Have you thought about any resolutions yet? I know I know, lets' get through Christmas first and then we can cross that bridge. No matter the year, I think it's always a popular resolution to eat healthier and DE-stress life. It's all our quest to eat more well rounded foods that are feeding our bodies the right way and getting back on track.
No matter the changes we make, change is good!
Did you know that there are foods that fuel stress? Obvious things like caffeine, alcohol, refined sugars and most foods that are extremely high in sodium are the biggest culprits. According to Shape magazine, 74% of America falls short of the minimum daily requirement for fruit and veggie servings. The good news is that there are foods that fight stress as well. In fact, just tweaking your diet a small bit improves your life drastically. The stress melts away when you know you're well balanced and that great, healthy food is within reach and in an easy way. Here are some delicious foods that might calm you and bring you back to a place of wellness in this busy, hustled world.
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| foto courtesy of Wasatch community gardens |
Mushrooms
Mushrooms are so valuable. These tasty beauties are rich in selenium which has been proven to help prevent depression, anxiety and fatigue, just to start. Mushrooms are the only plant source that is full of vitamin D. Most Americans don't get enough vitamin D. Have you ever heard of seasonal affective disorder? Lack of vitamin D in winter is probably the reason for it. Just 5 minutes in a sunny spot a day will help you absorb some much needed vitamin D, but perhaps you could be sitting in a sunny spot eating some really tasty mushrooms. Mushrooms are the high in vegetable protein, iron, zinc, fiber and those helpful essential amino acids. Mushrooms come in all shapes and colors and each one adapts well to many types of cooking. Mushrooms are unique in that they are active disease fighters. Mushrooms are a natural pro-biotic. It's important to know that most ailments and diseases stem from your digestive track and how well your intestines function. White button mushrooms for weight loss, Shiitake to fight tumors, Reishi for anti aging, Maitake to help prevent breast cancer, Oyster & Chanterelle for anti-microbial/anti-bacterial properties, Porcini for anti-inflammation and Shimeji fights asthma. Pretty neat stuff. I think we all need the strength of mushrooms in our diet, if not for their healing properties, vitamins and minerals, but just because they taste dang good. Instead of meat, add mushrooms. No matter the meat you think you want to consume, switch it up and replace it with a heartier variety of mushroom and you wont know the difference. Please don't ever wash your mushrooms, just use a paper towel to brush off sand or loose particles. If your mushrooms have aged slightly, just scoop the gills and peel the tops. Don't store your mushrooms in the plastic container they come in or in the crisper. Let's be reminded though...smothering them in butter is probably defeating the flavor and healthfulness of this amazing food, but maybe a little pat of butter wont be terrible. We wont tell Paula Deen.
Speaking of Paul Deen, she has this tasty recipe that I'm amazed doesn't call for gobs of butter.
Couscous and Mushrooms
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
10 ounces white mushrooms or crimini , quartered
1 medium (about 1 cup) sweet onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup uncooked couscous (If you're gluten free, replace it with quinoa or wild rice)
1/4 cup spinach
Heat the oil and butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 7 minutes. Add the onion and cook 5 minutes more.
Add the chicken broth and the salt. Bring to a boil and stir in the couscous and spinach. Immediately remove the pan from the heat, cover it, and let it stand until all the liquid is absorbed, about 5 to 10 minutes.
Uncover and fluff the couscous with a fork. Transfer to a serving bowl, serve immediately.
*If you want to use vegetable stock, season it up with some chopped carrots, 1/2tsp. garlic powder and 1 Tsp. fresh parsley chopped.
Gouda Mashed Potatoes with Mushrooms
1lb. yukon gold potatoes (they are lower in starch and more creamy)
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. buttermilk
2 Tbsp. butter
salt and pepper to taste
Fill a heavy sauce pot with cold water, peel scrubbed potatoes and cut in half and place in water. Season water with 1 tsp. salt and boil until the potatoes are tender.
Meanwhile, use a glass bowl or measuring bowl and warm your buttermilk and butter in the microwave. Make sure you don't boil it.
2 T. butter
3 leeks, cleaned and thinly sliced
1 tsp. salt
1lb. of mushrooms cut in to 1 inch pieces
1 1/2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves, stripped of stem and chopped
1 T. whipping cream
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1.5 cups grated gouda cheese
Melt butter in large frying pan over medium high heat. You want a large skillet so the mushrooms don't sit on top of each other and stew instead of saute. Add leeks to butter and season with salt. Cook leeks until they are soft, approx 3-4 minutes. Turn heat to high, add mushrooms. Cook stirring constantly, until mushrooms haven given off their liquid. Add thyme, cream, pepper and turn off heat.Add 1 cup of your smoked gouda cheese and fold it gently into your hot potatoes.
Bring It All Together
Line a baking sheet with tinfoil and spray with a little non stick spray. If you want a fancier look use a biscuit cutter or a soup can that has the top and bottom removed. Place a spoonful of your potatoes inside the cutter/mold and pack lightly. Add your leek and mushroom mixture on top and remove the mold. Top with your grated gouda cheese and slide in the oven under the broiler until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Green Tea and Chamomile Tea
I haven't consumed tea very much in my life. When I have a sore throat I grab for some herbal tea, but have never educated myself much on the matter of the world of tea. Because of religious or dietary restrictions some might be led to forgo this healthy option, but you should know there are many caffeine free varieties of green tea out there today that are jam packed with poly-phenols and all the same health benefits of the original, so don't be fooled. It is my personal opinion that it's super food health benefits far out way it's caffeine levels, but you decide.
Hot or cool, frozen or made in to a dessert, there are numerous ways to enjoy tea. Green tea decreases your risk for heart disease and stroke, it inhibits the growth of cancer and helps restore healthy levels of cholesterol in your body. It's a proven therapy to cure your body of aches and pains, constipation and depression. Green tea is the lowest in caffeine levels, it is made from fresh un-fermented leaves. It is low in calories with the added benefit of increasing the body's metabolic rate which helps to burn more calories. Green tea contains the essential amino acid L-Thanine which combats stress and anxiety. People suffering from Osteoporosis should know that green tea helps strengthen bones and calms the overall affects of arthritis and joint pain. This amazing tea also helps boost your immunity and improves movement and energy levels, fights bacteria growth, infection and can help restore an impaired immune system. Green tea much less caffeine than coffee.
Chamomile tea is probably one of the most recommended bedtime soothers around. It helps you calm down from the daily stresses in life. It reduces axiety and promotes a deep sleep. It tastes really good, and even just inhaling it helps.
Roasted Beets with Curry Sauce
Ingredients:
6 medium sliced roasted beets -To roast, scrub your beets and trim the stem to 1 inch, wrap the beet in the tinfoil and roast at 425* until the you can insert a sharp knife and it slides right out. Grab some plastic gloves, unwrap beets and peel the skin off.
Arrange your beets on your plate and continue on with the dressing.
Curry Dressing: 2 cloves garlic, crushed + 2 T. yogurt + 2 T. mayo + 3 T. curry powder + 3 T. fresh lemon juice + 1/4 cup olive oil + 2-3 T. chopped fresh cilantro
Combine all ingredients, but reserve cilantro to be added once all other ingredients are combined. Pour over your beets and serve. You could easily make this recipe Vegan by using Vegan yogurt and mayo.
Avocados
These creamy
fruits stress-proof your body. Rich in glutathione, a substance that
specifically blocks intestinal absorption of certain fats that cause
oxidative damage, avocados also contain lutein, beta-carotene, vitamin
E, and more folate than any other fruit. A single serving (about
one-quarter of an avocado) has plenty of B vitamins, too. Remember, this
may technically be a fruit, but I count it as a fat, so use portion
control. Thin sliced on sandwiches, it adds a whole new layer of flavor.
I saw this idea on Ali In The Valley because I've had to be creative about my protein intake in the morning and avocados are a great option for me. They can get boring though, so I was grateful someone had tested these options already.
Salsa, Bean Dip with Cheese, Extra Garlicky Pesto and Beef and Cheese to start. I went a little further. I added some tuna with celery, mayo and almonds, I also stuffed the avocado with feta cheese, sliced kalamata olives and scooped it with some GF crackers.
Berries
Berries, especially blueberries have some of the highest levels of an
antioxidant known as anthocyanin, and they've been linked to all kinds
of positive health outcomes, including sharper cognition. But all
berries, including strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries, are rich
in vitamin C, which has been shown to be helpful in combating stress. Vitamin C has the helpful benefits of lower
blood pressure and lower levels of cortisol after the stressfest, so load up on those berries.
Substitute berries for any other fruits on the plan whenever you want. I
like to nibble on them frozen, too.
Do you know about Driscoll's? They are luscious berries and so many amazing recipes. These recipes have been adapted for gluten free options, but any recipe that asked for equal parts gluten free flours means you can use all purpose or cake flour. That's a good tip to remember since I know many looking at my blog aren't all gluten free. Have fun with it. Here's one I've yet to make, but It's on my to do list. It would be great to make several and have them ready in the fridge to warm up for breakfast.
Berry Filled Breakfast Crumble
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| Photo and Recipe Here |
Crust
3 to 5 tablespoons ice water
1 1/2 cups almond flour
1 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
Filling
2 packages (6 ounces or 1 1/3 cups each) Raspberries
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
Topping
1/2 cup almond flour
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Crust
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter 12 cups in a muffin tin.
Place almond flour, gluten-free all purpose flour, and salt in
bowl of a food processor and pulse until combined. Add butter and pulse
until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add water, one tablespoon at a
time and pulse just until dough comes together (be careful to not over
mix). Pat dough into a 6 x 5-inch rectangle and wrap in plastic wrap.
Chill at least 1 hour.
Cut dough lengthwise into 3 pieces and crosswise into 4 pieces to
create 12 equal pieces. One at a time, place a piece of dough in a
muffin cup, and use your fingers to press it firmly and evenly up the
sides to make a shell. Chill 30 minutes.
Filling
- Combine raspberries, sugar and cornstarch in a large bowl.
Topping
- Mix almond flour, almonds, sugar, cinnamon and salt together in a
large bowl. Add butter and work into dry ingredients until mixture is
crumbly.
Fill muffin cups with raspberry mixture and top with almond mixture.
Bake about 30 minutes or until pastry is golden and fruit is
bubbling. Let cool. Loosen by running knife around edge of each mini pie
and carefully slide out to serving dish.
Dark Chocolate
Last on our list of stress reducing helpers is Dark Chocolate
Chocolate can be good for you, yes it's true. Studies show that eating chocolate, primarily the dark variety, helps contribute to your cardiovascular health. Dark chocolate is packed with cell protecting compounds with natural plant nutrients and flavanol antioxidants. Dark chocolate is low on the glycemic index which helps you regulate your blood sugars. Now who wouldn't love to enjoy some dark chocolate if it could help you lower blood pressure and reduce your LDL cholesterol by 10%? It tastes good, it helps stimulate endorphins and raise your level of serotonin which helps with depression. It does contain theobromine, caffeine and some other substances which are stimulants. Last I heard no one has gotten high or impaired by dark chocolate, so I think you're safe.
This information doesn't mean that you should eat a pound of chocolate a day. Chocolate is still a high-calorie, high-fat food. Most of the studies done used no more than 100 grams, or about 3.5 ounces, of dark chocolate a day to get the benefits.
One bar of dark chocolate has around 400 calories. If you eat half a bar of chocolate a day, you must balance those 200 calories by eating less of something else. Cut out other sweets or snacks and replace them with chocolate to keep your total calories the same.
I adapted the next recipe for Gluten Free, Egg Free for a friend whose child has an egg allergy. You can use 2 regular eggs if you're not worried about eggs. If you are dairy free, use Vegan butter and unsweetened Almond milk.
Double Chocolate Cupcakes
cup all-purpose flour or gluten free blend with xantham (about 4 1/2 ounces)
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened (Vegan butter spread works)
1/2 cup egg substitute
1 teaspoon gluten free vanilla
1/2 cup buttermilk (almond milk)
1 1/4 ounces dark (70 percent cocoa) chocolate, finely chopped
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup, and level with a knife. Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt; stir with a whisk.
- Place granulated sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well combined (about 3 minutes). Add egg substitute and vanilla, beating well. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to granulated sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Fold in chocolate. Spoon batter into 12 muffin cups lined with muffin cup liners. Bake at 350° for 18 minutes or until cake springs back when touched lightly in center or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pan; cool completely on a wire rack. Sprinkle with powdered sugar just before serving.
Potato Leek Soup
