Makes 4 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 2 to 4 minutes, for variations 15 minutes
There’s fat, good fat, and great fat. Avocados fall into the last category — full of brain-boosting vitamin E and a monounsaturated fat that helps lower blood pressure, which can help lower the risk of cognitive impairment. The same fat also serves to signal the gut and brain that satiation is taking place, which keeps us from overeating. In this delicate salad, the avocado acts as a creamy base note for the tart pop of the grapefruit, and the perky citrus-ginger vinaigrette.
Ingredients:
1 medium grapefruit or blood orange, peeled and segmented, with membrane cut away
Freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
1 tsp lemon zest
1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tablespoon honey
1 tsp grated ginger
Sea salt
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 cups loosely packed arugula or mixed greens
1/2 cup shaved fennel or celery
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped
1 avocado, sliced
Instructions:
1. When all the segments are out of the grapefruit, squeeze the remaining juice into a small bowl and add more grapefruit juice as needed to make 2 tablespoons. Add the zest, lemon juice, lime juice, honey, ginger, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt and stir to combine. Slowly pour in the olive oil, whisking all the while, and continue whisking until smooth. Transfer to a small container with a fitted lid and shake well.
2. Mix the arugula, fennel, and mint in a large bowl. Add a tablespoon or two of the dressing and toss. Top with the avocado and grapefruit segments and drizzle with a little more dressing and a light sprinkle of salt.
Variations: Make this salad heartier by adding grilled shrimp or salmon. Coat 8 ounces of peeled, deveined shrimp or salmon fillet with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. On a grill or in a grill pan, cook over medium high heat until just cooked and opaque, about 2 minutes for shrimp or 3 to 4 minutes for salmon.
Cook's Note: Oranges or tangerines will make a lovely substitute for the grapefruit.
Per Serving: Calories: 307; Total Fat: 22 g (3 g saturated, 16 g monounsaturated); Carbohydrates: 21 g; Protein: 10 g; Fiber: 8 g; Sodium: 345 mg
Storage: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up 1 week.
Makes 4 Servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Kale is quirky; with the right touch it shines like an emerald and tastes delish, but if you ignore a few key steps it can resemble Astroturf. Fortunately, it doesn’t take much to get on kale’s good side. Once it’s ripped and stripped, it loves a bath in olive oil, lemon juice, and salt. This spa treatment breaks down the kale’s fibers, making it easier to digest (the olive oil’s fat also increases the bioavailability of kale’s fat-soluble nutrients). I’ve included mint, parsley, quinoa, cumin, and coriander in the dish and added one additional surprise: red grapes. There’s something about chomping on a sweet grape that’s just joyous, and the anthocyanins that give the grape its deep color are also phenomenal antioxidants, with studies showing they may enhance memory.
Ingredients:
1 cup quinoa
3/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp coriander
Pinch of red pepper flakes
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 cups stemmed and finely chopped kale
1/4 cup lightly packed chopped fresh mint
1/4 cups lightly packed chopped parsley
1 tsp lemon zest
1/4 cup halved red seedless grapes, or 3 tbsp raisins
Instructions:
1. Place the quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse well under cold running water.
2. In a small saucepan, bring 1 1/2 cups of water and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt to a boil over high heat. Add the quinoa and cover. Decrease the heat to low and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until the quinoa is just tender. Remove from the heat and allow the quinoa to rest for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
3. While the quinoa is cooking, whisk together the lemon juice, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of salt, cumin, coriander, red pepper flakes, and olive oil together in a large bowl. Add the kale and give it a quick massage with your hands. Add the quinoa, mint, parsley, lemon zest, and grapes and toss lightly to combine. Serve at room temperature.
Cook's Note: When you make quinoa, rinse it well. Quinoa is naturally coated with a bitter-tasting resin. To get rid of the resin, put the grain in a bowl of cool water, swish it around with your hand, and drain it in a fine-mesh sieve.
Per Serving: Calories: 281; Total Fat: 16 g (2 g saturated, 11 g monounsaturated); Carbohydrates: 32 g; Protein: 6 g; Fiber: 4 g; Sodium: 325 mg
Storage: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Makes 6 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
A frittata is an Italian omelet but, unlike the French version, you don’t have to figure out how to do that funky half-flip with the eggs in the pan. Frittatas bake, and in Italy they’re often eaten at room temperature: they really are a good on-the-go food. The eggs are also a great binder for the greens, which include kale, chard, and spinach. Add some red bell pepper, marjoram, thyme, and feta, and you’ve got a super protein hit for lunch on the go — just the thing to keep your brain working optimally throughout the day.
Ingredients:
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
Sea salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
Pinch of red pepper flakes
1 cup tightly packed, finely chopped kale
2 cups tightly packed, finely chopped chard
2 cups tightly packed, finely chopped spinach
Freshly grated nutmeg
10 organic eggs
2 scallions, minced
2 tbsp chopped fresh marjoram
1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 oz crumbled feta
Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly oil a 6 by 8-inch baking dish.
2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When it’s shimmering, add the bell pepper and a pinch of salt and sauté for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the kale and another pinch of salt and continue to sauté for 5 minutes. Add the chard, spinach, and one more pinch of salt, sautéing until the greens are wilted and tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and add a few gratings of nutmeg, stirring to combine.
3. Whisk the eggs, scallions, marjoram, thyme, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and the pepper together in a large bowl. Lay the cooked greens along the bottom of the prepared dish and top them with the crumbled feta. Pour the egg mixture over and bake until the eggs are just set, 25 to 30 minutes.
Per Serving: Calories: 169; Total Fat: 12 g (3.5 g saturated, 6.5 g monounsaturated); Carbohydrates: 6.5 g; Protein: 8g; Fiber: 1 g; Sodium: 388 mg
Storage: Store, tightly wrapped, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Make 4 Servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: Not applicable
One of the great things about traveling is that it gets you out of food ruts. When you’re in a different part of the country or the world, it’s hard to ignore local fare. When an eighty-year-old nonna puts a strange salad in front of you, what are you going to say — “No?” I remember the first time I saw this salad in Italy. My initial reaction was, “Oranges with cracked pepper? Really?!” And yet this combination, and another one I saw with oranges and olives, really kicked up an incredible sweet-salty mouth pop that was impossible to ignore. Clearly the combo left an impression, because I’ve reprised it here with my own touch, adding almonds and mint. Maybe it was more than an impression; let’s call it inspiration — just the type of culinary experience that primes the pump of creativity.
Ingredients:
4 cups tightly packed baby arugula or mixed greens
2 oranges, peeled and segmented, with membrane cut away
12 pitted Kalamata olives, rinsed and sliced
3 tbsp chopped fresh mint
4 tbsp Orange Pomegranate Vinaigrette (see below)
2 tbsp sliced almonds, toasted
Freshly ground black pepper
2 ounces goat cheese, crumbled (optional)
Instructions:
Put the arugula, oranges, olives, and mint in a large bowl and toss gently to combine. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the top and toss again. Scatter the almonds, a few generous grinds of black pepper, and the goat cheese over the top.
Variations: Substitute toasted walnuts for the almonds. Use a variety of oranges, such as Valencias, blood oranges, or tangerines.
Per Serving: Calories: 274; Total Fat: 21 g (4.5 g saturated, 16.5 g monounsaturated); Carbohydrates: 14 g; Protein: 4.5 g; Fiber: 3 g; Sodium: 422 mg
Orange Pomegranate Vinaigrette
Makes about 1/2 cup
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: Not applicable
A little song, a little dance...this is sweet and sour doing a delightful tango on the taste buds, with the intense tartness of the pomegranate molasses magnificently mollified by the orange’s mellow sweetness. This vinaigrette partners delightfully with just about any salad that happens to sashay its way.
Ingredients:
1 tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice
1 tsp grated lemon zest
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tbsp pomegranate molasses
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions:
Put the orange juice, lemon zest, lemon juice, pomegranate molasses, salt, and pepper in a small bowl and stir to combine. Slowly pour in the olive oil, whisking all the while, and continue whisking until smooth. Transfer to a small container with a fitted lid and shake well.
Cook's Note: You can substitute balsamic vinegar if you don’t have pomegranate molasses.
Per Serving: Serving Size: 1 tablespoon; Calories: 136; Total Fat: 14 g (1 g saturated, 11 g monounsaturated); Carbohydrates: 4 g; Protein: 0.10 g; Fiber: 0.12 g; Sodium: 200 mg
Storage: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Reprinted from The Healthy Mind Cookbook: Big-Flavor Recipes to Enhance Brain Function, Mood, Memory, and Mental Clarity. Copyright © 2015 by Rebecca Katz. Photographs © 2015 by Maren Caruso. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC.
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