HEALTHY COOK

Don’t Just Feed Your Appetite, Feed Your Brain

by CAROL CORLEY

You invite friends over for dinner and spend a couple of days planning, shopping and cooking. By doing so, you have not only created an enjoyable evening for all, but you have exercised your brain. Cooking and planning meals work the brain’s executive functions, even if the result is a total kitchen flop and you end up ordering pizza. Supporting your brain in the kitchen is definitely a fun activity. First, you can sit down with a cup of coffee and a bit of fruit and dark chocolate and browse through your favorite cookbook. The coffee and treats are already feeding your brain through anti-oxidants, flavonoids and even caffeine. You settle on tuna, a member of the mackerel family, as it is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are important to support brain and nerve cells. Although epicurious.com suggests canned mackerel might be a better choice because of its richer taste and milder aroma, most people are used to tuna. Omega-3s are essential for learning and may slow age-related mental decline, according to healthline.com. In addition to fatty fish, foods considered supportive of brain health include coffee, berries, turmeric, broccoli, pumpkin seeds, dark chocolate, nuts and especially walnuts, oranges, eggs and green tea. But it’s also important to eat the right quantity of food, get enough sleep, keep hydrated, exercise regularly and keep stress to a minimum. There are many ways to slip these powerful brain foods into your diet — experimenting is the way to start. You can create a fruit smoothie for breakfast, turmeric can be added to almost anything, including your smoothie. Pumpkin seeds and nuts can be sprinkled on breakfast cereal, with a side of orange juice. Scrambled eggs with vegetables (broccoli) make a good quick lunch or dinner. Green tea and dark chocolate are good all day long. And since fish is always a good meal, we can start with an oldie — something my mother made for us often.

Easy Berry Smoothie

(Adapted from delish.com) Ingredients: Berries of choice, 3 cups frozen, can be blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, raspberries Banana, 1 medium — can use frozen if some of the berries are fresh Almond milk, or milk of choice 1-1/4 cup Greek yogurt, 1/2 cup Turmeric to taste, if desired (and yes, I sneak this spice in all the time and don’t taste it. I use about 1/2 teaspoon) Directions: Combine all ingredients in a blender, and process until smooth.

Tuna Noodle Casserole

(Adapted from Joy of Cooking 1971) Ingredients: Noodles of choice, cooked until tender, 2 cups Tuna fish, 1 cup canned and separated into large flakes Cream of mushroom soup, 1 can of condensed, 10-1/2 oz Worcestershire sauce, curry powder, dry sherry, as desired Turmeric, as desired, for extra brain support Cracker crumbs Directions: In a greased ovenproof dish, arrange layers of cooked noodles, alternating with fish, and ending with noodles on top. Take the can of mushroom soup undiluted and season with flavorings of choice. Pour over tuna/noodle mixture. Cover top with cracker crumbs. In an oven preheated to 450F, bake until the top is brown.

Broccoli Cheddar Casserole

(Adapted from tasteofhome.com) Ingredients: Broccoli florets, 2 packages frozen, total 32 ounces Sharp cheddar cheese, 1-1/2 cups Onions, one-can french-fried (6 ounces) Cream of mushroom soup, 1 can of condensed Sour cream, 1 cup Turmeric to taste, as desired Directions: Mix undiluted soup, sour cream, 1 cup of the cheese, 1-1/4 cups of the onions in a large saucepan, heat over medium heat stirring until blended, about 4-5 minutes. Stir in broccoli. Add mixture to a greased 2-quart baking dish and bake uncovered in an oven preheated to 325F until bubbly, or about 25 minutes. When finished, sprinkle the top with remaining cheese and onions. Bake again until the cheese is melted, another 10-15 minutes.

Basic Frittata

(Adapted from tasteofhome.com) Ingredients: Eggs, 8 large Olive oil, 3 tablespoons Onions, 1/2 cup diced Milk, 1/2 cup Salt and pepper to taste Turmeric to taste

To this basic recipe, you can add items that you enjoy, just not all in the same dish — bell peppers any color, zucchini, broccoli, asparagus, basil leaves, cherry tomatoes, avocado; cooked meats like salmon, chicken, cooked crumbled bacon, Italian sausage; cheeses like blue cheese, grated parmesan cheese or crumbled feta cheese. Directions: Put the oil in an oven-safe 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat on top of the stove, add onions and cook stirring until softened. Add the 8 large eggs which have been whisked with the milk, salt, pepper and turmeric if desired. Then add other foods from the list according to your choice, and stir. Cook until edges start to pull away from the pan, about 6 minutes. Then place skillet in the oven preheated to 350F and bake 16-18 minutes, or until set. Roan Cadavona,

ARNP, FNP-C

Nurse Practitioner Ritu Aparajita,

MD, RPVI

Vascular Surgeon Kollagunta Chandrasekhar,

MD, FACC

Cardiologist Cynthia Wolford,

ARNP, FNP-C, CHFN

Family Nurse Practitioner

K.S. Chandrasekhar, MD, FCC

…established his clinic over 20 years ago. He is well known in the community and trusted for his accurate diagnosis and compassionate care.

• Board certified in Cardiovascular Disease and Internal Medicine • Executive Director the Heart Function Clinic, Low Risk Chest Pain Center and the

Cardiac Rehabilitation Program for BayCare Winter Haven Hospital • President of Medical Staff for BayCare Winter Haven Hospital • Chairman of Cardiology for Lake Wales Medical Center • Clinical Associate Professor, FSU College of Medicine

Ritu Aparajita, MD, RPVI

A Vascular and Endovascular Surgeon who earned her MBBS at University of Delhi,

India. She then completed a research fellowship at Columbia University Medical Center and a residency in general surgery at Staten Island University Hospital in New York, she completed her fellowship training in Vascular Surgery at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center and St. Barnabas Medical Center in New Jersey. She’s co-authored more than two dozen journal articles. She was recently nominated for the American Medical Association Inspiration Award that recognizes physicians who have contributed to the achievements of women in the medical profession.

Cynthia Wolford, ARNP, FNP-C, CHFN

…is known for her passion to educate patients about Cardiovascular Disease.

With additional heart failure certifications, she promptly identifies areas of concern, prescribing medications or lifestyle modifications to treat parients in all stages of heart failure.

• Board certified Family Nurse Practitioner • Member of Staff for BayCare Winter Haven Hospital

Roan Cadavona, ARNP, FNP-C

…brings a high level of education and experience in Cardiac Catheterization,

Electrophysiology and working in the Cardiovascular Progressive Care unit. He serves a vital role in providing patients with optimal cardiovascular care through counselling and screening, as well as disease prevention and management strategies.

• Board certified Family Nurse Practitioner • Member of Staff for BayCare Winter Haven Hospital