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Eat These Foods For a Healthy Brain

https://www.chicvegan.com/eat-these-foods-for-a-healthy-brain/

While we might not realize it while were young and healthy, the decisions we make throughout our entire life can greatly affect the health of our brain later in life. I wrote this post a few weeks ago about how we can protect our memory, and in today’s post I’d like to cover some of the best foods we can eat to help keep a healthy brain throughout our entire lives. With a family history of dementia myself, brain health is something I take very seriously, and you should too, especially if cognitive decline and impairment is something that has affected someone in your family.

One of the best things we can do for our overall health, disease prevention, to keep our memory sharp and help us feel our very best, is eliminate inflammatory foods which include: gluten, sugar, dairy, meats, fast and processed foods, fried foods, pastries, alcohol, food additives, and preservatives. Instead turn the focus of your diet onto eating more fruits, veggies, nuts, beans and especially greens, lots of healthy, whole foods, plant-based fats and foods low on the glycemic index.

There are many plant-based foods that have proven especially beneficial for dementia prevention and treatment.

Grapes for brain health

Foods for a Healthy Brain Include:

  • Apples
  • Blueberries
  • Beets
  • Coconut
  • Grapes
  • Herbs – especially Sage and Rosemary
  • Leafy greens (Kale, Turnip Greens, Swiss Chard and Broccoli are the best)
  • Mushrooms – most notably Lion’s Mane Mushrooms
  • Olives
  • Oranges
  • Spices – especially Ginger, Saffron and Turmeric
  • Strawberries
  • Omega-3 rich foods including; Walnuts, Flax Seeds, Chia Seeds and Hemp Seeds

You can prepare many easy dishes to sneak the above foods, minus those that trigger inflammation, into your daily meal plan.

Herbs for brain health
Photo by Joanna-Kosinska

Meals for a Healthy Brain Include:

  • Chia Seed Pudding made with Coconut Milk, Turmeric and topped with Berries
  • Avocado Toast (on Gluten Free Bread)
  • Baked Sweet Potato topped with Almond Butter, Blueberries, Bananas and Ground Flax Seed or Granola
  • Energy Balls
  • Spiced Nuts
  • Dried Fruit
  • Chopped Veggies with Hummus or another plant based dip
  • Green Leafy Salads loaded with veggies, fruits, nuts and seeds
  • Beet Salad
  • Fruit Salad
  • Buddha Bowls
  • Cauliflower Steaks topped with Herbs and Spices
  • Zoodles or Spaghetti Sauce topped with Herb Pesto
  • Roasted Broccoli
  • Roasted Carrots with Rosemary
  • Soups loaded with beans, veggies, herbs and spices
  • Golden Milk
  • Ginger or other Herbal Teas
  • Water Infused with Fruits, Sage and Rosemary
  • Indian and Thai Food are excellent choices when dining out. Did you know that India has one of the lowest rates of dementia? It is thought that is largely attributed to the abundance of herbs and spices that they eat each day.
  • Any recipe that includes mushrooms are great for your brain but especially the delicious gluten free and vegan stuffed mushrooms below which are a huge hit with everyone!

Great For Your Brain Stuffed Mushrooms

Good for Your Brain Stuffed Mushrooms

Ingredients

  • 1
    cup
    walnuts
  • 16
    ounces
    baby bella mushrooms
    stems removed and chopped
  • 1
    tablespoon
    olive oil
  • 1
    shallot
    small dice
  • 2
    cloves
    garlic
    small dice
  • 1
    handful of spinach or other leafy green
  • 1
    teaspoon
    chopped fresh rosemary
  • 1
    teaspoon
    chopped fresh sage
  • ¼
    teaspoon
    nutmeg
  • 1
    teaspoon
    miso
  • Salt & Pepper
    if desired

Instructions

  1. Clean mushrooms and remove stems. Set the caps aside. Chop the stems and then sauté along with the shallots, garlic, rosemary and sage in the olive oil on medium heat until the shallots are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the spinach, walnuts and nutmeg and cook another minute. Let the mixture cool and then transfer to a food processor, add the miso and process until thoroughly combined and the mixture is the consistency of bread crumbs. Add salt and pepper to suit your taste, place the caps upside down in a casserole dish and spoon the mixture into the caps. Cook at 350⁰ for 30 minutes. Serve with any desired herbs, chopped veggies or seeds as a garnish.

Good for Your Brain Stuffed Mushrooms are loaded with ingredients for a healthy brain. They're vegan and gluten-free

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Malvani Chicken Curry (Western Indian Coconut, Kashmiri Chili, Onion Curry) gluten-free, nut-free

Explore regional Indian cuisine with me and Try this fantastic Malvani Chikin curry! Western Indian spicy caramelized onion, toasted coconut and kashmiri chili sauce with crisp tofu! This sauce is flavor packed and has its own malvani masala spice blend! 1-pan meal meal that’s delicious served over rice or with flatbread or naan. 

malvani chicken curry in the pan after cooking

Malvani cuisine originates from the western coastal region in India. It has overlap with Maharashtrian(cuisine of state of maharashtra in India) as well as Goan cuisines and includes a lot of fish and local meat dishes. The flavors are very specific to the cuisine, with its own spice mixes (malvani masala or malvani garam masala) and cooking techniques. 

I’ve been exploring amazing regional flavors from various parts of India and brining you vegan versions, simplified or inspired dishes and today we are making vegan malvani chicken curry! For the sauce base, we use a blended roasted onion and coconut mixture, which is called vatan, making our own malvani spice blend with some spices, and using crisped up tofu in place of the meat. You can use other protein such as chickpea tofu, vegan chickin or beans as well. Traditionally, you don’t add any cream to this curry, but you can add some(it will also balance out the heat), add in some cashew cream or other non-dairy cream right at the end.

close-up of malvani chicken curry in the pan after cooking

The sauce and spice mix includes a lot of Kashmiri chili powder (I know right, you need some!) and black pepper, so it can get pretty hot. You can reduce these spices to suit your heat preferences, if needed.

Like I mentioned above, we make the flavorful Malvani masala spice blend from scratch. It is so delicious! If you have access to Malvani garam masala, I recommend using it in this recipe instead of the spice mix that I’m making below, to reduce active time. Just mix it with two teaspoons of Kashmiri chili powder and use. You can use this fragrant spicy blend over roasted veggies or with beans. It’s flavorful and can be used in many ways!

Key features of Malvani Curry

Malvani masala: this spice blend and the curry are known for the deep red color. It can be made with milder chilies with deeper color like byadagi chilies and Kashmiri chilies. I am using Kashmiri chili powder for a quicker version

Vatan: the sauce made with blended caramelized onion and toasted coconut makes the base of the curry. It adds a delicious sweet toasty flavor and some texture.

Slow long cooking: the longer cooking time helps the flavors meld and the colors to show up. The sauce when well cooked will get a glaze of the deep red color and a settled flavor. Before that state, the coconut might be a stronger flavor and the sauce might be lighter.

hand scooping up some malvani chicken curry using a piece of flatbread

Why You’ll Love Malvani Curry

  • amazing spice blend is delicious, even if you’re missing a spice or two
  • rich, flavorful blended sauce base with caramelized garlic, onion, and coconut
  • crispy, seasoned tofu in deeply seasoned curry sauce
  • option to crisp up the tofu or skip cooking it ahead to save time
  • gluten-free and nut-free with lots of easy soy-free options
malvani chicken curry in the pan with a piece of flatbread

🇮🇳 More Regional Indian Curries

  • Western Indian Goan Peri peri Chikin.
  • North indian Rara Chikin curry
  • South Indian Malabar Curry
  • South Indian Baked Eggplant Curry
  • East Indian Kosha Mangsho

Continue reading: Malvani Chicken Curry (Western Indian Coconut, Kashmiri Chili, Onion Curry) gluten-free, nut-free

The post Malvani Chicken Curry (Western Indian Coconut, Kashmiri Chili, Onion Curry) gluten-free, nut-free appeared first on Vegan Richa.

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