Power Foods for the Brain (27 page)
Read Power Foods for the Brain Online
Authors: Neal Barnard
Makes enough for 1 large salad (about
cup)
Ginger gives this dressing a little bite, and the apple cider vinegar complements the flavor of the strawberries. Try it on the Rainbow Salad (
here
) or salad of your choice.
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 cup fresh or frozen and thawed strawberries
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
Per serving:
49 calories, 1 g protein, 12 g carbohydrate, 1 g sugar, 0.5 g total fat, 9% calories from fat, 3 g fiber, 2 mg sodium
—Recipe by Madelyn Pryor
Makes 2 sandwiches
Here’s a tasty and nutritious sandwich that’s also high in protein.
1 15-ounce can low-sodium garbanzo beans, drained
2 tablespoons minced onion
1 small stalk celery, minced (about ¼ cup)
Freshly ground black pepper
10 ounces low-fat silken tofu
½ teaspoon dry mustard
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
1½ teaspoons apple cider vinegar
4 slices whole-grain bread, or 2 whole-grain pita pockets, cut in half
2 lettuce leaves or ½ cup alfalfa sprouts
Place the garbanzo beans in a large bowl and coarsely mash them with a potato masher or fork. Add the onion and celery and set aside.
To make the tofu mayo, place the tofu, dry mustard, garlic, salt, and vinegar in a food processor or blender and process until smooth. Add the tofu mayo to the bean mixture and season with pepper to taste. Mix well and serve on toasted whole-grain bread or tucked into a pita pocket, with lettuce or sprouts.
Per serving (1 sandwich):
442 calories, 30 g protein, 67 g carbohydrate, 8 g sugar, 7 g total fat, 14% calories from fat, 13 g fiber, 699 mg sodium
—CW
Serves 4
Falafel is a popular Middle Eastern food made from garbanzo beans. This easy, fat-free version is baked instead of fried!
1 15-ounce can low-sodium garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons minced onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
¼ cup shredded carrot
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons whole-wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon ground coriander seeds
1 teaspoon ground cumin
¼ cup cooked green peas
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly oil a baking sheet.
Place the garbanzo beans, onion, garlic, parsley, carrot, lemon juice, flour, coriander, and cumin in a food processor and process until fairly smooth. Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl and stir in the peas. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Form the mixture into 8 patties and place them on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, then carefully turn the patties over and bake for 15 more minutes. Serve 2 patties stuffed inside a whole-wheat pita pocket. Top with a little hummus, shredded lettuce, and diced onion and tomato. The patties also are great served with couscous and a salad.
Per serving (¼ of recipe):
149 calories, 8 g protein, 26 g carbohydrate, 1 g sugar, 2 g total fat, 12% calories from fat, 6 g fiber, 214 mg sodium
—CW
Serves 4
These burgers are fast and easy to make. Enjoy them on whole-grain buns with your favorite toppings.
4 portobello mushroom caps
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
Freshly ground black pepper
4 whole-grain burger buns
Optional toppings: ketchup, mustard, sliced red onion, and lettuce or sprouts
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Use a spoon to scrape the gills off the mushrooms and discard the gills. Place the mushrooms stem side down on a baking sheet and lightly brush each with some of the soy sauce. Sprinkle with a little black pepper.
Place in the oven and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until tender. Serve on the buns, topped with any or all of the toppings.
Per serving (1 burger):
125 calories, 8 g protein, 21 g carbohydrate, 6 g sugar, 2 g total fat, 13% calories from fat, 4 g fiber, 434 mg sodium
—CW
Serves 2
This simple white bean and sun-dried tomato spread makes an excellent cheese alternative and can be eaten as a dip in its own right. But why not add some shredded veggies and wrap it up for a lovely lunch, like we’ve done here?
2 cups cooked or canned low-sodium white kidney (cannellini) beans, drained and rinsed
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
8 to 10 sun-dried tomatoes (not packed in oil), soaked in water and drained
1 zucchini, shredded
1 carrot, shredded
1 cup sprouts
2 whole-wheat tortillas
Combine the beans, garlic, rosemary, pepper, and sun-dried tomatoes in a blender and blend into a thick paste.
Spread the bean dip on the tortillas, top with the zucchini, carrot, and sprouts, and roll them up to make wraps.
Per serving (1 wrap):
373 calories, 24 g protein, 78 g carbohydrate, 13 g sugar, 2 g total fat, 4% calories from fat, 17 g fiber, 497 mg sodium
—JW
Serves 1
This makes a huge wrap! The best way to have this is wrapped or folded in a large pita, but a tortilla will do in a pinch.
3 or 4 cauliflower florets
1 carrot, sliced
3 or 4 broccoli florets
¼ onion, sliced
1 tomato, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons reduced-sodium tamari
½ cup cooked brown rice
¼ cup cooked or canned low-sodium red beans, drained and rinsed
1 whole-wheat pita or tortilla
Hot sauce (such as Sriracha or habanero)
Heat a medium skillet over high heat. Add the cauliflower, carrot, broccoli, and onion and cook for about 5 to 7 minutes, until they just start to brown. Reduce the heat to medium, add the tomato, garlic, and tamari, and cook for 1 more minute. Place the rice and beans on the pita and add the vegetable mixture.
Tip:
This wrap is great with raw veggies, too. Sprinkle the tamari into the rice, as you won’t be cooking it with the veggies.
Per serving:
487 calories, 22 g protein, 103 g carbohydrate, 11 g sugar, 2 g total fat, 4% calories from fat, 15 g fiber, 687 mg sodium
—JW
Serves 2
This is a delicious wrap, and it is also a great example of how you can mix and match ingredients. If you don’t have bok choy, you can use cabbage. If you don’t have water chestnuts, you can use sliced carrots for crunch. If you don’t have bean sprouts, you can instead add noodles to the stir-fry portion of the recipe. The key ingredients are the mushrooms, green onions, and tamari. Everything else is negotiable.
2 heads baby bok choy, thinly sliced
8 to 10 fresh shiitake mushrooms, thickly sliced
½ cup roughly chopped oyster mushrooms
6 to 8 green onions, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons diced water chestnuts
¼ teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder or ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper and a pinch of cloves
2 teaspoons reduced-sodium tamari or soy sauce
½ teaspoon chili paste
½ cup bean sprouts
¼ cup chopped enoki mushrooms
4 lettuce leaves (preferably butterleaf lettuce)
Optional: 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
Optional sauce: 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce mixed with 2 tablespoons water
Heat a wok or a wide, shallow sauté pan over high heat. Add the bok choy and cook for 30 seconds. Add the shiitake mushrooms and cook for another 30 seconds. Add the oyster mushrooms, green onions, garlic, and water chestnuts and cook for another minute. Add the Chinese five-spice and stir. Immediately stir in the tamari or soy sauce. Stir in the chili paste and cook for another 15 seconds. Remove from the heat and immediately add the bean sprouts and enoki mushrooms. Serve in the lettuce leaves.
Options:
Add the ginger when you add the garlic and serve the wraps with the hoisin dipping sauce.
Per serving (1 wrap):
90 calories, 6 g protein, 14 g carbohydrate, 4 g sugar, 1 g total fat, 29% calories from fat, 6 g fiber, 192 mg sodium
—JW
Serves 2
South of the border, tacos have a surprising diversity that encompasses greens, beans, potatoes, a plethora of peppers, grilled veggies, and succulent sauces.
½ yellow onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 red potato, chopped
1 cup sliced Swiss chard leaves
1 chipotle chile in adobo, minced (substitute ¼ green bell pepper if you can’t handle the heat)
¼ teaspoon sea salt
Almond milk or water
1 cup cooked or canned low-sodium pinto beans, drained and rinsed
4 corn tortillas, warmed
Chimichurri Sauce (
here
), for topping
Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for about 5 to 6 minutes, until it starts to brown. Add the garlic, potato, Swiss chard, chipotle, and salt. Add a thin layer (about ¼ inch) of almond milk, bring to a simmer, and simmer, keeping that ¼ inch of liquid in the pan, until the potatoes are just starting to soften. Now cook out as much of the liquid as possible without turning the potatoes mushy (better to leave a bit of liquid than have mushy potatoes!). Remove the pan from the heat and immediately stir in the beans. Divide the filling among the tortillas and top with Chimichurri Sauce. If you’d like to make tostadas, use flat tortillas.
Tip:
Corn tortillas should be warmed before serving so that they’re pliable. You can steam the tortillas for 2 to 3 minutes or spritz them
with water and warm them in a dry pan over medium heat for about 1 minute per side. This keeps the tortillas from falling apart when you fold them.
Per serving (½ of recipe):
300 calories, 13 g protein, 60 g carbohydrate, 4 g sugar, 2 g total fat, 6% calories from fat, 13 g fiber, 353 mg sodium
—JW
Serves 2
The torta is a quintessential Mexican sandwich. This particular torta is done in the style of Jalisco, featuring a bun filled with beans and onions and drowned in a spicy tomato pepper sauce. For a milder flavor, omit the chili powder.
½ yellow onion, thinly sliced; or ¼ cup pickled onion slices
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 cups canned crushed fire-roasted tomatoes
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
¼ teaspoon salt
1½ cups vegetarian refried beans, warmed
2 bolillo rolls or hoagie rolls, cut in half and toasted
Heat a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for about 8 to 10 minutes, until it is heavily browned. Give the pan a splash of water and stir quickly. Once the water evaporates, in about 15 seconds, remove the pan from the heat.
In a small saucepan, toast the chili powder for about 1 minute, then add the fire-roasted tomatoes, vinegar, and salt and heat until the tomatoes are warmed through. Remove from the heat, spread the beans over the bottom half of each sandwich roll, and top with the onions. Pour the sauce over the top (or serve it on the side as a dipping sauce) and top with the bottom half of the rolls.
Per serving (1 torta):
532 calories, 26 g protein, 104 g carbohydrate, 13 g sugar, 4 g total fat, 6% calories from fat, 22 g fiber, 816 mg sodium
—JW
Serves 4
This simple Mediterranean sandwich makes an elegant lunch or a late-afternoon dinner.
4 cloves garlic
1 large eggplant, sliced into thick slabs
Juice of 4 lemons (about ½ cup)
¼ teaspoon cracked black pepper
1 tablespoon dried lavender
½ teaspoon saffron
4 large slices French bread or sourdough bread, toasted
1 small fennel bulb, sliced
2 tomatoes, sliced
¼ cup sliced pitted Niçoise olives or green olives
Smash the garlic and rub each slab of eggplant with the garlic. Place the eggplant in a shallow bowl and pour the lemon juice over it. Add enough water to submerge the eggplant. Allow the eggplant to marinate for at least 1 hour, then drain and place it in a shallow dish. Add the garlic, pepper, lavender, and saffron and let it sit for about 1 hour.
Place the eggplant directly on a grill over medium heat and cook until it is soft on both sides but not charred. Place a grilled slab of eggplant on a slice of bread and top with a couple of slices of fennel and tomatoes and about 1 tablespoon sliced olives. This sandwich is served open-faced.
Per serving (1 sandwich):
154 calories, 7 g protein, 35 g carbohydrate, 9 g sugar, 2 g total fat, 9% calories from fat, 10 g fiber, 478 mg sodium
—JW