Brain Boost Cooking Demo

Want the secrets to a healthy brain? Welcome to Cooking with Christy, a production of PacMed, where we demonstrate three MIND diet recipes for your brain. First we’ll showcase a new way to cook salmon and then demo ways to increase your daily intake of fruits and vegetables by serving the fish with a mint parsley dressing and a simple yet tasty lentil salad. We will finish the demo with chocolate covered strawberries.

Serves:

4

Prep Time:

30 minutes

Cook Time:

50 minutes

INGREDIENTS

Slow Roasted Salmon

  • Small handful of chopped parsley
  • 1 lemon, zested and sliced
  • 1 orange, sliced
  • 1 pound salmon filet
  • Olive oil
  • Salt
  • Pepper

Mint-parsley drizzle

  • ½ cup chopped parsley
  • ¼ cup chopped mint
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon maple syrup
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon water if needed for consistency

Lentil, Tomato, & Avocado Salad

  • 4 cups salad greens (like arugula, spinach, baby kale, mixed greens or romaine)
  • 1 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
  • ¼ cup roasted sunflower or pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
  • 1 (15oz) can cooked lentils, drained and rinsed*
  • 1 avocado, cut into cubes
  • 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon reduced sodium soy sauce

Chocolate Covered Strawberries with Pistachios

  • 2 dark chocolate bars (60-70% cacoa)
  • 16 oz strawberries (about 20-25), long-stemmed if available
  • ½ cup heaping pistachio kernels, chopped finely

DIRECTIONS

  • Directions for Slow Roasted Salmon and Mint-parsley Drizzle:

    Preheat your oven to 225 degrees F. In an oven safe dish, add parsley and place slices of lemon and orange to line the bottom. Add your salmon and rub with salt and olive oil to cover both sides. Add lemon zest and pepper. Place in the oven for 45-50 minutes.

    For the drizzle, add chopped parsley and mint into a food processor. Add remaining ingredients, olive oil, maple syrup, salt and lemon juice. Pulse until integrated, adding additional water if needed to thin out the topping.

    Remove cooked salmon from the oven and add drizzle to cover before serving.

  • Directions for Lentil, Tomato, & Avocado Salad:

    In a large bowl, add salad, tomatoes, seeds, lentils and avocado. Gently toss. In a separate small bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar and soy sauce. Add to salad and serve.

    *If you can’t find canned lentils, make from dry. First rinse. On occasion, you’ll find small rocks or debris mixed in with dried lentils. To avoid eating them, rinse the lentils in a fine mesh sieve and pick them over before you cook them. Discard any shriveled lentils in addition to debris. Simmer. Fill a large pot halfway with water, bring it to a boil, and add the lentils. Simmer until they’re tender. The specific cook time will depend on what type of lentils you’re cooking but typically around 20 minutes for green lentils.

  • Directions for Chocolate Covered Strawberries with Pistachios:

    Fill a small pot with about an inch of water and heat over medium-low heat. Line a large baking sheet with a Silpat mat, parchment paper, or wax paper. While you wait for the water to simmer, wash and dry the strawberries. Roughly chop the chocolate bars and pistachios.

    When the water simmers, place a heat-tempered bowl on top of the pot, not touching the water. Lower heat if necessary to keep it at a simmer. Fill the bowl with the chocolate and stir occasionally until it is fully melted, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

    Assemble your treats! Dip a strawberry in the chocolate, twirling to evenly coat, sprinkle with pistachios, then place on the baking sheet. Repeat with remaining strawberries. Either chill in the refrigerator for 10 minutes to force the chocolate to set, or let rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes to set. Enjoy within 1-2 days.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Nutrition for Slow Roasted Salmon and Mint-parsley Drizzle:

Total calories 253; Total fat 16g, Saturated fat 2g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 374mg, Total Carbohydrate 18g, Dietary fiber 10g, Sugars 3g, Protein 10g

Nutrition for Lentil, Tomato, & Avocado Salad:

Total calories 166; Total fat 12g, Saturated fat 5g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 41mg, Total Carbohydrate 16g, Dietary fiber 4g, Sugars 10g, Protein 3g

Recipe adapted from MindDietMeals.com

Nutrition for Chocolate Covered Strawberries with Pistachios:

Total calories 166; Total fat 12g, Saturated fat 5g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 41mg, Total Carbohydrate 16g, Dietary fiber 4g, Sugars 10g, Protein 3g

Recipe adapted from MindDietMeals.com