It's the zucchini in these Sicilian-style chicken and vegetable skewers that deliver a mental health boost.
You are what you eat, or so the saying goes, and it couldn't be truer in the case of mental health. Whether your stressed out, depressed or anxious — the foods you choose can make things better or worse.
"One study showed that eating comfort foods — those heavy in fat, sugar, salt — actually lower a person's mood after being eaten, only giving a small positive effect during the meal," says Kelly M. Rubenstein, a registered dietitian with the UCI Health Weight Management Program.
"It's better to eat foods that are proven to keep your energy up so you can handle life’s major stresses."
These recipes, created by Chef Jessica VanRoo, assistant director of Culinary Recreation & Experiential Programs at UC Irvine, can help boost your mood and mental health. Besides being low in calories, they provide a great blend of good carbs, lean protein and plenty of vitamins and minerals.
Chocolate Raspberry Quinoa Breakfast Bowl
Serves 4 (Total cost: $6.32/$1.58 per serving)
Calories per serving: 271 with maple syrup sweetener; 223 with monk fruit
Quinoa has been cultivated in South America since ancient times and was considered a sacred food by the Inca people.
Pronounced KEEN-waa, this staple grain is a complex carbohydrate and complete protein. It also is a great source of fiber, which can help with cholesterol and blood sugar levels, lowering your risk of diabetes and heart disease and keeping your energy levels steady.
Plus it's gluten-free, making it a perfect choice for people who have allergies to gluten.
Ingredients
- 2 cups coconut milk (not canned, carton) or milk of choice
- 1 cup quinoa, well rinsed
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 2-3 tablespoons maple syrup or monk fruit sweetener
- 1 banana, sliced
- ½ cup berries
Directions
- In a small pot, combine coconut milk and quinoa.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove pot from the heat, stir in cocoa powder and sweetener blend thoroughly.
- Allow ingredients to get acquainted for a few minutes.
- Ladle quinoa mixture into a bowl.
- Top with banana slices and berries then serve.
Sicilian Chicken and Vegetable Skewers with Pesto Farro
Serves 4 (Total cost: $14.37/$3.59 per serving)
Calories per serving: 461
Grilling is a delicious, low-cal, low-fuss method for preparing meats. It's also an easy way to fit in your vegetables. Outdoor grilling not only allows any excess fat to drip right through the grates, it helps keep your kitchen cool during the hottest days and evenings of spring, summer and fall!
Chicken is an excellent source of lean protein. It's the zucchini that really pumps up this recipe's mental health booster effect.
This super-vegetable is delivers lots of magnesium, a mineral the brain needs to regulate mood, calm the nervous system and ease symptoms of depression. It also aids in sleep by working with melatonin, a hormone that helps control your body clock and sleep cycles.
In addition, zucchini is rich in potassium, B vitamins, dietary fiber and antioxidants. Potassium increases blood flow to the brain, which can help with the brain fog often associated with depression. One cup of zucchini also has 14% of the body’s daily need for vitamin B6 — an important depression lifter. Layer in onions and sweet peppers and you add antioxidants, more minerals and vitamins. Basil and lemon deliver a zesty kick.
Farro is another high-protein, high-fiber ancient grain, a type of whole-grain wheat that features prominently in Mediterranean diets and is a healthier alternative to white rice or other refined grains. It, too, is an excellent source of nutrients like magnesium and zinc, which is essential for a healthy immune system and wound healing. The B vitamins found in farro also help to break down and convert the grain into energy, as well as keep your hair, skin and eyes healthy!
Ingredients
Chicken skewers
- 1 lb chicken breast, cut into small bite-size pieces
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large lemon, zested and juiced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
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- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 red bell pepper cut into 1-inch squares
- 1 red onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 zucchini, cut into ½-inch rounds
- Lemon, cut into wedges for serving
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Farro
- 1 cup farro, rinsed
- 3 tablespoons homemade or store-bought pesto
Directions
- Combine chicken with olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, oregano, basil, garlic, salt and pepper.
- Mix well, set aside to marinate for 20 minutes.
- Skewer vegetables and chicken.
- Preheat grill to medium-high, about 400 degrees.
- Place skewers on grill, rotating frequently for 10-15 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through (165 degrees).
- Alternately, skewers can be baked in a 400-degree oven for 15 minutes, or until the chicken reaches 165 degrees.
- For farro:
- Bring 4 cups of water to a boil and place farro in water.
- Reduce heat to medium-high and cook farro 30-35 minutes, until tender.
- Drain farro then stir in pesto.
- Serve the farro with chicken skewers, adding extra lemon wedges.
Strawberry Yogurt Bites
Makes 24 (Total cost: $7.08/ $0.30 per bite)
Calories per serving: 17 using maple syrup sweetener;10 using monk fruit
This recipe features Greek yogurt, which is rich in calcium, protein and probiotics. That means it promotes both bone and improved gut health.
Emerging research shows that a healthy gut contributes to good mental health because the gut — not just the brain — makes serotonin and dopamine, our feel-good neurotransmitters.
Ingredients
- 12 ounces plain Greek yogurt
- 1 cup strawberries, hulled
- 2 tablespoons milk of choice
- Sweetener of choice, maple, honey, monk fruit, etc. (optional)
Directions
- Combine ingredients in food processor or blender.
- Mix until well blended.
- Taste and adjust sweetness by adding your sweetener of choice
- Pour mixture into an ice cube tray, preferably silicone.
- Freeze until firm and serve.
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