The Healthy Mind Cookbook

Way back in my pre-clinical years (which was actually last experienced less than a year ago), my school decided to use our class to experiment with a curriculum change. We moved into a systems-based approach, and although the thought process behind it was great…as with most new things, it was/is not without its kinks, and my class (hereby known as the “Spirited Survivors/Guinea Pigs of 2016” definitely had our fair share of struggles.

The worst of it was probably neuro. Coincidentally, it’s also my weakest subject, and I’m sure I’m to blame for a lot of it, but…for the most part, our class was pretty much forced to teach the subject to ourselves. (This is not a subject you want to have to teach yourself.)

This graph lived on the board in our lecture hall for the entirety of the time (3 weeks) that we spent learning everything we had to know about neuro:

The only reason I managed to skip out on the neuro depression that rained over our entire class?

I didn’t go to class.

I know this sounds horrible since we were paying so much money to be in school, but I don’t learn well from sitting and listening. I learn best by doing, and when that’s not an option (which is most of the time), active engagement and discussion is what helps me to learn and retain information.

My neighbor and I became HBLers (Home-Based Learners) after our second course in medical school. Our third course was Musculoskeletal, and since anatomy was arguably my best subject, I figured if I was going to try out this new study method, I might as well do it in a subject where I could [theoretically] take the hit.

Why the eff am I bringing up my most hated subject anyway?

It’s because of this book! Although I hated neuro with a burning passion, I loved reading about it in relation to food, so this may well be what gets me to finally study it forreal! :O!! (No, it doesn’t go into all the different tracts and pathways, but it does give mention to a lot of things I’d normally just want to skip over if it were in a textbook!)

The Healthy Mind Cookbook

By Rebecca Katz with Mat Edelson

Genre: Cookbook
Pages: 246

What I loved about The Healthy Mind Cookbook was that it managed to incorporate one of my greatest loves of life (food) with helpful and important information that was both interesting and engaging. In the first chapter, Rebecca briefly discusses food + how it can affect your stress, anxiety, depression, memory, cognitive function, and learning. Her enthusiasm about the subject is infectious, and I enjoyed reading about it.

Chapter 2 talks about a ton of different awesome foods and what they’re good for (e.g. cognitive function, memory, mood, mental energy, learning, etc.). I made sure to check out the paragraph on walnuts, because I still have a couple pounds left. (My mom has been telling me that they’re good for your brain, and she is not wrong! Studies have shown that they may help with cognitive function, focus, healthy sleep, memory and vascular health! The ingredients/foods are listed in alphabetical order, so it’s easy to find what you’re looking for!

If you’ve ever wanted to learn how to build on flavors + make quick taste fixes in the kitchen, you will love chapter 3!  She also discusses how to reduce recipe-reading anxiety, prep food in bulk, and “culinary choreography” so you can save on time while preparing food!

(This is from page 31 of The Healthy Mind Cookbook!)

The next 7 chapters are all about the food! There are over 120 different recipes, so there’s gotta be something that you’ll love in here.

• Soups (e.g. Moroccan Chickpea & Vegetable Soup)
• Vegetables (e.g. Kale Quinoa Salad)
• Meat & Seafood (e.g. Roasted Ginger Salmon with Pomegranate Olive Mint Salsa)
• Anytime Foods (e.g. Sunshine Up Baked Eggs)
• Dollops (e.g. Basil Cashew Cream)
• Tonics & Elixirs (e.g. Green Tea Chai)
• Sweet Bites (e.g. Chocolate Cherry Walnut Truffles)

Each recipe includes:

• Number of servings
• Prep time
• Cook time
• A short background introduction/story (I found them interesting!)
• Ingredients/Instructions (duh)
• Possible variations/alterations
• Nutrition facts
• And…my personal favorite, because I bulk-cook like nobody’s business: tips on storage for the fridge or freezer!

There isn’t a very high picture to recipe ratio, but the ones that are pictured are gorgeous + mouth-watering (just in case that front cover photo of the Thai It Up Steak Salad wasn’t enough of an indication).

This recipe was adapted from The Healthy Mind Cookbook! (Original recipe called for allspice, but I have none and the snowpocalypse is still here, so I used ground ginger instead! I also made them in the toaster oven because ain’t nobody gonna make me turn on the oven for 2 cups of nuts!)

For the record, your kitchen is going to smell amazing. <3

Apple Pie-Spiced Walnuts & Raisins

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp EVOO
• 2 tsp maple syrup
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• dash of sea salt
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 2 cups walnuts
• 3 tbsp raisins

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Put EVOO, maple syrup, cinnamon, ground ginger, salt & nutmeg in a bowl, then stir to combine.
3. Add walnuts + stir to evenly coat. Spread onto the baking sheet and roast in the oven for ~8 minutes (or until you can start to smell the delicious aroma!). If you’re adding raisins, toss them in with the warm nuts.
4. (Optional) Enjoy these with sliced apples for a deconstructed, crust-less apple pie!

• Are there any foods you like to make when you especially have to focus?