Read Power Foods for the Brain Online
Authors: Neal Barnard
Power Foods for the Brain (26 page)
Serves 3
This soup leaves you feeling full but not heavy. It’s perfect as a light meal or to serve alongside another dish.
4 cups water
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
Juice of 2 to 3 limes
1 stalk lemongrass, cut into 1-inch pieces and pressed with the flat of a knife
2 carrots, sliced
1 small bunch green onions, sliced
3 ounces rice noodles
Optional: ¼ cup light coconut milk; 8 ounces cubed extra-firm tofu
Combine the water and soy sauce in a large saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer. Add the ginger, lime juice, and lemongrass and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the carrots and green onions and simmer for another 5 minutes. Add the rice noodles and simmer until they are soft, about 2 minutes.
Options:
If using the coconut milk and tofu, add them along with the carrots and green onions.
Per serving (
of recipe):
184 calories, 2 g protein, 43 g carbohydrate, 5 g sugar, 0.4 g total fat, 2% calories from fat, 5 g fiber, 454 mg sodium
—JW
Serves 2
The spicy roasted tempeh makes this salad hearty and filling, while the Maple-Sage Dijon Dressing brings all the flavors together and makes the salad pop!
8 ounces tempeh, cut into bite-size squares
Pinch of ground allspice
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Pinch of ground cumin
1 small head red leaf lettuce, chopped
1½ cups chopped kale leaves
1 cup baby arugula
2 tomatoes, sliced
4 green onions, sliced
¼ cup Maple-Sage Dijon Dressing (
here
)
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Place the tempeh cubes in a baking dish and spritz them with water. Add the allspice, cayenne, and cumin, and toss to coat. Cover the baking dish, place in the oven, and roast for 7 to 10 minutes.
Combine the lettuce, kale, arugula, tomatoes, and green onions in a salad bowl and toss with the dressing. Add the tempeh and toss to coat.
Per serving (½ of recipe):
319 calories, 30 g protein, 51 g carbohydrate, 37 g sugar, 6 g total fat, 16% calories from fat, 18 g fiber, 63 mg sodium
—JW
Serves 2 as a main dish or 4 as a side dish
Swiss chard’s slight bitterness is beautifully balanced by the sweetness of the corn and grapes, resulting in a surprising depth of flavor.
½ small white onion
3 cloves garlic
Leaves from 1 bunch Swiss chard
4 Roma tomatoes, diced
1½ cups fresh corn kernels
¼ cup pecan halves
1 cup seedless black grapes
Pinch of sea salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Mince the onion and garlic, then smash them together a couple of times with the back of a knife or with a mortar and pestle.
Wash the Swiss chard thoroughly, as it tends to be gritty, then slice it into ribbons by tightly bunching the leaves together and slicing them with a sharp, heavy knife. Place the Swiss chard in a salad bowl, add the remaining ingredients, and toss.
Per serving (½ of recipe):
181 calories, 7 g protein, 41 g carbohydrate, 17 g sugar, 2 g total fat, 9% calories from fat, 7 g fiber, 189 mg sodium
—JW
Serves 2 as a main dish or 4 as a side dish
This delightful salad starts with sweet flavors, is topped with a berry dressing, and rounded out with some crisp greens.
1 head red leaf lettuce, shredded
1 large orange, peeled, pitted, and diced
1 cup seedless grapes
1 cup fresh blueberries
2 stalks celery, diced
½ teaspoon freshly ground white or black pepper
1 cup Strawberry Dressing (
here
)
Combine all the ingredients in a large salad bowl and toss until everything is well coated with dressing.
Per serving (½ of recipe):
249 calories, 10g protein, 60 g carbohydrate, 39 g sugar, 3 g total fat, 10% calories from fat, 17g fiber, 29 mg sodium
—JW
Serves 4
A food processor makes this recipe a breeze!
4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
2 cups quinoa, rinsed
Leaves from 1 bunch fresh parsley
1 small cucumber, seeded and cut into 1 x 2-inch pieces
¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes (not packed in oil), soaked in water for 1 hour and drained
½ cup fresh lemon juice
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Place the vegetable broth in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the quinoa, cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the quinoa is fluffy and soft.
Meanwhile, combine the parsley, cucumber, and sun-dried tomatoes in a food processor and pulse until everything is chopped.
Transfer cooked quinoa to a large serving bowl, cool slightly, then add the chopped parsley mixture. Add the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately, or refrigerate and serve chilled.
Per serving (¼ of recipe):
351 calories, 13 g protein, 64 g carbohydrate, 11 g sugar, 6 g total fat, 14% calories from fat, 8 g fiber, 378 mg sodium
—CW
Serves 6
This quick lunch of yellow corn, green peas, orange carrots, and red kidney beans is almost too pretty to eat!
4 cups cooked whole-grain spiral pasta
½ cup cooked corn kernels
½ cup cooked green peas
½ cup diced cooked carrots
1 cup cooked or canned low-sodium kidney beans, drained and rinsed
¼ cup maple syrup
¼ cup Dijon-style prepared mustard
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or vinegar of your choice
1½ tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
In a large bowl, combine all the salad ingredients.
To make the dressing, in a small bowl, combine all the ingredients and whisk together until well blended. Pour the dressing over the salad and stir gently. Adjust seasonings to taste, cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.
Tip:
As a time-saver, use 1½ cups cooked mixed frozen vegetables in place of the fresh vegetables.
Per serving (
of recipe):
230 calories, 9 g protein, 48 g carbohydrate, 11 g sugar, 1 g total fat, 5% calories from fat, 6 g fiber, 495 mg sodium
—CW
Serves 2
You can make this flavorful salad ahead of time, as it keeps for up to five days in the refrigerator.
2 cups cooked or canned low-sodium black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups cooked corn kernels
¼ cup minced red onion
½ cup diced red bell pepper
3 green onions, thinly sliced
½ cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves, minced
¼ cup fresh lime juice
Sea salt and pepper to taste
Optional: Dash of cayenne pepper, or to taste
To make the salad, place all the ingredients in a large bowl and stir gently to combine. Cover and refrigerate for several hours before serving.
Per serving (½ of recipe):
394 calories, 21 g protein, 80 g carbohydrate, 13 g sugar, 2 g total fat, 5% calories from fat, 21 g fiber, 158 mg sodium
—CW
Serves 4 to 6
This whole-grain salad, with its variety of flavors and textures and antioxidant-rich colorful vegetables, is sure to satisfy.
1 cup quick-cooking brown rice
½ cup cooked or canned low-sodium garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
½ cup shredded carrot
½ cup finely shredded red cabbage
¼ cup diced red bell pepper
¼ cup thinly sliced celery
¼ cup cooked green peas
¼ cup minced fresh parsley
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
3 tablespoons orange juice
1 teaspoon minced peeled fresh ginger
Cook the rice according to package directions.
In a large bowl, combine the cooked rice with the remaining ingredients. Adjust the seasonings to taste.
Per serving (¼ of recipe):
235 calories, 7 g protein, 47 g carbohydrate, 4 g sugar, 2 g total fat, 7% calories from fat, 7 g fiber, 169 mg sodium
—CW
Serves 2 as a main dish or 4 as a side dish
The colors and textures will seduce you even before you taste this salad’s sweet, cooling flavors. Because the flavor gets even better with time, it’s perfectly portable.
½ red onion, diced
1 Mexican gray squash or zucchini, diced
1 cucumber, peeled and diced
2 small tomatoes, diced (and seeded if you like)
¼ cup sliced red cabbage
2 stalks celery, sliced
Kernels from 2 ears corn (about 1½ cups)
Pinch of sea salt
Juice of 1 small lime (about 1 tablespoon)
Optional: 3 tomatillos, diced; 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro; 1 cup rinsed cooked or canned red beans or 1 cup sautéed tempeh; 1 cup sliced Swiss chard leaves
Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl and allow the salad to marinate for at least 30 minutes but preferably 2 hours. You can forgo this step and eat the salad right away, though the flavors won’t be melded quite as much.
Options:
If you use the tomatillos, peel away the papery part and make sure to wash them before cutting; this removes their sticky outer film and makes them much easier to handle. You can also use frozen corn in this recipe, though it will lack the crispness and sweetness of fresh corn. Want to make this a meal in itself instead of an accompaniment? Add the beans or tempeh and you’ll have a delicious dinner in minutes.
Per serving (½ of recipe):
159 calories, 4 g protein, 36 g carbohydrate, 12 g sugar, 2 g total fat, 32% calories from fat, 7 g fiber, 246 mg sodium
—JW
Makes enough for 2 large salads (about
cup)
No doubt about it, the mustard, sage, and vinegar make this a potent dressing; the maple syrup sweetly balances it out. A little goes a long way. Try it on Mixed Greens and Spicy Roasted Tempeh (
here
) or the salad of your choice.
6 to 8 sage leaves
2 tablespoons low-sodium Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons low-sodium stone-ground mustard
1 tablespoon diced red onion
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons maple syrup
Crisp the sage leaves in a dry pan over medium-high heat for about 1 minute. Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
Per serving (½ of recipe):
187 calories, 1 g protein, 45 g carbohydrate, 16 g sugar, 1 g total fat, 5% calories from fat, 10 g fiber, 366 mg sodium
—JW
