Skinny Bitch_ Ultimate Everyday Cookbook - Kim Barnouin [41]
BREAKFAST IMPROVES YOUR VERBAL COMMUNICATION: Getting stuck on the first sentence in a client presentation isn’t going to earn you a promotion. Research shows that eating breakfast can have an effect on your semantics.
Skinny Bitch 101: Breakfast Superfoods for the Brain
Do some foods make you smarter than others? Answer: Yes. Though any breakfast is better than skipping a morning meal, some foods contribute more to brain health than others. Think healthy, bitches.
A well-balanced breakfast of protein, complex carbs, and fiber-dense nutrients takes longer to digest, stabilizes energy, improves coordination, and enhances memory for increased learning.93 These food groups also satisfy your hunger so you stay fuller longer. Get your fiber fix from whole grains, vegetables, and fruits. Foods high in protein include oatmeal, oats, fortified cereal with soymilk, soy yogurt, nuts, and other whole grains.
What to Avoid: Keep away from sugary cereals, donuts, syrups, white breads, and pastries at all costs. They make you feel hungry again quicker and put your brain and body to sleep. Naptime is for babies.
What to Eat:
WHOLE GRAINS: Breads (non-white) and fortified cereal provide the body with folate, which delivers oxygen-rich blood to the brain, along with such key nutrients as vitamin B6 and thiamine. Whole-grain foods help to sustain energy levels, stabilize blood sugar levels, and enhance memory and focus.
BERRIES: The ellagic acid in such berries as strawberries, blueberries and blackberries protects and encourages communication between brain cells and improves cognitive skills and memory.
BANANAS: Juiced with such nutrients as vitamin B6, potassium, and folic acid, bananas increase serotonin levels and mood. Scarf one in the car on the drive to work, or give to the kids to eat on the school bus. Bananas are also delish in smoothies, cereals, and soy yogurts.
WALNUTS, ALMONDS AND PECANS: A handful of nuts can power your brain like a Nascar vehicle. Pecans have a healthy serving of choline, which improves memory and brain development. Almonds kick up your memory drive, while the omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids in walnuts work to equalize the brain’s serotonin levels so you don’t crash by lunch. Add to cereals, smoothies, and oatmeal.
AVOCADOS: Rich in monounsaturated fats, avocados help to maintain focus and concentration while assisting in healthy blood flow. Add a side of avocado to an omelet using Ener-G Egg Replacer or other vegan substitute.
GREEN TEA: Skip the morning latte and opt for a mug of green tea while you curl your hair. Concentrated in catechins and polyphenols, green tea helps the brain to relax and energize dopamine levels. It also helps with maintaining concentration and increasing memory capability.94
Crêpes with Raspberry Sauce
Crêpes aren’t the easiest recipe to pull off in a vegan kitchen, but when you do, boy is it worth it. Thin and lighter than pancakes, they make me feel like I am getting away with a savory dessert at eight o’clock in the morning. Shhh . . . if you don’t tell, I won’t.
MAKES 6 SERVINGS
1 cup (130 g) unbleached all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
3 tablespoons evaporated cane sugar, plus ½ cup (100 g)
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup (240 ml) almond milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup (125 g) fresh or frozen raspberries
¼ cup (60 ml) water
2 tablespoons Earth Balance
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, 3 tablespoons of the sugar, and the salt. Whisk in the milk and the vanilla extract until smooth.
In a blender or food processor, add the raspberries, the remaining ½ cup (100 g) of the sugar, and the water and blend until puréed, for the sauce. Set aside.
Heat the Earth Balance in a skillet over medium heat. Pour about ¼ cup (60 ml) of the batter mix into the skillet, swirling to coat the bottom of the skillet as evenly as possible with the batter. Cook until the edges are lightly browned and the crêpe is almost dry on the top. Loosen the edges with a