Friday 16 May 2014
Wednesday 7 May 2014
Sorry for the quiet spell, but...
Nid's Noggin Fix will be moving with a big revamp. It's taking me a bit of time to redo all the posts to make the blog easier for you all to use. I will post the new website domain when it is ready for eyes to see!
In the meantime, remember to take some mindful breaths!
In the meantime, remember to take some mindful breaths!
Thursday 17 April 2014
Tuna & Sweetcorn Burgers
It's been quite sunny & thinking about burgers on the BBQ has begun! This healthy burger takes 15 minutes to make & cook - simple!
Although not the most healthy recipe on this blog, the 35%* magnesium and 80% B-12 with 15% B-6 makes this dish an aid to insomnia with a contribution to helping your emotional swings and memory problems. The niacin (B-3) at 70% also helps your relax & fall asleep more quickly, plus it eases migraines.
*Recommended Daily Allowance
Serves 4
Ingredients
85 g x wholemeal bread, torn into pieces
200 g tin x sweetcorn, drained
2 x 185 g tins tuna in water, drained well
25 g x cheddar, grated
3 x spring onions, finely chopped
1 x egg, beaten
2 tbsp x vegetable oil
4 x wholegrain bread rolls
Optional - salsa, mayonnaise, tomato ketchup, harissa for burger sauce
Instructions
1. Whizz the bread in a food processor to crumbs, tip into a bowl, then whizz half the sweetcorn until finely chopped.
2. Add the chopped corn, remaining whole corn, tuna, cheese, spring onions and some seasoning into the bowl with the bread and mix well.
3. Add the egg, bit by bit (you may not need it all), until the mixture is sticky enough to be shaped into four even-size burgers.
4. Heat the oil in a non-stick pan, then cook the burgers for 5 mins on each side until golden and hot through the middle.
5. Stuff into wholemeal buns with your favourite lettuce and a good dollop of salsa.
Although not the most healthy recipe on this blog, the 35%* magnesium and 80% B-12 with 15% B-6 makes this dish an aid to insomnia with a contribution to helping your emotional swings and memory problems. The niacin (B-3) at 70% also helps your relax & fall asleep more quickly, plus it eases migraines.
*Recommended Daily Allowance
Serves 4
Ingredients
85 g x wholemeal bread, torn into pieces
200 g tin x sweetcorn, drained
2 x 185 g tins tuna in water, drained well
25 g x cheddar, grated
3 x spring onions, finely chopped
1 x egg, beaten
2 tbsp x vegetable oil
4 x wholegrain bread rolls
Optional - salsa, mayonnaise, tomato ketchup, harissa for burger sauce
Instructions
1. Whizz the bread in a food processor to crumbs, tip into a bowl, then whizz half the sweetcorn until finely chopped.
2. Add the chopped corn, remaining whole corn, tuna, cheese, spring onions and some seasoning into the bowl with the bread and mix well.
3. Add the egg, bit by bit (you may not need it all), until the mixture is sticky enough to be shaped into four even-size burgers.
4. Heat the oil in a non-stick pan, then cook the burgers for 5 mins on each side until golden and hot through the middle.
5. Stuff into wholemeal buns with your favourite lettuce and a good dollop of salsa.
Monday 14 April 2014
Sweet Potato & Chickpea Tacos
A dish only takes 30 minutes to make & is loved by everyone I cook it for. It freezes really well if you make extra & then defrost it for 12 hours before reheating it on the hob for 10 minutes.
With roughly 100%* of vitamin C and manganese, and 60% B-6 this dish really helps with dizziness. With 40% magnesium, some turmeric, 10% B-12 & 30% vitamin B-2 it will aid your memory, but also these levels of nutrients will also aid insomnia, emotional issues and a bit of fatigue.
*Recommended Daily Allowance
Serves 4
Ingredients
300 g x sweet potatoes, cubed
400 g tin x chopped tomatoes
400 g tin x chickpeas (pre-cooked)
1/2 tsp x chilli flakes
2 tbsp x curry paste* (buy pre-made or make your own with recipe below)
100 g x spinach (frozen or fresh)
6 x tacos
Topping either:
2 tbsp x plain yoghurt
50 g x mature cheddar, grated
Instructions
1. Heat oven to 180C. Meanwhile, over medium heat, boil sweet potatoes for 10-12 minutes & drain.
2. In a saucepan over medium heat add curry paste, tomatoes, chickpeas & chilli flakes together & cook for 5 minutes.
3. Add drained sweet potatoes to saucepan with tomato mix.
4. Add spinach & let it wilt (approx. 3 minutes).
5. While spinach wilts (or melts if frozen), place tacos in the hot oven & cook for 3 minutes.
6. Serve as separate components for each person to stuff tacos with filling & add preferred topping.
*Curry paste can be made by grinding or blending the following together:
1 x garlic clove
1 tsp x curry powder
1 x bay leaf
1/2 tsp x fennel seeds
1 tsp x coriander (ground or seeds)
1 tsp x cumin (ground or seeds)
1/2 tsp x turmeric
1 tbsp x tomato puree
1 tbsp x ghee
You can keep the curry paste in a fridge for up to a week.
With roughly 100%* of vitamin C and manganese, and 60% B-6 this dish really helps with dizziness. With 40% magnesium, some turmeric, 10% B-12 & 30% vitamin B-2 it will aid your memory, but also these levels of nutrients will also aid insomnia, emotional issues and a bit of fatigue.
*Recommended Daily Allowance
Serves 4
Ingredients
300 g x sweet potatoes, cubed
400 g tin x chopped tomatoes
400 g tin x chickpeas (pre-cooked)
1/2 tsp x chilli flakes
2 tbsp x curry paste* (buy pre-made or make your own with recipe below)
100 g x spinach (frozen or fresh)
6 x tacos
Topping either:
2 tbsp x plain yoghurt
50 g x mature cheddar, grated
Instructions
1. Heat oven to 180C. Meanwhile, over medium heat, boil sweet potatoes for 10-12 minutes & drain.
2. In a saucepan over medium heat add curry paste, tomatoes, chickpeas & chilli flakes together & cook for 5 minutes.
3. Add drained sweet potatoes to saucepan with tomato mix.
4. Add spinach & let it wilt (approx. 3 minutes).
5. While spinach wilts (or melts if frozen), place tacos in the hot oven & cook for 3 minutes.
6. Serve as separate components for each person to stuff tacos with filling & add preferred topping.
*Curry paste can be made by grinding or blending the following together:
1 x garlic clove
1 tsp x curry powder
1 x bay leaf
1/2 tsp x fennel seeds
1 tsp x coriander (ground or seeds)
1 tsp x cumin (ground or seeds)
1/2 tsp x turmeric
1 tbsp x tomato puree
1 tbsp x ghee
You can keep the curry paste in a fridge for up to a week.
Thursday 10 April 2014
Kale, Eggs & Beans
This one can make a healthy breakfast, but you don't have to. It takes 12-15 minutes to make.
This dish has over 200%* vitamin C, and manganese, plus 100% of your magnesium and almost 70% B-6 making this dish great for helping co-ordination & dizziness, emotional issues and insomnia. The 21% vitamin D in the eggs & 12% vitamin E in dried chillies will go towards reducing fatigue, whilst the barlotti beans provide 25% B-1 and 90% folate that support your B-12 and nerve function in the brain, increasing effectiveness of B-12 in your diet.
*Recommended Daily Allowance
This dish has over 200%* vitamin C, and manganese, plus 100% of your magnesium and almost 70% B-6 making this dish great for helping co-ordination & dizziness, emotional issues and insomnia. The 21% vitamin D in the eggs & 12% vitamin E in dried chillies will go towards reducing fatigue, whilst the barlotti beans provide 25% B-1 and 90% folate that support your B-12 and nerve function in the brain, increasing effectiveness of B-12 in your diet.
*Recommended Daily Allowance
Serves 2
Ingredients
100 g x kale, cut up without spines
1 x onion, diced
2 x garlic cloves, diced
2 x eggs
1/2 tin x barlotti beans, pre-cooked and drained
1 cup x vegetable stock
1 tsp x paprika
1/2 tsp x fennel seeds
1/2 tsp x dried chillies
1/2 tsp x fennel seeds
1/2 tsp x dried chillies
Instructions
1. In deep frying pan over medium heat, cook onion & garlic for 1-2 minutes. Add SPICES and leave to cook for further 2 minutes.
2. Add half the kale to the frying pan & let it wilt (approx. 2 mins). Add other half of kale & leave to wilt.
3. Add barlotti beans and vegetable stock to pan, & leave to cook for 6 mins, stirring occasionally.
4. Make little indents in the cooked kale & break eggs into these gaps. Leave to cook the eggs (approx. 2 mins).
5. Serve and enjoy!
Monday 7 April 2014
Sausage, Kale & White Bean Pasta
This is a hearty filling meal for those who enjoy a more meaty dish. It works better with a thinner pasta like spaghetti. It takes about 15 minutes to make.
Kale and lemon juice give this dish over 200%* vitamin C and 45% manganese from kale and barlotti beans and 25% B-6 from the kale, sausage and lemon juice. Kale also has 11% magnesium and 6% B-2. The barlotti beans also contain 25% B-1 that improves memory and concentration, and 90% folate which supports B-12 function in reducing emotional issues. This recipe is great for co-ordination & dizziness issues. It will also go part way to aid your emotional stability, light sensitivity, insomnia, memory and fatigue.
*Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA)
Serves 2
Ingredients
2 nests (120 g) x spaghetti (or other pasta you like, I had penne handy)
200 g x Pork sausages with herbs
1 tbsp x olive oil
100 ml x dry white wine
1 clove x garlic, crushed
2 tsp x butter
50 g x curly kale, chopped
200 g x barlotti beans, rinsed
1 tsp x lemon juice
25 g x parmesan, finely grated
Instructions
1. Bring a large pan salted water to the boil & add pasta. Cook for 4 mins or until tender.
2. Grill sausages until browned, then slice into chunks.
3. In deep frying pan over medium-low heat add wine, garlic, butter & kale. Cover & simmer for 5 mins until kale is tender. Remove from heat.
4. Add beans & lemon juice to frying pan. Then add chunks of sausage to the frying pan.
5. Transfer pasta from water to frying pan & add 4 tablespoons of cooking water to frying pan to create sauce.
Serve with extra parmesan!
Kale and lemon juice give this dish over 200%* vitamin C and 45% manganese from kale and barlotti beans and 25% B-6 from the kale, sausage and lemon juice. Kale also has 11% magnesium and 6% B-2. The barlotti beans also contain 25% B-1 that improves memory and concentration, and 90% folate which supports B-12 function in reducing emotional issues. This recipe is great for co-ordination & dizziness issues. It will also go part way to aid your emotional stability, light sensitivity, insomnia, memory and fatigue.
*Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA)
Serves 2
Ingredients
2 nests (120 g) x spaghetti (or other pasta you like, I had penne handy)
200 g x Pork sausages with herbs
1 tbsp x olive oil
100 ml x dry white wine
1 clove x garlic, crushed
2 tsp x butter
50 g x curly kale, chopped
200 g x barlotti beans, rinsed
1 tsp x lemon juice
25 g x parmesan, finely grated
Instructions
1. Bring a large pan salted water to the boil & add pasta. Cook for 4 mins or until tender.
2. Grill sausages until browned, then slice into chunks.
3. In deep frying pan over medium-low heat add wine, garlic, butter & kale. Cover & simmer for 5 mins until kale is tender. Remove from heat.
4. Add beans & lemon juice to frying pan. Then add chunks of sausage to the frying pan.
5. Transfer pasta from water to frying pan & add 4 tablespoons of cooking water to frying pan to create sauce.
Serve with extra parmesan!
Wednesday 2 April 2014
Japanese style Salmon & Avocado Rice
The only cooking required for this dish is the rice, the other ingredients just marinade in the fridge for 12 minutes. It makes a lovely refreshing dish.
The salmon provides over 200%* B-12, over 100% Vitamin D, and 50% Omega 3s. The combined ingredients then give you 100% B-6, over 400% Vitamin C, 100% magnesium and some manganese. This dish can assist with insomnia, memory, dizziness, fatigue and emotional issues, with the B-6 aiding your confusion and light sensitivity.
As a bonus there is over 90% calcium and 80% iron in this dish - this helps the brain in a couple of ways. The calcium is used to help transmit messages to the inside of the brain cells aiding with memory, it also helps the body absorb vitamin D, so it is best to have vitamin D with calcium in your meal. Iron is important for haemoglobin & carrying oxygen around the body, which in turn makes you feel more energised.
*Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA)
Serves 2
Ingredients
300 g x sushi rice or white basmati rice
100 g x smoked salmon, sliced
2 small, ripe avocados, cubed
1 x lemon, juice
4 tsp x light soy sauce
4 tsp x toasted sesame seeds
2 x spring onions, thinly sliced
1 x red chilli, deseeded and thinly sliced
small handful coriander leaves
Instructions
1. Boil rice in a saucepan for 10-12 mins until the rice is almost cooked, then remove from the heat & leave for 5-10 mins.
2. Place salmon & avocado in a shallow bowl. Drizzle over the lemon juice, soy, chilli, spring onions & sesame seeds then mix in well, making sure everything is evenly covered. Leave in the fridge to marinate for 10 mins.
3. Serve salmon & avocado mix on top of rice & sprinkle coriander over the dish (omitted in photo as I had run out).
The salmon provides over 200%* B-12, over 100% Vitamin D, and 50% Omega 3s. The combined ingredients then give you 100% B-6, over 400% Vitamin C, 100% magnesium and some manganese. This dish can assist with insomnia, memory, dizziness, fatigue and emotional issues, with the B-6 aiding your confusion and light sensitivity.
As a bonus there is over 90% calcium and 80% iron in this dish - this helps the brain in a couple of ways. The calcium is used to help transmit messages to the inside of the brain cells aiding with memory, it also helps the body absorb vitamin D, so it is best to have vitamin D with calcium in your meal. Iron is important for haemoglobin & carrying oxygen around the body, which in turn makes you feel more energised.
*Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA)
Serves 2
Ingredients
300 g x sushi rice or white basmati rice
100 g x smoked salmon, sliced
2 small, ripe avocados, cubed
1 x lemon, juice
4 tsp x light soy sauce
4 tsp x toasted sesame seeds
2 x spring onions, thinly sliced
1 x red chilli, deseeded and thinly sliced
small handful coriander leaves
Instructions
1. Boil rice in a saucepan for 10-12 mins until the rice is almost cooked, then remove from the heat & leave for 5-10 mins.
2. Place salmon & avocado in a shallow bowl. Drizzle over the lemon juice, soy, chilli, spring onions & sesame seeds then mix in well, making sure everything is evenly covered. Leave in the fridge to marinate for 10 mins.
3. Serve salmon & avocado mix on top of rice & sprinkle coriander over the dish (omitted in photo as I had run out).
Monday 31 March 2014
Returning to Exercise post brain injury
Exercise is always difficult even without a brain injury, but when you injure your brain it is so busy using all your energy and nutrients to repair itself that you suffer exhaustion problems and chronic fatigue difficulties. A lot of people ask about how to build exercise back into their lives. Further, recent research shows that gently reintegrating exercise can help recovery from post concussion syndrome.
First, if you're not safe on your feet without guidance then do little exercises at home before you hit the streets. Build up gradually and slowly, always within your energy limits for that day and moment - start as though you've never exercised before. In the early days just cleaning your home will be sufficient exercise and you will need to take several breaks throughout.
Here are some suggestions of activities that are a good starting point, but make sure that what you do is something you enjoy and will make you happy - it is key to create a positive environment for your brain.
Tai Chi is great for meditative movement. If you haven't done it before Ramel Rones has a great 2 part DVD " Tai Chi Energy Patterns" that teaches the meditation basics and then adds in a couple of basic energy patterns. He teaches the exercises seated and standing, which is perfect to cope with your needs for the day. The standing exercises will give you a chance to work on your balance problems (I was all over the place for the first 4 months post injury and this massively helped).
Pilates will help improve your core strength and balance, mobilising your spine that is probably super stiff from lots of 'resting' (I got sick of that word). STOTT Pilates provide very comprehensive and safe workouts that are a manageable short sessions. The Sunrise Workout is great beginner DVD at 20 mins long and the Essential DVD at 40 mins covers the full beginner repertoire.
Yoga can help you stretch out a lot of tension and rebuild some upper body strength, also helping balance issues. Sarah Power's Yin Yoga DVD is very slow and meditative, using lots of cushions to support your body. Her Insight Yoga DVD contains the yin yoga classes and some vinyasa sections for when you feel strong enough to try a harder workout too.
If you're safe to go outside, walking is great cardio vascular exercise. Start with maybe 10 minutes at a very slow pace and build up gradually. Meditative walking is the best - so find somewhere quiet with as much space (so you don't have to manage bumping into people). Then close your eyes before you take a step, breathe a few times & concentrate on your body. Then open your eyes & gently gaze to the floor 2-3 feet in front of you, then let your body lead the steps. Your body will set the pace and let your mind solely focus on the sensation of walking. If you have access to a gym then the treadmill is great for monitoring your progress. As you get stronger increase the intensity with the gradient rather than speed, this is just to help with not bobbling your brain about any more than it needs.
If you find vestibular issues too much for walking then swimming can be great for cardio vascular exercise. Again, go gentle and at a pace that feels natural to your body. Don't worry about the other people in the lane and keep it brief.
When you feel strong enough and if you enjoy group classes try avoid those with music as this is just another stimulant to flood your brain. Make sure that you tell the instructor you are recovering from an injury and that you will tire easily. Stop and take breaks throughout, make sure you don't go nuts & over do it! Drink plenty of water throughout too as it helps your brain feel energised.
Eventually the balance, mobility, strength & endurance come back - slowly like all the other elements following a brain injury.
High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is better left to much later on in your recovery, so avoid sprints and other anaerobic forms of training unless supervised by an exercise professional.
First, if you're not safe on your feet without guidance then do little exercises at home before you hit the streets. Build up gradually and slowly, always within your energy limits for that day and moment - start as though you've never exercised before. In the early days just cleaning your home will be sufficient exercise and you will need to take several breaks throughout.
Here are some suggestions of activities that are a good starting point, but make sure that what you do is something you enjoy and will make you happy - it is key to create a positive environment for your brain.
Tai Chi is great for meditative movement. If you haven't done it before Ramel Rones has a great 2 part DVD " Tai Chi Energy Patterns" that teaches the meditation basics and then adds in a couple of basic energy patterns. He teaches the exercises seated and standing, which is perfect to cope with your needs for the day. The standing exercises will give you a chance to work on your balance problems (I was all over the place for the first 4 months post injury and this massively helped).
Pilates will help improve your core strength and balance, mobilising your spine that is probably super stiff from lots of 'resting' (I got sick of that word). STOTT Pilates provide very comprehensive and safe workouts that are a manageable short sessions. The Sunrise Workout is great beginner DVD at 20 mins long and the Essential DVD at 40 mins covers the full beginner repertoire.
Yoga can help you stretch out a lot of tension and rebuild some upper body strength, also helping balance issues. Sarah Power's Yin Yoga DVD is very slow and meditative, using lots of cushions to support your body. Her Insight Yoga DVD contains the yin yoga classes and some vinyasa sections for when you feel strong enough to try a harder workout too.
If you're safe to go outside, walking is great cardio vascular exercise. Start with maybe 10 minutes at a very slow pace and build up gradually. Meditative walking is the best - so find somewhere quiet with as much space (so you don't have to manage bumping into people). Then close your eyes before you take a step, breathe a few times & concentrate on your body. Then open your eyes & gently gaze to the floor 2-3 feet in front of you, then let your body lead the steps. Your body will set the pace and let your mind solely focus on the sensation of walking. If you have access to a gym then the treadmill is great for monitoring your progress. As you get stronger increase the intensity with the gradient rather than speed, this is just to help with not bobbling your brain about any more than it needs.
If you find vestibular issues too much for walking then swimming can be great for cardio vascular exercise. Again, go gentle and at a pace that feels natural to your body. Don't worry about the other people in the lane and keep it brief.
When you feel strong enough and if you enjoy group classes try avoid those with music as this is just another stimulant to flood your brain. Make sure that you tell the instructor you are recovering from an injury and that you will tire easily. Stop and take breaks throughout, make sure you don't go nuts & over do it! Drink plenty of water throughout too as it helps your brain feel energised.
Eventually the balance, mobility, strength & endurance come back - slowly like all the other elements following a brain injury.
Sunday 30 March 2014
Not Greek Salad with sardines and chickpeas
Based on a Greek Salad this has sardines, chickpeas & pepper added to it. These additional ingredients really help with providing nutrients for the brain. As I don't like raw red onion I used spring onion, but pick your preference. No cooking means it's super quick to make!
The sardines are packed with over 100%* B-12, 60% Omega 3s, 48% Vitamin D and some B-6 too. The chickpeas contain 28% magnesium and 25% B-6. For a high vitamin C kick the bell pepper, tomatoes and coriander contribute over 200% Vitamin C, plus some help from feta cheese that also contains 28% B-12 and 20% B-6. This dish should really help with dizziness, emotional issues, insomnia, fatigue, memory and to some extent confusion and light sensitivity.
* Percentages are of your Recommended Daily Amount (RDA).
Serves 4 or 2 giant lunches
Ingredients
1 x Red bell pepper, diced
1 x Spring onion (or red onion), diced
1 tin x chickpeas (pre-cooked), drained
1 tin x sardines (pre-prepared), roughly chopped
8 x cherry tomatoes, halved
1 tbsp x coriander, chopped
1/2 x cucumber, skinned & diced
100 g x feta cheese, cubed
75 g x olives (green or black as you prefer)
Instructions
1. Compile all in a bowl & enjoy!
The sardines are packed with over 100%* B-12, 60% Omega 3s, 48% Vitamin D and some B-6 too. The chickpeas contain 28% magnesium and 25% B-6. For a high vitamin C kick the bell pepper, tomatoes and coriander contribute over 200% Vitamin C, plus some help from feta cheese that also contains 28% B-12 and 20% B-6. This dish should really help with dizziness, emotional issues, insomnia, fatigue, memory and to some extent confusion and light sensitivity.
* Percentages are of your Recommended Daily Amount (RDA).
Ingredients
1 x Red bell pepper, diced
1 x Spring onion (or red onion), diced
1 tin x chickpeas (pre-cooked), drained
1 tin x sardines (pre-prepared), roughly chopped
8 x cherry tomatoes, halved
1 tbsp x coriander, chopped
1/2 x cucumber, skinned & diced
100 g x feta cheese, cubed
75 g x olives (green or black as you prefer)
Instructions
1. Compile all in a bowl & enjoy!
Thursday 27 March 2014
Peppers stuffed with Baby Beetroot
Oops! I'd eaten it all before I remembered to take a photo - so delicious! This makes a yummy snack! Takes 5-10 minutes depending your grill.
Bell peppers have well over 100% of your RDA for Vitamin C plus 10% RDA of B-6, whilst baby beetroot is rich in B-6 with lots of magnesium and manganese. This makes this dish great for insomnia, depression, anxiety and dizziness.
Serves 2
Ingredients
2 x bell peppers, halved
150 g x baby beetroot (pre-cooked), sliced
Instructions
1. Grill the peppers until they are soft & slightly golden on the edges.
2. Place the beetroot inside the peppers & enjoy!
Tuesday 25 March 2014
Oyster Pork Stir Fry
This dish has over 300% of your RDA for vitamin C thanks to garlic, mange tout, peppers and broccoli, and even the mange tout are trying to claim some benefit of vitamin C! Vitamin C helps not only with your immune system but also depression & anxiety, and supports the co-ordination/dizziness symptoms.
The baby sweet corn, soya sauce, ginger, broccoli and pork combine to over 35% of your RDA for magnesium to help with migraines, memory issues, insomnia and depression. Broccoli added Q10 helps the migraine relief too.
B6 can be found in the pork and garlic, making up 80% of your RDA with some extra coming from the broccoli, peppers and ginger. Insomnia, depression, confusion, exhaustion, light sensitivity & dizziness.
There is a touch of B12 in the milk and pork to help dizziness, memory and insomnia & exhaustion.
Serves 2
Ingredients
1 cup x broccoli, chopped into bite sized chunks
1/2 x bell pepper, chopped into strips
1/2 cup x mange tout
1/2 cup x baby sweet corn
1 cup x pork tenderloin, cubed
1 tbsp x milk
1 tbsp x soya sauce
3 tbsp x oyster sauce
1 tbsp x sesame oil
3 x garlic cloves, minced
1 inch x ginger, finely chopped
Instructions
1. In a bowl, place pork pieces with milk, soya sauce, garlic & ginger. Cover the bowl with cling film & put in fridge to marinade for 15-20 minutes.
2. When the pork has marinaded, heat a large rounded frying pan or wok on medium high heat. Add sesame oil until hot then add pork & sauce, cook until meat is no longer pink.
3. Add vegetables & oyster sauce, cook until vegetables are softened to your liking.
4. Remove from heat & serve.
Friday 21 March 2014
Exercise: Tai Chi Bubble Breathing
Once you're comfortable with the Tai Chi Baton Breathing you can move on to this exercise. It takes a bit more thought so can be too much on some days especially when getting used to it, but eventually you'll find it quite calming.
This exercise will focus your mind and require split attention, which is great for training your brain to get back to multi-tasking and flexibility of attention.
Sitting or standing for this meditation is fine.
1. Close your eyes and take 5 slow, calm breaths.
2. Imagine the Baton between your naval and pituitary, it is gently moving with your breaths in and out. Do this for another 5 breaths.
3. Now imagine a balloon around your body - maybe 2 or 6 inches outside your body. It protects and shields you. It can glow a colour if you feel this helps - I always found iridescent purple very soothing.
4. As you inhale the balloon gets closer to your body (like a balloon deflating slightly) and as you exhale, the ballon is bigger and stronger. Keep imagining the balloon as you breath in & out. Do this for at least 5 minutes but 10 minutes will really help calm your mind.
5. If you can, combine the Baton with the Balloon as you breathe. If it becomes too stressful, just focus on the Balloon for now until you get used to it. Add the Baton in for a couple of breaths, and keep increasing it until you can combine them.
Tip: I quite like to do it standing on public transport or busy places when you often feel your space being invaded, which can make you feel stressed. This exercise makes you feel that you have regained that personal space, even if only internally.
Super busy few weeks...
Unexpectedly some things came up that made me super busy for the last 3 weeks. Cooking was something I really struggled to have any time for and I was too exhausted to come up with anything new. So, I ate things I've already posted on here and really had to make sure I did the mindfulness exercises.
Here's what I ate and hope I coped:
Lunches:
mackerel & quinoa salad
Crustless tofu quiches
Broccoli salad
Chicken and lettuce sandwich (new recipe)
Dinners:
BBQ peppers with baby beetroot (new recipe)
Sweet potato lentils & mackerel
Chickpeas with spinach and tomatoes
Exercises:
In the evenings to unwind and let my brain rest I took the The Relaxation Journey exercise.
When I was at work and needed to take a break I would do the Tai Chi Baton Breathing at my desk. I could do it for 2-3 minutes just to let my brain chill and refocus.
I found attending some gentle yoga classes with an emphasis on pranayama (breathing) and meditation ensured that I took a full hour lunch break and came back with a clearer mind and better attention.
I will update these recipes with some extra nutrition comments in the next week or so and add the news ones.
Here's what I ate and hope I coped:
Lunches:
mackerel & quinoa salad
Crustless tofu quiches
Broccoli salad
Chicken and lettuce sandwich (new recipe)
Dinners:
BBQ peppers with baby beetroot (new recipe)
Sweet potato lentils & mackerel
Chickpeas with spinach and tomatoes
Exercises:
In the evenings to unwind and let my brain rest I took the The Relaxation Journey exercise.
When I was at work and needed to take a break I would do the Tai Chi Baton Breathing at my desk. I could do it for 2-3 minutes just to let my brain chill and refocus.
I found attending some gentle yoga classes with an emphasis on pranayama (breathing) and meditation ensured that I took a full hour lunch break and came back with a clearer mind and better attention.
I will update these recipes with some extra nutrition comments in the next week or so and add the news ones.
Monday 3 March 2014
Chorizo, Pepper & White Beans
Another simple & tasty dish for when you just need some meat!
Chorizo has 25%* vitamin B6 and 33% vitamin B12, and white beans give you 20% magnesium, 40% manganese & 16% B6. The dried herbs and spices add B6, manganese & vitamin E - so this dish helps if you have insomnia, exhaustion & dizziness or co-ordination issues. It will also help depression & anxiety a bit too.
*Percentages are of your Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA).
Remember to check out the beginner posts about symptom nutrients and which foods contain those nutrients to help you pick your recipes.
It should take you 10-15 minutes to make, so it's good when you're hungry.
Serves 2
Ingredients
100g x chorizo sausage, cut into mouth-sized chunks (spicy or not depends on your taste)
1 x red pepper, cubed
1 x red onion, diced
1 tin x white beans (pre-cooked cannellini is my preference)
1 tsp x cumin
1 tsp x oregano
1/2 tsp x chilli powder (or fresh diced)
1/2 tbsp x olive oil
Instructions
1. Heat olive oil over medium heat in frying pan & add red onion for 2 minutes.
2. Add cumin, oregano & chill powder, stir in & cook for a further 2 minutes.
3. Add the chorizo & pepper to the pan, stir it in & let it cook for 5 minutes.
4. Add white beans to the pan & stir through for 2 minutes.
Chorizo has 25%* vitamin B6 and 33% vitamin B12, and white beans give you 20% magnesium, 40% manganese & 16% B6. The dried herbs and spices add B6, manganese & vitamin E - so this dish helps if you have insomnia, exhaustion & dizziness or co-ordination issues. It will also help depression & anxiety a bit too.
*Percentages are of your Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA).
Remember to check out the beginner posts about symptom nutrients and which foods contain those nutrients to help you pick your recipes.
It should take you 10-15 minutes to make, so it's good when you're hungry.
Serves 2
Ingredients
100g x chorizo sausage, cut into mouth-sized chunks (spicy or not depends on your taste)
1 x red pepper, cubed
1 x red onion, diced
1 tin x white beans (pre-cooked cannellini is my preference)
1 tsp x cumin
1 tsp x oregano
1/2 tsp x chilli powder (or fresh diced)
1/2 tbsp x olive oil
Instructions
1. Heat olive oil over medium heat in frying pan & add red onion for 2 minutes.
2. Add cumin, oregano & chill powder, stir in & cook for a further 2 minutes.
3. Add the chorizo & pepper to the pan, stir it in & let it cook for 5 minutes.
4. Add white beans to the pan & stir through for 2 minutes.
Friday 28 February 2014
Sweet Potato & Salmon Cakes with Poached Egg
It's really important to feed your brain well in the mornings so it has a good chance to get you through the day, making this recipe is a winner! I like to accompany this with steamed asparagus too. Allow 30 minutes to make this so that you're not rushed.
If you find it easier to cook at night then pre-prepare the cakes & leave them in a fridge overnight. Then you only need 10 minutes to cook them in the morning!
Loads of vitamin C in this dish thanks to sweet potatoes, red peppers, chill and coriander, plus the salmon packs it's B-complex and vitamin D high. There is a nice touch (18%*) of magnesium from all the ingredients. This dish will help with insomnia, emotional issues, fatigue, memory & confusion, alongside dizziness, migraines & light sensitivity - basically a winner!
Serves 4
Ingredients
2 x large sweet potatoes, peeled & chopped into large chunks
1/2 x red pepper, deseeded, pith removed & chopped
200 g x sliced smoked salmon or flaked smoked salmon
1 x small red chilli, deseeded, pith removed & minced
1 x spring onion, finely chopped
2-3 tbsp chopped coriander [optional]
1 tsp x salt freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp x oil (canola is best)
1 x egg yolk
4 x eggs, out of shells in cups
1 tbsp x white wine vinegar
Salt & pepper
Instructions
1. Boil sweet potatoes in lightly salted water until tender. Drain and allow to cool.
2. Mash sweet potatoes coarsely. Mix in red pepper, salmon, chilli, spring onions, coriander & egg yolk. Season to taste.
3. Divide mixture into small balls and flatten each slightly to form thick disks. Heat oil in large heavy frypan.
4. Fry cakes over medium heat for 8 - 10 minutes on each side, until golden and crisp.
5. Meanwhile, heat water and 1 tbsp white wine vinegar in large saucepan until boiling. Then pour in eggs, keeping them separate, & cook for 3-4 minutes or until whites are opaque.
6. Serve eggs on top of the cakes. Season to taste.
If you find it easier to cook at night then pre-prepare the cakes & leave them in a fridge overnight. Then you only need 10 minutes to cook them in the morning!
Loads of vitamin C in this dish thanks to sweet potatoes, red peppers, chill and coriander, plus the salmon packs it's B-complex and vitamin D high. There is a nice touch (18%*) of magnesium from all the ingredients. This dish will help with insomnia, emotional issues, fatigue, memory & confusion, alongside dizziness, migraines & light sensitivity - basically a winner!
Serves 4
Ingredients
2 x large sweet potatoes, peeled & chopped into large chunks
1/2 x red pepper, deseeded, pith removed & chopped
200 g x sliced smoked salmon or flaked smoked salmon
1 x small red chilli, deseeded, pith removed & minced
1 x spring onion, finely chopped
2-3 tbsp chopped coriander [optional]
1 tsp x salt freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp x oil (canola is best)
1 x egg yolk
4 x eggs, out of shells in cups
1 tbsp x white wine vinegar
Salt & pepper
Instructions
1. Boil sweet potatoes in lightly salted water until tender. Drain and allow to cool.
2. Mash sweet potatoes coarsely. Mix in red pepper, salmon, chilli, spring onions, coriander & egg yolk. Season to taste.
3. Divide mixture into small balls and flatten each slightly to form thick disks. Heat oil in large heavy frypan.
4. Fry cakes over medium heat for 8 - 10 minutes on each side, until golden and crisp.
5. Meanwhile, heat water and 1 tbsp white wine vinegar in large saucepan until boiling. Then pour in eggs, keeping them separate, & cook for 3-4 minutes or until whites are opaque.
6. Serve eggs on top of the cakes. Season to taste.
Wednesday 26 February 2014
Courgette & Broccoli Soup aka 'Green soup'
A simple and tasty soup full of healthy greens. If you want to make it less healthy you can add in some stilton or parmesan cheese!
Serves 4
Ingredients
2 x medium courgettes, diced
1 x broccoli head, chopped into 1/4 inch pieces
1 x garlic clove, chopped finely
1 cup x frozen peas
1 tin x cannellini beans, drained
2 tsp x basil pesto
500ml x vegetable stock
1 tsp x olive oil
Salt & pepper
Instructions
1. In large sauce pan, heat the olive oil over a medium heat & add the garlic for 2 minutes until you can smell the aroma.
2. Add the courgette & broccoli to the sauce pan for 1 minute.
3. Add the stock and cannellini beans, bring to the boil & then let it simmer for 12 minutes.
4. Pour in the frozen peas & let it cook for a further 3 minutes.
5. Turn off the heat, add the pesto & puree until smooth texture.
6. Reheat when you want to eat it with some crusty bread. If you want to add cheese, do it on the reheat phase & allow it enough time to melt into the soup (approximately 3 minutes). Season with salt & pepper to taste.
Serves 4
Ingredients
2 x medium courgettes, diced
1 x broccoli head, chopped into 1/4 inch pieces
1 x garlic clove, chopped finely
1 cup x frozen peas
1 tin x cannellini beans, drained
2 tsp x basil pesto
500ml x vegetable stock
1 tsp x olive oil
Salt & pepper
Instructions
1. In large sauce pan, heat the olive oil over a medium heat & add the garlic for 2 minutes until you can smell the aroma.
2. Add the courgette & broccoli to the sauce pan for 1 minute.
3. Add the stock and cannellini beans, bring to the boil & then let it simmer for 12 minutes.
4. Pour in the frozen peas & let it cook for a further 3 minutes.
5. Turn off the heat, add the pesto & puree until smooth texture.
6. Reheat when you want to eat it with some crusty bread. If you want to add cheese, do it on the reheat phase & allow it enough time to melt into the soup (approximately 3 minutes). Season with salt & pepper to taste.
Monday 24 February 2014
Mackerel (or Ham) & Leek Tart
You can make this with mackerel or ham, depending on your preference. Just substitute the mackerel with ham below - you'll need about 1/2 cup of ham.
This is a simple recipe but does require you to watch the oven.
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 x sheet shortcrust pastry rolled out with flour (pre-made helps keep it simple)
3 x eggs, beaten
dash of milk (to go with eggs)
2 x medium leeks, chopped small
2 fillets x mackerel (pre-smoked or tinned), chopped into chunks **or 1/2 cup ham
1/2 tbsp x chives, chopped finely
Margarine to butter baking dish
Salt & pepper to season
Instructions
1. Pre-heat the oven to 180c. Butter baking dish on all sides where pastry will meet the edges.
2. Lay pastry out in buttered dish so it is flat & comes up around the edges of the tray. Place an oven-proof dish over the pastry to stop it rising & cook in the oven for 15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, steam the leeks for 5 minutes (you can boil them but then they will probably be too wet for the dish).
4. Beat the eggs & milk in a bowl, then add in the broken mackerel with chives into the eggs.
5. When the pastry has cooked for 15 minutes, take it out of the oven & lay the leeks evenly over the base of the pastry. Pour the egg-mackerel mix over the leeks & spread the mackerel pieces out. Cook for a further 25 minutes in the oven.
6. Enjoy with a salad!
Friday 21 February 2014
Beetroot, Feta & Lentil Salad
Another salad for a busy day moving around & a standard salad recipe that is nutritious for the brain!
Serves 2
Ingredients
4 x beetroot bulbs aka beets (pre-cooked in vacuum sealed pack), chopped into cubes
170 g x feta cheese, cut into small cubes
1 cup x raw spinach
1/2 cup x green or brown lentils (pre-cooked in a tin saves you boiling them)
Squeeze x lemon juice
Pepper to taste
Instructions
1. Boil lentils in water for 20 minutes until tender (unless pre-cooked in a tin, then just combine with 2).
2. Combine beets, feta, spinach lentils into bowl. Squeeze lemon juice & season with pepper.
Serves 2
Ingredients
4 x beetroot bulbs aka beets (pre-cooked in vacuum sealed pack), chopped into cubes
170 g x feta cheese, cut into small cubes
1 cup x raw spinach
1/2 cup x green or brown lentils (pre-cooked in a tin saves you boiling them)
Squeeze x lemon juice
Pepper to taste
Instructions
1. Boil lentils in water for 20 minutes until tender (unless pre-cooked in a tin, then just combine with 2).
2. Combine beets, feta, spinach lentils into bowl. Squeeze lemon juice & season with pepper.
Wednesday 19 February 2014
Okra and Tomato Stir fry
My sister made this for me to accompany a roast chicken & I'd eaten most of it before I remembered to take a photo!
Okra is high in vitamin C, magnesium and is 10% of your RDA for manganese (some B6 and lots of vitamin K), so combined with the garlic and tomatoes this makes the blog.
Serves 2
Ingredients
300 g x okra
2 tbsp x olive oil
4 x garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/2 lemon, juice
200 g x cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 tbsp x chopped coriander
2 tbsp x water
Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
1. Over a high heat DRY fry the okra until it begins to blister (almost popping seeds).
2. Reduce heat to medium and add olive oil & garlic for 2 minutes.
3. Add tomatoes, lemon juice & coriander for a further 2-3 minutes, so tomatoes warm through. Season to taste.
Okra is high in vitamin C, magnesium and is 10% of your RDA for manganese (some B6 and lots of vitamin K), so combined with the garlic and tomatoes this makes the blog.
Serves 2
Ingredients
300 g x okra
2 tbsp x olive oil
4 x garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/2 lemon, juice
200 g x cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 tbsp x chopped coriander
2 tbsp x water
Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
1. Over a high heat DRY fry the okra until it begins to blister (almost popping seeds).
2. Reduce heat to medium and add olive oil & garlic for 2 minutes.
3. Add tomatoes, lemon juice & coriander for a further 2-3 minutes, so tomatoes warm through. Season to taste.
Monday 17 February 2014
Sweet Potato Lentils & Mackerel
This is a staple dish for me as you can keep frozen spinach, lentils, tinned mackerel & a squash (supplements the sweet potato) in your kitchen for ages. Then one night when there's little in the cupboards, you can make this yummy dish!
Everyone who has tasted this has been inspired to go home & cook it!
P.s. If you're a non fish eater, just don't add the mackerel. It still tastes yummy.
Serves 4
Ingredients
2 x mackerel fillets (smoked or tinned can work fine)
1 x onion, chopped finely
1 inch x ginger, chopped finely
2 x cloves garlic, chopped finely
1-2 tsp x cumin, ground (or powder)
1-2 tsp x coriander powder
500ml x vegetable stock
1/2 cup x red or yellow lentils
2 x sweet potatoes, chopped into small cubes (can substitute with squash)
1 cup x spinach (frozen or fresh)
Pepper to taste
1 tbsp x olive oil
Instructions
1. Heat olive oil in a sauce pan, add the onion & garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes until softened.
2. Add the sweet potato (or squash), coriander, cumin & ginger and cook for a further 2 minutes.
3. Stir in the stock, bring to the boil and add the lentils.
4. Cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are tender and the stock has been absorbed. Add a little more stock if necessary throughout. Season with sea salt and black pepper and add the spinach, heat for 1 minute (allow 10 minutes if frozen spinach).
5. EITHER:
(a) FRESH Mackerel - Heat the 1 tsp of oil in a large frying pan, place the mackerel fillets skin-side down in the pan and cook for 4-5 minutes until the skin is crisp. Turn over, season with black pepper and cook for a further 4-5 minutes until just beginning to flake.
(b) TINNED or Smoked Mackerel - chop into chunks and add to lentil pan for 1 minute to heat through.
Thursday 13 February 2014
Exercise: Tai Chi Baton Breathing
I do not study Tai Chi with a teacher, but to help my meditation and improve balance after my accident I studied Ramel Rones's "Tai Chi Energy Patterns" DVD. I found it really helped when I wasn't well enough to even go for a walk. These breathing patterns were the beginning of how I learnt to manage pain with meditation. They take focus and control.
This exercise 'Baton Breathing" is a good starting point to focus your breathing and meditation.
Do it sitting or standing, then apply it when you're moving mindfully e.g. walking.
1. Sit or stand with a neutral spine, imagining your head reaching to the sky and feet growing like tree roots into the ground. Slightly tuck the pelvis under to encourage a long lumbar spine.
2. Picture an energy ball behind your naval. As you inhale the energy becomes more focused within you and centralises at the energy centre. As you exhale the energy expands and grows inside your body, giving it strength. Keep doing this for 5 minutes.
3. Picture the energy ball in your pituitary centre (in between your eyes in your forehead) and inhale and exhale, imagining the energy ball becoming larger as you exhale & smaller as you inhale. Keep doing this for 5 minutes.
4. Connect the naval and pituitary energy balls drawing a line between them - creating a baton. Reside in the baton as you breathe. Sense the difference between the naval and pituitary, how does this feel in the baton? Stay here for at least 5 minutes.
It is important to feel the length in the spine whilst relaxing to encourage correct posture and the optimum flow of energy in your body.
Wednesday 12 February 2014
Broccoli, Green Bean & Cherry Tomato Salad
Veg salad to accompany the crustless tofu quiches.
Serves 3
Ingredients
1 x Broccoli head, chopped into mouth sized chunks
50 g x Green beans, ends removed & chopped in half
12 x Cherry tomatoes, halved
1 tbsp x Sesame seeds
Instructions
1. You can have this all raw, so combine all ingredients into a bowl & enjoy OR
2. Steam the broccoli & beans for 5-8 minutes. Then combine with cherry tomatoes & sesame seeds.
Serves 3
Ingredients
1 x Broccoli head, chopped into mouth sized chunks
50 g x Green beans, ends removed & chopped in half
12 x Cherry tomatoes, halved
1 tbsp x Sesame seeds
Instructions
1. You can have this all raw, so combine all ingredients into a bowl & enjoy OR
2. Steam the broccoli & beans for 5-8 minutes. Then combine with cherry tomatoes & sesame seeds.
Crustless Tofu Quiches
Super yummy & brain food! I made these to accompany the green bean, broccoli & tomato salad also posted on the blog.
Serves 3
Ingredients
1/2 tbsp x olive oil
1 tsp x garlic, minced
1/2 cup x bell pepper, chopped
1 cup x mushrooms, chopped
1 tsp fresh chives (or one green onion), minced
1 tsp minced fresh rosemary (or 1/2 tsp. dried, crushed)
black pepper to taste
350g firm silken tofu, drained of water
1/4 cup x plain soymilk
2 tbsp x nutritional yeast
1 tbps x cornstarch (may sub another thickener such as arrowroot or potato starch)
1 tsp x tahini (preferred) or cashew butter
1/4 tsp x onion powder
1/4 tsp x turmeric powder
1/2-3/4 tsp x salt
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 190 C. Grease muffin cups/tray with butter or non-stick spay.
2. In frying pan heat oil over moderate heat & sauté the garlic, bell peppers, and mushrooms over medium heat until the mushrooms just begin to exude their juices. Stir in the chives, rosemary, and freshly ground black pepper, and remove from the heat.
3. Place the tofu, soya milk, yeast, tahini, onion powder, turmeric & cornstarch into a food processor or blender. Process until completely smooth and silky.
4. Add the tofu mixture to the vegetables and stir to combine. Spoon equally into the muffin cups: it will fill regular muffin cups about halfway.
4. Put the muffin pan into the oven and immediately reduce the heat to 175 C. Bake for approximately 25-35 minutes depending on your oven, until the tops are golden and a knife inserted into the middle of a quiche comes out clean.
5. Remove from the oven and allow them to cool for about 10 minutes.
Ingredients
1/2 tbsp x olive oil
1 tsp x garlic, minced
1/2 cup x bell pepper, chopped
1 cup x mushrooms, chopped
1 tsp fresh chives (or one green onion), minced
1 tsp minced fresh rosemary (or 1/2 tsp. dried, crushed)
black pepper to taste
350g firm silken tofu, drained of water
1/4 cup x plain soymilk
2 tbsp x nutritional yeast
1 tbps x cornstarch (may sub another thickener such as arrowroot or potato starch)
1 tsp x tahini (preferred) or cashew butter
1/4 tsp x onion powder
1/4 tsp x turmeric powder
1/2-3/4 tsp x salt
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 190 C. Grease muffin cups/tray with butter or non-stick spay.
2. In frying pan heat oil over moderate heat & sauté the garlic, bell peppers, and mushrooms over medium heat until the mushrooms just begin to exude their juices. Stir in the chives, rosemary, and freshly ground black pepper, and remove from the heat.
3. Place the tofu, soya milk, yeast, tahini, onion powder, turmeric & cornstarch into a food processor or blender. Process until completely smooth and silky.
4. Add the tofu mixture to the vegetables and stir to combine. Spoon equally into the muffin cups: it will fill regular muffin cups about halfway.
4. Put the muffin pan into the oven and immediately reduce the heat to 175 C. Bake for approximately 25-35 minutes depending on your oven, until the tops are golden and a knife inserted into the middle of a quiche comes out clean.
5. Remove from the oven and allow them to cool for about 10 minutes.
Friday 7 February 2014
Detox Soup
This is a simple soup that you can eat tonnes of & never seem full! Sometimes I like to add in jerusalem artichokes if they're in season.
You can forget the parsley & lime juice if you don't have them in stock. I'm posting 2 photos to show it with and without broccoli.
Serves 4
Ingredients
2 bunches x spring onions or 1 x large leek, finely chopped
1 x small cauliflower, chopped to bite sized chunks
1 x small broccoli, chopped to bite sized chunks
1-2 tsp x cumin powder
1-2 tsp x coriander powder
4-5 large ripe tomatoes or 400g tinned
2 x garlic cloves, crushed
1/4 tsp x cayenne pepper
1 litre x vegetable stock
1 tbsp x olive oil
1 x lime, juice
Handful x Flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
Instructions
1. Heat olive oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add cauliflower, spring onion/leek & garlic with coriander, cumin & cayenne pepper for 3 minutes.
2. Add vegetable stock & bring to boil. Reduce to simmer & cover for 20 minutes.
3. Add tomatoes & lime juice to saucepan & simmer for 10 minutes.
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