Consume chocolate, nuts and red wine. Who could argue with that? According to the Alzheimer’s Association, such eating habits also reduce your risk of developing dementia. The St. Louis chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association served “brain friendly” foods at its annual fundraiser and provided recipes that incorporate red wine, nuts and chocolate.
Red wine, nuts and chocolate are high in antioxidants, which appear to protect brain cells. But the Alzheimer’s Association recommends that they be consumed in conjunction with dietary guidelines to manage your body weight and limit foods high in fat and cholesterol. Supplements containing vitamin E, vitamins E and C together, vitamin B-12 or folate also may be important in lowering the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.
Adapted from a recipe in Bon Appetit magazine, makes 4 servings.
Grilled Lamb Chops with Red Wine, Garlic and Honey Glaze
Ingredients
Directions
Mix red wine, olive oil, oregano, garlic, vinegar, salt and pepper in a large glass baking dish. Arrange lamb chops in single layer in dish; turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to 1 day, turning and basting often.
Preheat grill to medium-high. Transfer lamb to a plate. Mix honey into the marinade in the baking dish. Grill lamb to desired doneness, turning and basting with marinade often, about 10 minutes for medium-rare.
Heat remaining marinade in a medium skillet; bring to a boil, then cook until reduced by half. Drizzle reduced marinade over lamb.
Per serving: 459 calories; 26g fat (51 percent calories from fat); 6g saturated fat; 113mg cholesterol; 36g protein; 12g carbohydrate; 9g sugar; no fiber; 398mg sodium; 49mg calcium; 541mg potassium.
Double Dark Chocolate Walnut Bark
This recipe can be made up to 2 weeks ahead. Store between sheets of foil in airtight containers in the refrigerator. Adapted from Sherry Muehlfarth, The Party Broker, St. Louis, makes about 30 servings.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Line an 11-by-17-inch rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. Sprinkle chopped dark chocolate evenly on lined sheet pan. Place in oven just until chocolate is softened, about 5 minutes. Remove from oven.
Using rubber spatula or back of spoon, spread chocolate evenly on sheet to edges. Immediately sprinkle walnuts over chocolate; press gently.
Place white chocolate morsels in a freezer-weight zipper-top plastic bag; microwave until soft, about 45 seconds. Work the soft chocolate into one corner of the bag, and cut off a tiny tip to form a pastry piping bag. Gently pipe thin swirling circles of the melted chocolate over the walnuts to form a lacy pattern.
Refrigerate until chocolate is firm, about 2 hours. Peel foil or parchment from back; cut chocolate bark into irregular bite-size pieces.
Per serving: 185 calories; 13g fat (63 percent calories from fat); 6g saturated fat; 3mg cholesterol; 2.5g protein; 14.5g carbohydrate; 11g sugar; 1.5g fiber; 8mg sodium; 14mg calcium; 18mg potassium.
Spring Greens with Blueberries and Lemon Vinaigrette
Adapted from chef Jennifer Rice, To Your Doorstep catering, St. Louis, makes 4 servings.
Ingredients
Directions
Toss spring greens, romaine, blueberries, goat cheese, onion and pistachios with vinaigrette. Sprinkle with croutons.
Per serving: 334 calories; 27.5g fat (74 percent calories from fat); 7g saturated fat; 15mg cholesterol; 7.5g protein; 14g carbohydrate; 8g sugar; 3g fiber; 128mg sodium; 97mg calcium; 343mg potassium.
Lemon Vinaigrette
Makes about 2 1/2 cups.
Ingredients
Directions
Whisk together vinegar, lemon juice, mustard and jelly in a bowl. Slowly add oil in a thin stream, still whisk-
ing, to emulsify. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Dressing can be made 1 day ahead; refrigerate and bring to room temperature before using. If necessary, whisk again to recombine.
Per (2-tablespoon) serving: 165 calories; 17g fat (92 percent calories from fat); 2.5g saturated fat; no cholesterol; no protein; 3g carbohydrate; 2.5g sugar; no fiber; 18mg sodium; no calcium; 4mg potassium.
Pasta With Spicy Almond Pesto
From “Food & Wine: An Entire Year of Recipes 2006,” makes 4 servings.
Ingredients
Directions
In a pot of salted boiling water, cook the pasta until al dente; drain, reserving 3/4 cup of the cooking water.
Meanwhile, to make the pesto, in a small skillet, heat 1/2 cup of the olive oil until shimmering. Fry the sage leaves over moderate heat, turning occasionally, until crisp. Drain the sage on paper towels, then chop half of the leaves.
In a meduim bowl, combine the chopped sage leaves with the garlic, almond butter, the remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil, the scallion, lemon zest, crushed red pepper and all but 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan cheese.
Toss the drained pasta with the almond pesto; add as much of the reserved pasta water as needed to make a creamy sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Top with the remaining cheese and the whole sage leaves and serve.
Staying sharp
The four pillars of the Alzheimer’s Association’s Maintain Your Brain program:
1. Stay mentally active. Mentally stimulating activities strengthen brain cells and the connections between them and may even create new nerve cells.
2. Remain socially involved. Social activity not only makes physical and mental activity more enjoyable, but it also can reduce stress levels, which helps maintain healthy connections among brain cells.
3. Stay physically active. Exercise is essential for maintaining good blood flow to the brain and to encourage the creation of new brain cells. Exercise also can significantly reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke and diabetes, and thereby protect against those risk factors for Alzheimer’s and other dementias.
4. Adopt a brain-healthy diet. According to current research, a brain-healthy diet is one that reduces the risk of heart disease and diabetes, encourages good blood flow to the brain and is low in fat and cholesterol. Research suggests that high cholesterol may contribute to stroke and brain-cell damage. Like the heart, the brain needs the right balance of nutrients, including protein and sugar, to function well.
Source: Alzheimer’s Association
