Try This

Make This!

This comfort food is tasty and full of flavonoids.

Blueberry Lemon Pancakes

Makes 12 pancakes | brainandlife.org

INGREDIENTS:

• ¼ cup water • ½ cup plus 1 tbsp sugar • 6 tbsps orange juice • 1 Earl Grey tea bag • 1¼ cups all-purpose flour • ½ cup whole wheat flour • ¼ cup corn flour • ¼ cup oat flour • 1 tbsp ground flaxseed • 2 tsps baking powder • 2 large eggs • 1¾ cups milk • 2 tbsps lemon juice • 1 tbsp lemon zest • 1 tsp butter or oil • ¾–1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. To make syrup, bring water, ½ cup sugar, and orange juice to simmer in small pot until sugar has melted. Turn off heat and add tea bag. Steep tea for five minutes. Remove tea bag and return syrup to a simmer. Raise heat and reduce mixture to ½ cup, then set syrup aside.

2. In large bowl, combine all flours, ground flaxseed, baking powder, and 1 tbsp sugar. In medium bowl, whisk eggs, milk, lemon juice, and zest. Gently stir wet mixture into dry mixture until just combined; do not overmix.

3. Place griddle or large skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tsp butter or oil. Once it melts, ladle 1/3 cup batter onto griddle for each pancake. Add five or six blueberries to each pancake and continue cooking until bubbles begin to form on pancake surface and bottom is golden brown. Flip and continue cooking for two minutes until pancakes are cooked through. Repeat until all batter is used.

4. Keep already-made pancakes warm in a 200°F oven while cooking the rest. Serve with Earl Grey orange syrup.

Eat This!

In order to survive, our bodies have to metabolize food to create the energy we need to think, walk, talk, and function throughout our day. The downside of this process is that our bodies produce free radicals that cause aging and disease. Often found in purple and red fruits and vegetables, flavonoids are an especially important antioxidant that can reduce the damage caused by free radicals.

Mary Curnutte, a registered and licensed dietitian with Nutrition 502 in Louisville, says “In general, because all the [produce] colors have different functions, I tell people to eat produce as much as possible. If we want to take that a step further, we can try to get different colors on the plate.” Red cabbage or onions, berries, and beets are good sources of flavonoids. You might like pickled onions on your tacos or cooked red cabbage with vinegar. While a red or purple color can be a clue, not every food that is a good source of flavonoids has these hues. Mary says kale, tea, and dark chocolate are also good sources.

In a study by Harvard scientists, it was found that individuals who consumed the most flavonoids in their diet were 19% less likely to report trouble with memory and thinking when compared to individuals with low flavonoid intake. While this study was observational, it seems that adding more colorful fruits and vegetables to our table can benefit more than just our waistlines.

Do This!

We may just want to stay warm and comfortable in our beds in the cold weather, but the Louisville Orchestra offers a wonderful excuse to get out and do something good for the mind and soul with its LO Coffee Series. Upcoming dates are January 13, February 3, and March 10 at 11am. The works of Beethoven, Maurice Ravel, and Joel Thompson will be featured this winter. Complimentary coffee is provided by Heine Brothers. louisvilleorchestra.org/coffee-series

By Carrie Vittitoe

Winter 2022-2023 | TodaysTransitions.com