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Stress-Less Salad

August 15, 2014 by Jennifer Silverberg 5 Comments

Stress-Less Salad, Eat Yourself Well

When you’re feeling stressed, you’ll want to give your body extra whole, natural, beautiful food love … with a special focus on the B Vitamins, Vitamin C, and potassium, and other nutrients that have a calming effect.

For this salad, add the following ingredients in whatever quantities seem right to you – and based on what you have on hand. For best presentation and the joy of eating, make sure that all pieces are smaller than bite-sized in the salad, so you can get a few various veggies in each bite. And experiment with what you have on hand – sweet peppers and avocados make a great additions.

For the oil and orange juice, use about 1-2 Tbsp of each per serving – less is more, and lets the flavors of the vegetables shine through!

Spinach: Vit.C, B Vits, and glycoglycerolipids (anti-inflammatory)
Broccoli: Vit. C, B Vits, Vit. K, and Potassium
Almonds: B Vitamins, Potassium
Black Beans: B Vitamins, fiber, complex carbs and protein
Celery: Potassium, B’s, C, and phthalides – see note below
Strawberries: Vit C., anthocyanins
Red Onions: Vit. C (plus phytochemicals that boost the working of Vitamin C in the body), Flavanoids, Polyphenol, Quercetin (all address oxidative stress in the body)
Orange Juice: Vit. C
Olive Oil: monounsaturated fats

Why B’s?

B vitamins protect the nervous system and sooth the body and mind, combating anxiety, irritability, tension and insomnia. They help your body fight chronic stress, as well as supporting your body’s response to immediate, “fight or flight” extreme stress. There are eight vitamins composing the whole vitamin B complex: B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9, and B12. They are best taken together in whole foods.

Why C?

Vitamin C strengthens our immune system, which our body’s hormones attack when under stress. Researchers at the University of Alabama fed rats 200 milligrams of vitamin C twice a day and found that it nearly stopped the secretion of stress hormones. Vitamin C can be found in many fruits and vegetables, particularly in citrus fruits, strawberries, kiwis, guavas, oranges, tomatoes and red pepper.

Why potassium?

Potassium helps our nervous system deal with chronic stress, and is necessary for proper muscles and heart function. Insomnia, nervousness and depression can be symptoms of potassium deficiency.

Why fats?

Oils support healthy brain function (your brain is 80% fat by dry weight!), and reduce oxidative stress throughout the body, reducing inflammation and irritation. Olive oil is a great source of monounsaturated fats, which have been shown to actually slow brain aging.

Special Celery note:

Celery has a high level of potassium, and the vitamins C, B 1 and E, which are all important nutrients in fighting stress. Celery contains phytochemicals called phthalides, which some studies have shown reduce stress hormones and work to relax the muscle walls in arteries, increasing blood flow. As a result, it has long been used in Chinese medicine to help control high blood pressure.

Posted by Jennifer Silverberg, Eat Yourself Well

Filed Under: Food Choices, Healthy Lifestyle, Recipes we LOVE Tagged With: anti-stress, healthy, salad

Spicy Black Bean Quinoa Burgers, over Crispy Salad

June 21, 2014 by Jennifer Silverberg Leave a Comment

Spicy Black Bean Quinoa BurgersLOVE this recipe for Spicy Black Bean Quinoa Burgers, and with this salad, it hits ALL the right tastes and textures: spicy, savory, salty, fresh, and even sweet, with the optional mango.

If you don’t have the exact ingredients below, feel free to sub with similar … chipotle can be replaced with a bit of Sriracha sauce … or even black beans with white beans. Play around – worst case, it falls apart but it still delicious!!!

Serves 2-4, depending on how hungry they are 🙂

RECIPE:

Patty Ingredients

  • ½ cup onion, fine diced
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • ¼ cup jalapeno or bell pepper, fine diced
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seed
  • ½ teaspoon olive oil
  • 1½ cups black beans, cooked and drained
  • 2 Tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 Tbsp minced chipotle chile in adobo sauce
  • ½ cup cooked quinoa << Click2Cart my favorite brand, at Walmart
  • 1/2 cup rolled oats, ground into crumbs
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  •  

    Optional items, for a different texture/taste/nutrition:

  • 1 egg (makes the patties hold together better, but you can skip for a vegan version)
  • ¼ cup chopped cilantro (add with quinoa)
  • ¼ cup grated cheese (add with quinoa)
  • 2 tablespoons minced almonds or pepitas (add with quinoa)
  • 1 cup fine chopped kale (packed cup, about 2-3 leaves) (add with quinoa)
  •  

    Salad ingredients

  • Cabbage, 1/4 medium head, finely sliced
  • Cashews, about 1/4 cup, raw, unsalted
  • Carrot (1 large), Grated
  • Cauliflower (1/4 medium head), medium dice
  • Green onions (3 average-sized) thinly sliced on a diagonal
  • Romaine lettuce (1 bunch), cut into strips
  • Optional: Mango, 1 medium, in a small dice
  • Optional: shredded organic sharp cheddar
  •  

    Dressing Ingredients

  • Juice of one – two limes (depending on juiciness of limes)
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • Pinch of cumin
  • Pinch of salt
  •  

    Directions

    Prep:
    Cook quinoa and let cool … or ideally, use leftovers :-).

    Heat olive oil over medium heat and add the onion, garlic, jalapeno and cumin, plus a pinch of salt. Saute about 5-6 minutes or until vegetables are soft. Place into a large bowl, and add 1 cup of the black beans (reserve 1/2 cup for texture, later) and tomato paste. Using a potato masher or large fork, mash all of the ingredients together.

    Stir in the remaining beans along with quinoa and ground oats until evenly distributed. Make 4-6 patties, packing them tightly with your hands, and let rest in the refrigerator for at least a few hours.

    To Cook/Assemble:
    Preferred: Bake on an oiled baking sheet at 400ºF for 20 minutes until heated. Flip halfway to brown evenly.

    Alternate: In a skillet over medium-high heat, fry in a bit of oil for about 5 minutes on each side until golden brown.

    While patties are cooking, mix the dressing ingredients well in a large bowl, taste and correct seasoning if necessary, then toss all salad ingredients with the dressing. Note: the flavor of this dish is complemented by the dressing, but doesn’t depend on it, so it needs very little dressing. If you’re concerned you need more, feel free to make it, but hold it to the side until you’ve tasted the patties/salad together – you may find you don’t need it at all.

    To Serve:
    Plate the salad in large bowls and top with the warm, golden brown patties.

    Filed Under: Recipes we LOVE, Superfoods Tagged With: black bean burger, healthy, quinoa, salad, spicy

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