Natural Remedies + Fried Egg and Mushroom Hash with Wilted Arugula

"Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food"-Hippocrates

My love for journalism, psychology and food is not a coincidence. It all boils down to my fascination with human life. Food is the means by which we live, psychology is how we as people interpret situations and interact within our lives and journalism chronicles society, relationships and occurrences. And while food still may seem like the odd one out of the equation, what many people don't realize is that food is not only a means for survival, but a way to shape and form the quality of our lives.

I am VERY passionate about the quality of human life. It is what drives me to do everything I do everyday-- to keep my body and mind in a symbiotic balance that allows them to influence each other to feel the best that they can. And while it's drilled into us over and over again to eat well, to maintain our weight, to bring energy and vitality into our daily lives, the impact of food goes so much further than that. Food affects the way we think, our mood, the way we move-- both overall and in a specific moment.

While this may sound like a bunch of new-age baloney, the reason I love this topic so much is because there really is scientific research behind it. I've mentioned it before, but I spent an entire year writing my journalism honors thesis on the connection between food and mood disorders (which you can read a little bit about here). A lot of credible research exists that supports the nutrition and brain connection (I'm talking Harvard studies), but it is so rarely discussed, and it's certainly not taught in medical school, which is truly unfortunate. Because I am aware of it, I am trying to share this knowledge and make it a mainstream topic.

With all this in mind, there are ways to cure everyday ailments in our lives using just the power of food.  With today's antibiotic crisis and over-prescription of medication, it's always best to try the natural route first before jumping straight to an Advil if you have a headache or a Tylenol PM if you can't sleep at night:

For example:

If you are having anxiety---> Try upping your intake of animal protein. The trytophan in meats like turkey and beef (try to get free range and grass-fed for optimal effects) turns into serotonin, which is a calming mood booster. The effects of this are best observed over the long-term.
If you are sad---> Try eating salmon: Salmon is high in heart-healthy omega-3s, which have been proven to boost mood.
If you are having menstrual cramps---> Try eating dark chocolate. Grab a piece of 70 percent cocoa or higher for another serotonin-booster and muscle relaxer.
If you can't sleep---> Try chamomile tea or lavender. Or better yet, chamomile lavender tea! Both are relaxing, natural sleep aids.
If you have a bad cough--->try some honey. It not only soothes and coats the throat, but it also thins mucus and provides your body with some much needed antioxidants, which fight off your sickness.

These are just a few simple examples of how to use food to help with common discomforts. If you ever feel something is wrong, try to get to the root of the problem and not just treat the symptoms. With the internet, there is no excuse not to look up "alternative" methods of treating certain issues.

Now onto the recipe. My favorite meal is brunch, and this dish works perfectly for entertaining, as I don't think it would be difficult to make for a few people unless you really have a distaste for chopping (which I personally find relaxing). I start almost every day with eggs, and if I can incorporate a good load of vegetables along with it, I'm all for it!

Fried Egg and Mushroom Hash with Garlic Wilted Arugula

Ingredients:
1/4 yellow onion, chopped
2-3 mini yellow potatoes
 1/4-1/2 cup white mushrooms, chopped
2-3 cloves of garlic. finely minced
1 cup of arugula
1 egg
Extra virgin olive oil
Rosemary
Pepper

1. First, chop up all your ingredients. I would suggest doing the potatoes first so you can heat them in the microwave for 2-3 minutes before sauteeing to soften while you chop the rest of your ingredients.

2. Heat some olive oil in a large pan over low to medium heat. Add the arugula and garlic to the pan and stir to coat with olive oil, lowering the temperature if necessary so you don't burn the garlic. Cook for one to two minutes until arugula is wilted and coated in garlic and transfer to a plate. You will eventually place the rest of the hash atop this wilted arugula.

3. Add a little bit more olive oil to the pan and let it get warm. Add the onion, mushroom, potatoes and rosemary and cook until mushrooms get soft and onions are translucent and a little brown.  Transfer to plate on top of wilted arugula.

4. Crack your egg on the pan and cook until whites are fully cooked, but the yolk should be runny. If you are having a hard time getting the whites fully cooked, flip egg with a spatula for 30 seconds or so and then transfer to the plate. If you flip it for too long the yolk will begin to cook (but if you like it that way, go for it!)

5. Top your vegetable hash with your egg, sprinkle some pepper on top and enjoy!

Also be sure to check out the Kale Me Maybe official Instagram for more frequent updates and some delicious food porn! @Kalememaybe

Reading Food Labels + Lemony Garlic Spaghetti Squash

It has been awhile since I have last posted, and I apologize greatly (again, I know). You all have been asking me to update my blog, and I promise I want to! I'm cooking everyday, it's just so easy to get caught up in the rush of my life, and sometimes I need to remind myself to take a moment to just sit down and write. I've been experimenting with a lot of new tools and flavors recently, so hopefully I will be having some interesting recipes coming your way in a more steady stream of posts.

To get the ball rolling, I decided to post a very simple recipe. Sometimes I forget that not everyone likes to spend all day chopping and preparing like I do, so I thought it might be nice to include a recipe for those who like to keep it easy.

Now before I begin with the recipe, I wanted to go ahead and talk a little bit about food labeling. I know I have touched on it before, but as I'm out shopping or getting food with people, I begin to realize more and more that people don't read labels. Or, rather, they don't know how to read food labels or know which labels to read. Half of the reason this blog exists is because I want to educate others on nutrition, so I've put together some tips o what you need to know about food labels:

• A label that says "NATURAL" means nothing. There are no official FDA guidelines for "natural," and plenty of junk foods slap a "natural" label on the front to attract customers. What people need to pay the most attention to are the ingredients on the back as well as the fat, sugar, and sodium content. Remember, not all calories are created equal, so that's not always the best way to solely judge your food. 

• Look out for hidden sugars: I mentioned this in my previous post, but I wanted to elaborate and emphasize that hidden sugars occur in many places other than just sweets. This can include anything from tomato sauce, meats, chips, etc. Especially look out in fruit juices and teas. I was out with a friend recently and he went to purchase a tea that said naturally sweetened with honey. Sounds great, but in addition to honey, it was also sweetened with cane sugar. Why is sugar so bad? Sugar is the root of many diseases, both physical and mental, and also contributes to weight gain and mood disorders.

• That being said, ingredients are listed in descending order of quantity. In the tea mentioned above, cane sugar was the second ingredient, and water was the first. That means that "tea" is actually mostly sugar water. Keep this in mind when you read ingredients. Maybe sugar is added, but if it is at the very end, it may just be very little. 

Now onto the fun stuff: Spaghetti Squash! If you've never had it before, now might by the time to fall in love. The spaghetti squash isn't butternut squash or acorn squash made into spaghetti. It's its own squash that when sliced and baked (or microwaved) can be scooped out to be made into a spaghetti-like dish that tastes pretty darn good if you ask me. 

While the consistency is a little different than spiralized vegetables, and I can't quite vouch that it tastes exactly the same as spaghetti, it's an amazing vegetable that can be used as a pasta substitute in a variety of ways. It's great for bakes, used with tomato sauce, or tossed with other vegetables. 

It's pretty simple to make, and it is full of great nutrients such as vitamin A and C. It's also a great source of fiber, and you don't get all the carbs you would from eating regular pasta (which means, of course, significantly less calories.

Simple Lemony Garlic Spaghetti Squash

(serves 2)

Ingredients:

1 spaghetti squash

4 large cloves of garlic

1/2 cup of basil, chopped

Olive Oil

Parmesan Cheese

2 small lemons

1. Cut your spaghetti squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out the pulp and seeds from the top. 

2. There are two ways to cook the spaghetti squash. The first is to place the squash face down atop tinfoil and place in the oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for about 45 minutes. The second is to put a tablespoon of water into the spaghetti squash when it's right side up, and cook in the microwave for about 10-15 minutes. Once the spaghetti squash is thoroughly cooked, you should be able to easily scoop out the entire squash it should be soft.

3. While the squash is cooking, finely chop your garlic and basil. 

4. When squash is ready, heat up a pan with olive oil. Depending on the size of your pan, you might have to do the two halves separately (in which case, you would use half of the garlic and basil for each). Toss the spaghetti squash with garlic, basil, and more olive oil to taste for just a minute or two. You want the garlic and basil to only cook for a short time to keep them mostly raw and retain the strong flavor. Remove from heat and squeeze lemon on squash and toss again. 

5. Top with shredded Parmesan cheese to taste.

Enjoy! And I will work on posting some more recipes soon! 

Fall's Nutritional Superfood: Pumpkin + Recipe for Pumpkin Pesto Pasta

We all know that come October comes pumpkin everything -- from lattes to scones, to pies and bread. While it's tempting to indulge in these sweet treats, there are plenty of things you can do yourself with canned pumpkin at home without all those added sugars. Believe it or not,  pumpkin is extremely healthy, and versatile! It can be used for both sweet and savory dishes, and I personally love to use pumpkin in my dinners. I love this time of year not just because it indicates fall, because it gives me a fun autumn squash to spice up my cooking for a few months!

Why you should be eating pumpkin (besides from the fact that it tastes delicious)

• It's filled with vitamins, including A, C, E, beta carotene, potassium, and B vitamins including folates, niacin, and B6
• It's high in fiber (which means its going to keep you full, maintain a healthy weight, and help your digestive system)
• It's a great source of antioxidants

So what does this all mean? It's a low calorie, mood-boosting, good-for-your-skin-and-body vegetable that should be utilized while it's in season! 

As I said before, I love making pumpkin savory. It can be a good cheese substitute for macaroni and cheese, used in a risotto, even made into a savory bread. But, it can also be made sweet. I like to add it to my oatmeal in the morning with cinnamon or blended into a pumpkin pie smoothie. This time I chose to make it into a pasta, as I had a lot of extra basil and wanted to make a pesto. I totally came up with this recipe out of my head, and I wasn't sure how it was going to turn out, but it tasted so much better than I could have imagined (and shout-out to my girls Vivian and Greer for cooking it with me!). You can always just make the pumpkin sauce or pesto on its own, but I think together they complemented each other just perfectly.

Pumpkin Pesto Pasta

(serves about 3)

Pasta: 3/4 lb brown rice pasta

For the Pesto:

2 cups basil
1 cup arugula
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 lemon (to juice)
2 large cloves of garlic
1/4 cup walnuts

For the Pumpkin Sauce:

3/4 can of pureed pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie mix)
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
A splash or two of white wine vinegar
1-2 large cloves of garlic
3/4 cup of onions, chopped


(Remember, all these measurements are estimates, feel free to play around to taste!)

1. Boil your water for the pasta. In the meantime, begin chopping your ingredients, but don't forget to add the pasta once the water is boiling and check on it when it's done, about 8 minutes.

2. Start chopping ingredients for the pesto. If you have a high quality blender like the Vitamix, then you can just throw everything in the blender and blend until smooth. If you don't have that amazing blender, then chop your ingredients so that it's easier to finely blend. If it's hard to get the ingredients smooth, try adding a little bit of olive oil as well as lemon.

3. Chop garlic and onions for the pumpkin sauce. Heat some olive oil over a pan, and add garlic and onions. Cook until onions are translucent, making sure to stir often so the garlic doesn't burn. Then add in the pumpkin puree and Greek yogurt, stirring until ingredients are mixed together and sauce is warm and thickened. Add a splash of white wine vinegar here and there both for flavor and consistency.

4. To serve, pour sauce over pasta and mix in. Add a spoonful of pesto on top, and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and chopped walnuts to taste.

What are your favorite pumpkin recipes? The options are endless, and I'll be sure to be making more pumpkin goodness as fall continues on!

Healthy Eating Goals + Coconut Curry Lentils with Kale

Hello my fellow foodies! Once again, there has been a bit of a delay in my posts, as my life is coming together in bits and pieces. I started my full time job, and I am moving tomorrow down to a new apartment in LA! I'm glad I finally have a moment to catch my breath and take some time to write.

I'm sure you all experience this, but when life gets busy, healthy eating habits can sometimes fall by the wayside. I always try to eat well, but it can be a lot easier to succumb to bad habits when you are on the go. I decided to make a list for myself of health eating patterns I need to better adapt in order to feel my best!

1. Eat more locally sourced produce
While I've mastered the art of organic, I really want to start eating more locally sourced produce from farmer's markets. Why? For starters, food loses nutrients the more it travels, so your grocery store produce isn't going to be at its healthiest after it has taken days to hit the shelves. Additionally, many times produce grown from local farms is actually organic, as many local farmers don't use pesticides or genetically modify their plants. The reason it's not properly labeled is because they can't shell out enough money to get the official USDA organic certification. Which leads me to my third point, support small agriculture!

2. Eat less at night
This is personally a really bad habit of mine, and I don't know if it's because my stomach has been accustomed to my patterns or what, but I am inevitably hungry late at night and always crave something heavy. This is something I really want to work on curbing, by eating fruit or not eating at all!

3. Eat more Fruit
On that note, I just need to eat more fruit in general! I used to have the HUGEST sweet tooth.. it was pretty insane (ask my friends who knew me when I was younger). I wanted candy all the time. It wasn't until my sophomore year of college that I kicked the habit, and now I rarely crave sweets, if ever. Unless, that is, I start eating sweets and become addicted again (ahem, I'm looking at you Sara the enabler). I think part of my reluctance to eat a lot of fruit is that I don't want to jump on the sugar bandwagon again. But, fruit is essential and full of nutrients, and it tastes good, so I have no excuse!

4. Eat less cheese
This one is a big one for me. Cheese is my chocolate, my guilty pleasure. I seriously love cheese. But it's fatty. And through experimentation with my own body, I've come to notice that cheese doesn't make me feel that great and makes me bloated (I suspect a slight intolerance). So I've really tried to cut down on it, and I have been pretty successful, but I'm still working.

5. Get tested for allergies
While I don't suspect I have any deathly allergies, I would like to go to an allergist and see what isn't working with my body to function optimally. Food allergies can be subtle, and they can create lethargy and bad moods, among other things (and who wants that?). I only want to put things in my body that are going to make me feel good.


Everyone's list should be individual, but it's always great to what others need to do for themselves--And I would love to hear yours!

Now onto the food...This recipe is super easy, vegetarian, and really healthy! I love working with different ethnic flavors, and it's especially fun to incorporate coconut into savory dishes (especially when they're spicy!). This dish can be enjoyed plain, or over rice, quinoa, or any other grain.

Coconut Curry Lentils with Kale

Ingredients (estimates, as always):

• 1/2 cup pre-cooked lentils
• 1/4 white onion, chopped
• 1-2 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 1/2 cup kale
• 1 tbsp extra virgin, unrefined coconut oil
• 1-2 tsp curry powder
• A splash of marinara sauce
• 1-2 squirts of Sriracha
• A scoop of Greek yogurt

1. Chop your onions and garlic. Heat coconut oil over pan on medium heat, and add onions and garlic. When they're almost cooked (onions starting to turn translucent), add kale and toss until wilted.

2. With the heat on low, add the marinara sauce, Greek yogurt, curry powder, and Sriracha, and mix in with the rest of ingredients. Then add the lentils, and stir until mixture is heated. 

Eat away! 

Cooking Inspiration + Spring Risotto with Ramps and Pan-Seared Scallops

People always ask me how I learned how to cook, and I have found that I don't really have an easy answer. Sure, I watched my mom and my grandma cook, enjoyed programs on the Food Network, and followed some recipes here and there, but that's not really how I learned.

For me, the pairing of flavors, choices of textures, and addition of spices is innate. I'd like to say once you start cooking, you'll have it all figured out, but I can't say that for everyone. But what I can say is that you'll start to learn, and if you're like me, you'll start to take inspiration from recipes. While I am not too fond of following recipes ingredient by ingredient, or by exact amount, I do love to get inspiration from other people's creations, and this comes from reading, watching, and experimenting (and also eating).


While it's easier for me to make dishes on my own now, there was a time when I wasn't so confident and needed some guidance. So I thought it would be a nice idea for me to share my favorite food sites to give you all a taste of what inspires me and what hopefully will inspire you.

Food Sites:

• Food Gawker- Great for healthy and non-healthy food alike. I like to click the healthy tag, but I also like to type in an ingredient I have and browse all the recipes that include it. The site also redirects you to the blog the recipe originated from, so it's great for discovering new blogs. 
• Pinterest- Love scrolling through the food section here. Just repin or click like to save!
• Health Magazine- One of my favorite magazines, with great healthy tidbits and recipes.

Blogs

• Smitten Kitchen
• Cookie & Kate
• Sprouted Kitchen
• Brooklyn Supper

Feel free to comment some of your favorites! I'd love to hear.

Today I've also included a dish featuring some in-season, spring produce, featuring ramps! For those of you who don't know, ramps are part of the onion and leek family, and they have a flavor similar to garlic. Restaurants on the East Coast go crazy for them when ramp season rolls around, and the demand is high as they are only available in the spring. On my way home through the Union Square Greenmarket a few days ago,  I grabbed some while they were still available, and thank goodness I did because they don't disappoint!

 Spring Risotto with Ramps and Pan-Seared Scallops

Ingredients

1/2 cup uncooked barley

1 1/2 cup chicken broth or water

3-4 small stalks of asparagus

3-4 white button mushrooms

4-5 ramps

1/4-1/2 cup onions, chopped

1 clove of garlic

3 scallops

Splash of olive oil

1/2 lemon

Parmesan cheese

1. Start cooking the barley in a small pot. Follow instructions on the package, but in general use 3 cups of liquid to 1 cup of barley. Boil, and then simmer for around 40 minutes.

2. Chop your vegetables. Trim the end of the ramps, but leave the rest intact. Finely chop the garlic. 

3. In a pan, heat up some olive oil and sauté vegetables and garlic, but not the ramps. When finished, add to the barley, which should be almost cooked.

4. Sauté the ramps for 2 minutes.

5. At this point the risotto should be close to done. I set my ramps on the plate because they were done before, but when barley mix is cooked, top with the ramps. 

6. Heat up a tiny bit more of olive oil for the scallops. Cook about 2-3 minutes on each side. 

7. Add scallops atop the barley and ramps.

8. Squeeze lemon and grate Parmesan cheese to taste. 

Good Foods with Bad Raps + Linguine with Clams

Overtime, new studies find that some foods we thought were bad for us are actually more beneficial than harmful, but sometimes it's hard to shake the negative stigma attached to these foods. These 5 foods have been studied extensively, and new research is showing that there are more positive health benefits than negative, and it is encouraged to eat them.

1. Eggs: Eggs were shunned for a long time because of their high amount of cholesterol, but recent research has shown that eggs have no effect on heart disease for those with normal cholesterol levels. Eggs are high in protein and other essential vitamins and are extremely versatile to cook with.

When to avoid: If you're someone who already has high cholesterol, than you should watch your intake of eggs. If you don't have any cholesterol issues, than there's no need to worry, and you can even have more than one egg a day.

2. Avocados: Avocados are a source of good fat that actually help you lose weight. They are filled with vitamins and are good for your skin, and they help you absorb more of the carotenoids in salsas and salads.

When to avoid: Unless you are making it yourself, steer clear of most guacamoles, as many are made with heavy sour creams or oils.

3. Chocolate: Some of the benefits of cocoa: source of antioxidants, cuts down risk of heart disease, helps you lose weight, and boosts mood.

When to avoid: Try to go for dark chocolate 70% or higher to get the full benefits from the cocoa. Milk chocolate is filled with sugar and cream, and that's the kind of chocolate you should limit.

4. Nuts/Coconut: Nuts and coconuts are known for being fatty, but like avocados, the fat in nuts and coconuts is good fat and will help you lose weight. Nuts and coconuts also help your heart and provide you with omega 3s and other important nutrients.

When to avoid: If you're eating something like coconut oil, only get unrefined virgin coconut oil. For nuts, avoid nut butter brands like Jiff's and Skippys because they contain ingredients like hydrogenated oils and corn syrup. Your ingredients should be pure, but for both butters and nuts, enjoy in moderation.

5. Coffee: Recent studies are now showing that coffee lowers your risk of many diseases like diabetes, heart disease and cancer.

When to avoid: Those who are prone to nervousness and anxiety should avoid coffee, as it is a stimulant that can exacerbate anxiety. Also avoid specialty drinks that are filled with cream and sugar. 

Healthy Linguine with Clams

I made this dish the other day when I was really stressed out. Although it may seem counterintuitive, cooking when I'm really overwhelmed calms me down. I set out to the grocery store unsure what I wanted to purchase, but I knew I wanted to make something I don't normally cook. I picked up some fresh basil and some sun-dried tomatoes, and then I thought "Why not make a fancy Italian pasta dish?" So, I added some canned clams to my grocery basket and set home to cook my meal.

 This dish came out way better than I expected. In fact, it was probably one of the best pasta dishes I have ever cooked, and I have cooked a lot of pasta before. I posted my picture on Instagram and got a lot of attention for it, so I figured I would post the recipe here. It's a good start for beginners, but it will be sure to impress. 

Ingredients:

Whole Grain Linguine (about 1/6 of the box)

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

5 leaves of basil, chopped

1/4 medium onion, chopped

4 large sun-dried tomato pieces, cut smaller

1/2 small can of clams

Olive oil to cook with and to drizzle on top (your discretion, use minimally)

Shredded parmesan cheese, to taste

(and remember, my measurements are always approximate, since I just throw things in when I cook)

1. Start boiling the water for your linguine. In the meantime, chop your garlic, basil, onions and sun-dried tomatoes.

2. Once the water is boiling, put in your pasta and cook for about 8 minutes. While the pasta is cooking, heat up a pan with olive oil and sauté all the ingredients except the basil.  Once the onions are almost translucent, toss in the basil.

3. Drain pasta when ready. Add the linguine to the pan with the rest of your ingredients. Add a small amount of olive oil and the clams and toss together. Top with parmesan cheese as desired. 

Good Fats vs. Bad Fats + Lemon Parmesan Salmon

Good Fats vs. Bad Fats

Hearing the word fat might conjure up some negative connotations. For the longest time, everyone was taught to stay away from all fats. However, recent research has show that eating the right kinds of fats are necessary for both optimal health and functioning and even weight loss. All things in moderation still holds true for good fats, but what's important is that you are eating the right kind and ditching the bad.

Unsaturated fats are the kind of fats you should be eating. These types of fats actually lower your bad cholesterol (LDL) and boost the good kind (HDL). Unsaturated fats help prevent disease, support your brain functioning, and lower blood pressure.

Good fats are found in:

• coldwater fish (like salmon, tuna, sardines)
• nuts and seeds
• oils (like olive, flax and other vegetable oils)
• avocado
• dark leafy greens. 

Most of these good fats contain omega-3s, which are essential fatty acids. This means our body can't produce the fatty acid on its own, so it needs to derive it from natural foods.

Saturated fats, on the other hand, are the fats you shouldn't be eating. These are the fats that will cause weight gain, high cholesterol and high blood pressure. 

Fats to avoid high intake of include:

• Dairy (like cream and cheese)
• Animal fat (like meats)

Cutting these fats out completely isn't necessary though, because some saturated fats are needed in our diet. For instance, coconut oil, which is a saturated fat, has been shown to lower bad cholesterol and raise good cholesterol. Again, it's all things in moderation. 

The worst type of fat for you, which should be avoided as much as possible, is trans fat, also known as hydrogenated fat. These fats are created when liquid vegetable oils are converted into solid fats via a hydrogenation process. Trans fats lower good cholesterol and raise bad cholesterol. These fats are really common in processed foods, and you have to check the label for "hydrogenated oil" to see if what you are eating has trans fat. If it's an ingredient on the label, toss it. A lot of foods from your regular supermarket have trans fat, especially most junk food, or anything that seems processed. 

Before we get to the fish recipe, I just wanted to take a quick moment to talk about low-fat products. It seems like it would make a lot of sense to eat low-fat products to minimize intake of saturated fats. However, the problem with low-fat foods is that when they remove the fat, they replace it with more sugar or salt and sometimes unhealthy chemicals. It also can result in increased calories. 

So, go for the full fat or low-fat version? I'd say pay attention to labels, and try to keep intake of both low. 

In the spirit of healthy fats, here is a really simple recipe for salmon, a food high in omega-3s. Ironically, I put cheese on top of this dish, but a little bit of grated cheese will go a long way! 

Lemon Parmesan-Crusted Salmon

Ingredients:

Wild Salmon

2 Garlic cloves

1/2 Lemon

Parmesan cheese grated, to taste

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Chop garlic and spread over salmon.

3. Squeeze half of the lemon half over the fish.

4. Spread grated parmesan cheese over salmon.

5. Squeeze the rest of the lemon over the cheese-covered salmon.

6. Bake for about 10-15 minutes (or less if you have a strong oven), until cheese starts to bubble and turn golden. Fish should be flaky.

Add lemon, to taste, if desired.

Fall Breakfast + Brain Boosters

This week, I was fortunate enough to come back home to LA for Thanksgiving weekend and spend time with my family. The first morning back, I decided to cook breakfast, and I chose two dishes I had never done before. With fall comes a lot of good produce and seasonal vegetables, and one of my favorites is pumpkin! I've been meaning to make some healthy pancakes, and I thought it would be nice to make them using this autumn squash. I needed to accompany the pancakes with a healthy protein, so I turned to eggs. I make eggs almost every single day, but I've never made a proper frittata, so I thought while I had the kitchen space and resources, I would give it a go.

While brainstorming possible nutrition ideas, it came to me that a lot of the ingredients I used in this super-breakfast are good brain boosting foods. I've been spending a lot of time researching the effects foods have on the brain, as this is a large part of my journalism senior thesis. Few people realize the impact of what we put in our mouths and how it controls our moods and the way we behave. Luckily, the ingredients in this breakfast promote alertness, happiness and calmness. This is a breakfast that pleases the senses, as well as the mind!

Power of Pancakes:

Oats: Oatmeal provides our brains with sustained fuel power with a healthy, natural boost of glucose. Eating oatmeal rather than sugary foods prevents a sudden spike and drop in blood sugar, and it instead provides a steady few hours of brain power. Oatmeal also fights anxiety and fatigue with its level of magnesium. 

Dark Chocolate (72%): Dark cocoa is also a brain booster, containing a large percentage of flavonoids that preserve cognitive abilities in the brain such as memory. It is also a mood booster, bolstering positive mood with the release of endorphins. 

Pumpkin: Aside from the other health benefits of pumpkin (immune system booster, antioxidant, rich source of fiber), it's a natural energy boost, with an even higher potassium level than bananas. 

Coconut Oil: Coconut oil has a plethora of health benefits, one of them being a brain booster due to the brain's alternative fuel, ketone bodies, being present in medium-chain triglycerides in coconut oil. Additionally, the lauric acid in this beneficial saturated fat releases a gut hormone that reduces sadness.

Milk: Milk can help improve memory, as well as improve mood. The calcium levels reduce stress and anxiety, and the tryptophan present increases serotonin, which elevates mood.

Feel Good Frittata:

Eggs: Eggs are both strong brain boosters and mood boosters! Vitamins D and B12 increase levels of serotonin, a mood elevator, and the vitamins also help enhance memory. Eggs are also high in omega-3s, the ultimate mood booster.

Tomatoes: High in lycopene, folate and magnesium, tomatoes enhance mood and lower depression, and they also promote an alert mind and memory function.

Rosemary: Rosemary is a powerful and pungent herb that can improve brain performance as well as boost mood, presumably through the chemical compounds in its oil.

Onions: Onions also boost our brain's memory power, and they help prevent degenerative diseases such as stroke from its antioxidants. Onions are also rich in chromium, which boosts mood.

Garlic: Garlic is a blood thinner, which increases blood flow to the brain and increases its functions. The extracts in garlic have also been shown to increase cognitive functioning, which includes increased memory and stronger ability to complete tasks.

Spinach: Spinach is filled with folic acid and magnesium, two depression-blasting nutrients. The folic acid in spinach also protects neurons in the brain. 

Recipes under the cut!

The Wonderful World of Savory Oatmeal

I'm sure you've all eaten oatmeal before, whether it be covered in strawberries or sprinkled with chocolate chips. But there's more to oatmeal that you probably don't know...it tastes amazing prepared savory.

I know it sounds odd, but it's only because we are so used to preparing oatmeal sweet. Oats don't have a naturally sweet flavor, just like rice or any other grain, and they can be prepared the same way you would a rice dish, using predominantly salty flavors. Now that I've discovered this trick, I've been making savory oatmeal for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It's a quick healthy meal!

Why using oats is a healthy choice:

• Contains no arsenic like rice does
• Lowers your cholesterol/helps prevent heart disease
• High in fiber
• Keeps you full, stabilizes your blood sugar levels, and controls your appetite hormones
• Great for weight loss

Savory Oatmeal Recipes:

Mexican: Just substitute the oatmeal for rice. Use beans, cheese, tomatoes or salsa, avocado and hot sauce, and top with Greek Yogurt as a substitute for sour cream.

Gooey "Pasta": Sometimes I use oatmeal when I'm craving a big bowl of pasta. I'll put in the vegetables and greens I usually put into my pasta (spinach, arugula or kale) along with zucchini, mushrooms, and onions with some tomato sauce and parmesan cheese. I'll add some Greek Yogurt to this too, just as I do with my pasta, to add some protein filled creaminess.

"Canadian" Breakfast: Instead of Canadian bacon, I use chicken apple sausage, and I top the dish with cheddar cheese, and a (small) splash of maple syrup. If you are feeling adventurous, you can chop up some green onion and throw it in for a more savory flavor. This dish is a great mix of sweet and savory, inspired by a cool oatmeal bar in Greenwich Village called Oatmeals.

I've made these three in the past few weeks, but you can play around! Think of the flavors you like together, and mix them with oatmeal. Make a Caprese with tomatoes, homemade pesto and some mozzarella cheese and balsamic vinegar. Or substitute oatmeal for rice and make a garlic mushroom "risotto." The options are endless!

Garlic Lemon Italian Style Oatmeal "Risotto"

Ingredients:

Chopped onions

Chopped garlic, 2 cloves (or to taste)

Chopped tomato

Chopped mushroom

Arugula

Grated parmesan cheese

1/2 small lemon, to squeeze

Oatmeal 

(I used Old Fashioned oats, which was actually really good, but if you want more of a fine risotto texture, use steel cut, which take a bit longer to cook)

 1. Heat up your oatmeal first, whether it be in the microwave (quickest and easiest for old-fashioned) or in the pot (best for steel-cut. I bought the quick cook kind, which saves lots of time).

2. While your oatmeal is cooking, chop up your vegetables. Then sauté in a pan with some olive oil.

3. Once your vegetables are cooked, either pour them into your oatmeal and mix, or pour the oatmeal into the pan with the rest of the ingredients. Sometimes it's nice to add the oatmeal to the pan so that the vegetables mix more thoroughly and so that any flavor that is sitting in the pan gets absorbed by the oatmeal.

4. Grate your parmesan cheese. Squeeze the lemon into your oatmeal, and top/mix with parmesan cheese.

Hope you become a savory oatmeal convert, and let me know if you think of any creative combos!

The Dangers of Arsenic in Rice + Sweet Potato Pasta with Crispy Kale

Brown Rice and Arsenic:
Before I begin this wonderful recipe, I have to rant about rice. If you haven't heard, A recent study has shown that the rice produced in the United States has high levels of arsenic, a carcinogen. Great. And to make matters worse, brown rice has higher levels than white, since the grain is less refined.

It infuriates me to think that even when you eat the right foods, you could still be ingesting harmful carcinogens because of the way our food is grown. Our country needs to work on food policies ASAP.

Anyway, from here on out I'm going to limit my intake of brown rice and brown rice products (yes, that means brown rice pasta, which was shown to have pretty high levels of arsenic compared to some other rice products). I'm going to try to include more varied grains into my diet, like quinoa and barley. If you do continue to eat brown rice, rinse it thoroughly!

If you are ever wondering what to make with sweet potatoes, try putting it with pasta or in a salad. There are a ton of recipes out there with kale and pasta, so why not make it healthier by adding in some vitamin-rich sweet potatoes.I used brown rice pasta in the recipe below, but I think it would be wise to use whole wheat pasta instead.

This recipe requires some multitasking, just a warning!

Sweet Potato Pasta with Crispy Kale

Ingredients:

Whole Wheat Fusilli
One Sweet Potato
A handful of kale

Chopped garlic

Chopped onions

Chopped tomatoes

Parmesan cheese, grated

Milk (optional, I didn't use it)

 Step 1: Boil the sweet potatoes until they are soft. This should take about 20 minutes.

Step 2: While potatoes are boiling, put kale in the oven to bake. I baked at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 25 minutes, and I put a little bit of oil on the baking pan first.

Step 3: Start boiling your water for the pasta, and add when ready.

Step 4: Start chopping your ingredients, then saute. Grate the cheese as well.Your potatoes should be ready to be drained at this point. You can mash them in a separate bowl with a fork, or just add them straight to your pan with the other sauteed ingredients and mash it with a spatula.

Step 5: At this point your kale should be done. Take it out, then mix your drained pasta with the sweet potato sauce. If you want the sauce a little creamier, add a splash of milk and heat for a minute or two.

Step 6: Sprinkle the kale on top of the pasta along with the cheese, and eat up!

Spicy Asian Mango Quinoa with Chicken Wontons

Quinoa

 How to pronounce this grain-like seed: 

Many people don't know what quinoa is, or they're afraid to try it. Although the taste and texture might take some getting used to, quinoa can be prepared in tons of different ways, so if you don't like it upon first eat, don't give up.

The beauty of quinoa is that it's a complete protein, containing all the essential amino acids. That being said, when you mix quinoa with beans or chicken, you get a pretty filling meal. Quinoa is low in gluten and is filled with tons of other essential nutrients like iron, fiber, Vitamin B, potassium, magnesium and zinc. It's a low cholesterol complex carbohydrate that has twice the amount of calcium as whole wheat and less fat than a typical grain.

Isn't quinoa wonderful? I cook with quinoa a lot, so I'll be posting a lot of recipes, but my favorite ways to experiment with quinoa are by mixing it with a ton of chopped vegetables. It also tastes great with lemon or tomato sauce, and I've even made quinoa pizza bites before.

This is my first time trying this recipe, and it was really easy and filling! I think I would add garlic next time though, for a little bit more flavor. I decided to add mango since I had the frozen chopped Trader Joes kind already in my freezer. I thought it added a nice touch.

Spicy Asian Mango Quinoa With Chicken Wontons 

Ingredients:

1/2 Cup Quinoa 

(I prepared a full cup but only used half. If you are cooking for more people other than yourself, use a full, or more).

A couple green onions, chopped

Chopped white or yellow onions

Chopped mushrooms (I used shiitake)

Chopped garlic (I used powder, but I think it's more flavorful with fresh)

Chopped mango

5 Chicken Wontons/Gyoza

(I used the frozen kind from Trader Joes.)

Sriracha

1. Cook the quinoa first. There should be directions on the box, but if not, use two cups of water for one cup of quinoa.

If you want more flavor, you can also cook with chicken stock or vegetable stock instead of water.

Combine both the quinoa and the water in a pot and bring to a boil. Once the water is boiling, reduce to a simmer and cover, cooking for about 15 minutes.

(Although just as I don't measure, I don't really follow time. I just look to see if it looks ready. The water should be gone and the quinoa should be soft and fluffy).

2. Chop your vegetables while the quinoa is cooking.

3. Sauté the veggies in a pan. The white onions should be soft and translucent.

4. Heat up your wontons. The ones I used only take a minute and a half in the microwave.

5. Once the quinoa is ready, combine everything! I combined it in the pan, because it's big and some of the flavor sits at the bottom, but you can combine in a bowl as well.

6. Put on hot sauce, as desired. I liked mine spicy, and it actually went really well with the mango and gave the dish a good kick.