Food for thought

Big exams, big interviews, big presentations… every BIG event in life calls for mental sustenance. Good nutrition, plenty of sleep and quality time with people you love provide it in spades.

Big events in our lives tend to create stress, and when we're stressed we often indulge in quick fix comfort foods that don't provide the mental energy we need to perform at our best.

To perform at your best mentally, try to make a meal of the food types below. Remember, it's best to eat food that will give you sustained energy, rather than a quick burst of energy, followed by a 'low', i.e., tiredness.

• Nuts and seeds: good sources of vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids (omega-3 and omega-6) - the tasty walnut even looks like a brain! Only eat small handfuls at any one time.
• Bananas: good source of potassium and vitamin B6, essential for brain function. But don't eat too many, as they could block you up.
• Chocolate: more specifically, the cacao bean. Choose dark chocolate rather than the milky varieties. Chocolate with high cacao content has been shown to have a positive effect on the brain, with increased cognitive function. (See 'The good word on chocolate'.)
• Blueberries: long respected as a superfood, blueberries have also been proclaimed the 'brain berry'. Blueberries are an excellent source of antioxidant phytonutrients, reported to support healthy brain function.
• Fish: Oily fish are best, such as tuna, salmon and sardines, as they're rich in omega-3 fatty acids, touted as crucial for brain function - and brain development in infants and children. So, regular consumption over the long term is important.
• Eggs: The buzz around eggs at the moment is choline, shown to play an important role in memory function.
• Water: to perform at your best, drink the recommended eight glasses of water a day.

While these foods are recommended for healthy brain function, the classic food pyramid can still be a valuable guide to good eating:

• eat mostly vegetables, fruit, legumes, cereals and whole grains;
• eat moderately dairy, nuts, eggs and meat; and
• eat less sugar, oil, margarine and butter.

One of the best ways to enjoy good food and a balanced diet is with family and friends, particularly during times of high stress, such as sitting for the HSC, a big work presentation or the big wedding day. Sitting down to a nutritious meal with the people you love can provide a healthy distraction from stressful events, and it can help you debrief and share the process.

Eating with family and friends has been shown to encourage healthy eating, as we're more likely to make something nutritious to eat, rather than simply reach for a quick fix meal.

Here are four healthy, lowfat Weight Watchers recipes. They not only provide mental sustenance, but help you celebrate the joy of life and food with family and friends. Enjoy!

 

Quick bouillabaisse

Serves 4
POINTS value per serve: 4 1⁄2
Prep: 10 mins
Cooking: 10 mins

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 tsp saffron threads
• 1 finely sliced leek
• 1 (120g) potato cut into 1cm cubes
• 1 litre (4 cups) chicken stock made using stock cubes
• 800g can diced Italian tomatoes
• 2 tbs lemon juice
• 750g seafood marinara mix
• 12 mussels, cleaned
• 1⁄3 cup roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley

Directions
1. Combine saffron and 1 tbsp hot water in a small bowl. Stand for 5 mins.
2. Spray a large deep non-stick saucepan with oil and place over medium heat. Add leek and potato. Cook, stirring for 3 mins or until softened. Increase heat to high.
3. Add saffron, stock, tomatoes and lemon juice. Bring to the boil. Add marinara mix and place mussels on top of bouillabaisse. Return to the boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered for 3 mins or until mussels open.

Season with salt and pepper. Ladle into deep bowls and sprinkle with parsley. Serve.

Note: Marinara mix is a mixture of uncooked seafood available from fish shops.

 

Sesame tuna with spinach & asparagus

Serves 2
POINTS value per serve: 5 1⁄2
Prep: 10 mins
Cooking: 5 mins

Ingredients

• 2 tbs lime juice
• 1 tbs, grated ginger
• 2 tbs soy sauce
• 1 tbs sesame oil
• 2 x 150g tuna steaks
• 1 bunch, trimmed asparagus
• 2 cups baby spinach leaves
• 1 tbs, chopped fresh coriander leaves
• 1 extra lime, cut into wedges

Directions
1. Place lime juice, ginger, soy sauce and sesame oil in a bowl and add tuna steaks and coat well.
2. Boil or steam asparagus for 3 mins or until just tender. Set aside and keep warm.
3. Spray a large non-stick pan with oil. Heat over high heat. Add tuna and cook for 2 mins on each side or until seared and still raw in the centre. Remove from pan.
4. Add remaining marinade and bring to a simmer. Add asparagus and cook for 1 minute or until heated through, then add spinach until leaves wilt.

Serve tuna with vegetables and pan juices. Sprinkle with coriander and serve with lime wedges.

Note: Store limes at room temperature. They will yield more juice.

 

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