Healthy Food for a Healthy Mind

Whilst we’ve all been told countless times how important it is to look after yourselves – the most obvious ways being eating well and exercising – it remains incredibly hard to eat well and think about what foods are being put into your body. I find this especially true when I’m stressed, for instance during exam period, where I find myself relying on beans on toast and microwave meals. When shopping on a budget and not having much spare time, which is often the case for students and young people, it can be easy to go for a quick and simple meals. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean you have to make bad choices which leave you feeling crappy. (I am not proud of how many times a week I ate pasta and pesto last semester).

Even though every time I go home my mum sends me back to university with a bag full of multivitamins assuring me it will stop me from catching my flatmate’s cold, the best way to actually ensure you’re getting enough nutrients and protecting your immune system is by eating foods that are high in vitamin C and other nutrients.

This doesn’t mean having to follow super complicated recipes with dozens of ingredients that are going to break the bank, it can be as simple as fitting a few nutrient-dense ingredients into your everyday meals, such as kale, salmon, blueberries and garlic.

Plus, healthy foods aren’t all green; the amount of cocoa in dark chocolate makes it one of the most nutritious foods you can eat!

To start you off, we’ve got a recipe from Carden Park’s head chef Harri Alun Williams for a very healthy and easy to make superfood salad. Enjoy!

Ingredients

40g edamame beans

80g sweet potato

40g pomegranate seeds

50g quinoa

60g raw spinach

20g rocket leaves

For the dressing

500ml rapeseed oil

25g dijon mustard

40g honey

Juice of 2 lemons

(whisk all of these ingredients together and store in the fridge)

Method

· Cook the edamame beans in boiling salted water and refresh

· Dice the sweet potato and cover with cold water, bring to a simmer and cook until tender, refresh

· Soak the quinoa in cold water for 15 minutes then drain and rinse. Place in a pan with equal amounts of cold water, bring to a simmer and cover with a lid. Cook on a low heat for 25-30 minutes. When cooked, take off the heat still covered and let it stand for 5 minutes. Using a fork fluff up the quinoa and allow to cool.

· Mix all the ingredients together and dress with the dressing

Written by Hannah Vernon and Harri Alun Williams