Cookies or Milk before Bedtime?

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Don't we all have those nights where we get an intense craving for something yummy before we hop into bed? Or worse are those nights where we lay in bed wide awake while all the thoughts of things we need to do the next day somehow get manifested into an intense hunger pang that keeps us from falling asleep. Its nights like these that we run into the kitchen, grab a glass of warm milk (just as our grandmas told us to) and of course a handful of cookies because you can't drink milk without a cookie right?  I've had many experiences of nights like these I think it is useful to know what foods can both satisfy the hunger AND settle the flurry of our busy minds.  Based on a macronutrients lecture given a few weeks ago I was given all the answers and I'm here to pass them on.

First of all it is helpful to know that the neurotransmitter that is responsible for calming the mind and promoting happy thoughts is serotonin. Foods that are rich in the amino acid tryptophan get converted to serotonin.  Foods that are high in tryptophan include turkey, eggs soybeans milk and oatmeal. There is a very important caveat to this however.  When high protein foods (such as the ones with high levels of tryptophan) are consumed alone, less tryptophan is actually allowed into the brain because all the other amino acids are competing for a ride to the brain as well. Therefore.... it is actually carb-rich foods that should be eaten before bedtime. Carbs will stimulate insulin production which (through a series of more complicated mechanisms) allows tryptophan into the brain more readily. In the brain tryptophan is then converted to serotonin. 

So... I guess our grandmothers were right about the milk being a high serotonin forming food but without the presence of a carb to stimulate the uptake the other amino acids tryptophan never actually makes into the brain. Therefore, next time you can't fall asleep have a carb rich food on hand (other than cookies I might add). Putting a little protein on top won't hurt because it will normalize the level so that you don't get a RUSH of serotonin which could cause other problems...One tasty suggestion is a puff rice cracker with nut butter on top.

Sweet Dreams!!

The Perfect Breakfast

Haven't we all heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day? Despite the fact that most of what you hear through the media is false, this is one message that is in fact true! Breakfast primes the body to function properly which entails thinking clearly, having energy and avoiding strange or intense sugar cravings. Basically, if the right food is prepared, it can serve as fuel that will make you feel great all day. Before coming to Bastyr I regularly prepared myself a "breakfast porridge" that consisted of a warm grain, some flaxseed, berries and nut butter. It was tasty to be sure but in my first class as a grad student I was taught how to make it even more nutritious by turning it into a complete protein.

Complete proteins are usually found in animal protein sources but if grains and legumes are combined in a 3:1 ratio, they can also become a complete protein. The advantage of eating complete proteins is that you are feeding your body the amino acids that it cannot make on its own (otherwise known as essential amino acids). Quinoa is one grain that is very special in that it contains all the essential amino acids but lets be honest, eating quinoa every morning for breakfast will become quite bland after a week or so.

I experimented with my previous breakfast porridge recipe and found that the variety that comes with combining grains and legumes in a 3:1 ratio is actually delicious.

Ingredients needed:
2/3 cup grain (I chose brown rice but others include barley buckwheat, oats and millet)
1/3 cup legume ( I chose lentils but others include black beans, chickpeas, kidney beans, and mung beans)
1 T flaxseed
1 T nut butter
Frozen Berries
1 T Berry jam (look for one that has no added sugar. Hard to find but well worth the search)

Grind the grains and legumes in blender and add it to 2 cups boiling water. Once the porridge is cooked (or has become a texture that you like) add the other ingredients and enjoy! If it isn't sweet enough add a few drops of stevia.

At the beginning of the week I cook 2 cups of porridge and each morning I warm it up then add in whatever various toppings suit me that day. For instance, bananas walnuts  and cinnamon is a great natural sweetener and topping combination!

Regardless of what natural toppings you choose, you can be assured that you are feeding your body and excellent source of protein, vitamins and minerals that provide sustainable health for the day. What more could you ask for?  

Quick side note: If you want to make it even MORE healthful, you can sprout the grains before grinding them which enhances their nutritional value by up to 30%!! Sprouting "how to" post is on its way....

Back to the Blogging Basics

Can I just say how impressed I am by all that Seattle has to offer in terms of farmers markets, adorable restaurants and cozy coffee shops? This weekend I explored Ballard and literally was rendered speechless by the realm of possibilities for exploring. I perused the farmers market for about an hour which was hardly enough time to really get a good idea of what each stand had to offer....

My two new friends from Bastyr! 

Obviously i bought enough produce for a small army but couldn't resist. When the lettuce is twice the size of my head and the carrots are purple I must have them!!! I returned to my house (after quite the highway detour) and just had to sit on my bed to digest all that I saw and experienced. 

As I laid there thinking about how overwhelmed I could potentially be by everything I am learning in school and experiencing by living here, a brilliant idea came to mind! Instead of posting what I already know, I'm going to post what I am learning each and every day.  I'll be including what a life in Seattle teaches me as well as the highlights of what I'm learning in the classroom. In essence I hope to feed my readers kale instead of iceberg now! Just what I had intended to do in the first place though right?  I'll do my best to incorporate my weekly topics into delicious recipes and sustainable lifestyle modifications just as I was doing before. Let the new era of blogging begin...