I used to host a linkup on my blog called Food on Fridays. I started it because I realized I was writing about food almost every week, so I might as well publish those posts on a designated day. I picked a day that would allow me to use alliteration, and thus, Food on Fridays was born.
Then I discontinued Food on Fridays (sorry, foodies!). I’m not as creative in the kitchen any longer; I simply ran out of ideas.
But because Food on Fridays was such a big part of my online space and identity, I decided to dedicate a podcast episode to something food-related. Today’s episode (4:28) is a mash-up of Food on Fridays and The Writing Life and covers brain food for writers. I entitled it “Food for Thought.”
Resources:
- Q&A with Delia McCabe
- BBC’s goodood: 10 Foods to Boost Your Brainpower
- Today Health: Memory Boosters for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
- Science Daily: Green tea extract boosts your brain power, especially the working memory, new research shows
- Roasted Broccoli and Lemons with Brown Rice
- 107+ Tips To Increase Brain Power
Lemony Brown Rice and Broccoli
Based on the recipe linked above
- 1 bunch broccoli, heads broken into florets (you can peel and chop the stems, as well)
- 2 lemons cut into wedges (grate some of the rind for zest)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- black pepper (optional, or just a pinch, to taste)
- 2 cups cooked brown rice (please note the rice is already cooked)
Preheat oven to 375°. Spray baking sheet with oil spray, spread out the broccoli, sprinkle with lemon zest, drizzle with olive oil, and a little black pepper (just a little–or none if you’re not a fan of pepper). Bake 20 mins, stirring once or twice. Watch that the broccoli browns just a little–not too much. When the broccoli looks roasted, add to the bowl of rice (which was reheated, if necessary). Squeeze the lemon juice one wedge at a time over everything in the bowl. Toss gently and taste; add more lemon juice to suit your preferred amount. Serve alone or as a side dish with fish such as trout or salmon.
Speaking my language, friend! Love this and will always savor any food for thought you share.
Food, food, food! Yes, food for thought is a perfect topic for you and I to discuss at length.
Ann,
How fun to hear your voice…thanks for the recipe…I am still learning Garage Band…
Thanks for listening, Dolly. I had the help of my husband who had some ideas right away how to get me started. I’m still learning, fumbling along, able to kick out a few of these podcasts. I’m sure I can improve my techniques!!
So much fun to hear this! I think it was your “Food on Fridays” posts that were some of the first I read online when I started connecting via blogs. 🙂
Okay, so that’s a fun thing to learn about our connection. I think that’s how I connected with a lot of people. Maybe I need to re-launch it as “Brain Food” and post only healthy brain food ideas (recipes and activities, both)?
Hi Ann,
Being an RN and writer, I love your mash-up of brain food and writing! I am reminded of a book I read many years ago: Brain Longevity by Dharma Singh Khalsa, M.D. I just may need to pull it out again. And thanks for linking the resources. My husband and I purchased the NutriBullet extractor a year or so ago, and include daily portions of the leafy greens and many of the seeds and berries you mentioned. We noted significant mental clarity.
Recently, I have been adding anti-inflammatory foods to my diet, as osteoarthritis has grabbed my attention. So I have increased my intake of foods with Omega-3 Fatty Acids, Vitamin C, and Bioflavonoids. Many of the same foods that fuel the brain! I was surprised to learn cherries ease arthritic pain. Of course, we could all use less of the salts, carbs, and sugars.
Thanks for your broccoli recipe! Look forward to trying it.
Excellent ideas and input, Sharon. Thank you!
Thank you for your podcast! I really appreciate the chance to hear a word of encouragement. In my drafts is post I’ve revisited while eating lunch at my desk (at my office) for a month or two, and I just need to hit publish! Thank you for speaking boldly to us all Ann.
Thanks, Trish! I hope the brevity of these podcasts make them possible for you to listen to and get right back to work.