pepper. Slowly add oil to this mixture until an emulsion is formed. Add half of the dressing to the salad, mix and serve. Keep the refueling in the refrigerator.
Couscous from cauliflower
Try to prepare this dish as an excellent substitute for starch-containing products - potatoes, rice or traditional couscous. In the process of cooking, you can add chopped olives or quarter of a glass of grated parmesan to cauliflower - this will give the dish a magnificent aroma.Ingredients (for 2 servings):
- 1 head of cauliflower
- 2 tbsp. l. olive oil
- 2 cloves of garlic
- ¼ cup fried cedar nuts
- ½ a bunch of parsley
Preparation:
Divide the head into inflorescences, rinse them and grind them in a food processor up to the size of small grains. (You can grate the rinsed head on a large grater, leaving only a stump.) Put finely chopped garlic, nuts and parsley in a large frying pan with pre-heated olive oil. Add the cabbage and simmer it, stirring, until a ruddy crust
Chicken with lemon sauce
From the chicken, as you know, you can cook a lot of different dishes. The proposed simple recipe is suitable for lunch or dinner.
Ingredients (for 6 servings):
- 6 chicken fillets without skin
- 1 tbsp. l. fresh rosemary leaves
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1 shallot
- 1 lemon
- 110 g of olive oil
Preparation:
Prepare marinade: mix sliced rosemary and shallots, chopped garlic, add zest and lemon juice. Mix everything with olive oil, lightly whisking. Put the chicken breasts in a baking dish so that they fit in one layer. Pour the marinade, close and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight. Preheat the oven to 175 ° C. Pickled marinated breasts are transferred to a baking tray and bake for about 25 minutes, until cooked. Serve with a side dish of stewed vegetables or a salad.
Dinner
Fish baked in chardonnay
What could be easier than baking your favorite fish, adding to it a rich aromatic sauce! In the proposed recipe, the sauce is prepared for salmon, but it also fits well with white fish. In any case, try to choose only the freshest fish caught in a natural pond.
Ingredients (for 4 servings):
- 4 salmon fillets (with skin)
- 110 g of solid vegetable oil (coconut or cocoa butter)
- 240 ml chardonnay
- 2-3 tbsp. l. Dijon mustard
- 3 tbsp. l. capers
- 1 lemon
- 2 tsp. dill
Preparation:
For the sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat, add the chardonnay, mustard, washed capers and lemon juice. Heat for about 5 minutes to evaporate the alcohol, add chopped dill. Put the fish on the baking sheet skin down. Pour the sauce and bake for 20 minutes in the oven, preheated to 220 ° C. Ready fish immediately serve, seasoning with green beans and garlic dressing.
And for dessert
Chocolate truffles
Home-made truffles are an excellent treat, which can be prepared for the arrival of guests. The more quality the chocolate, the more delicious the truffles will be. And do not be afraid to experiment with fragrances, changing them depending on your mood.
Ingredients for 30-40 truffles:
- ½ cup whipped cream
- 1 tsp. flavor (almond, orange, vanilla or with a taste of nut wood)
- 225 g of bitter chocolate (with a cocoa content of at least 70%)
- Powder of cocoa or crushed nuts for rolling
Preparation:
In a small saucepan, bring the cream to a slow boil. Add the flavor. In a separate bowl, chop the chocolate, pour it with hot cream and let the mixture first brew to make it homogeneous, and then cool down at room temperature. After that, put in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
With a teaspoon scooping up the mixture, quickly roll the balls with a diameter of 2.5 cm in diameter. Lay them on a baking sheet lined with parchment, and leave it overnight in the fridge. In the morning, roll the balls in cocoa powder or nuts. In sealed containers, ready-made truffles can be stored in the refrigerator for a week.
And now a list of useful supplements that stimulate the brain
DHA. Dokosahexaenoic acid is a valuable omega-3 fatty acid for the body. It is a real treasure capable of protecting against depression, various brain disorders, loss of ability to attention and concentration. DHA is found in fish, especially in salmon, as well as in microalgae and marine molluscs.
Turmeric. Seasoning, which also reduces the risk of developing brain diseases. Not in vain it has been used for several millennia in Indian and Chinese medicine. Curcumin helps the body produce antioxidants in large quantities. With it, you can normalize the pressure in hypertensive patients, improve glucose metabolism and reduce blood sugar.
Resveratrol. A useful substance that is secreted by some plants. Thanks to him you will look better and feel younger. Resveratrol is able to fight tumors, inflammations and age-related changes in the brain, help the heart, suppress the development of fat cells. It is found in blueberries, red grapes, wine and peanuts.
Probiotics. Products containing these microorganisms will improve brain function, strengthen immunity, reduce stress levels and help suppress depression. Probiotics improve digestion, and also promote the transport of dopamine and serotonin, which are needed by our brain.
Coconut oil. Promotes weight loss and strengthens the immune system. Helps treat neurodegenerative diseases and fight inflammation. Drink it one teaspoon per day or add to the food so that the brain works at its fullest.
Alpha-lipoic acid. An antioxidant that helps the brain cells, regenerating the liver, reducing the amount of glucose in the blood, stimulating the exchange of cholesterol and reducing the effect of toxins on the body. Alpha-lipoic acid is produced by the body, but it can be used additionally in the form of tablets.
Vitamin D. It not only promotes absorption of calcium, but also protects the brain from the effects of free radicals and reduces the risk of tumors. Contained in oily fish, algae, some forest mushrooms (for example, in chanterelles), yeast.
Be healthy and successful, eat right!
Images from the books of the publishing house "Mann, Ivanov and Ferber" (provided by the publishing house).