Supporting Your Mood with Food Doesn’t Have to be Boring
When it comes to supporting our mood, food may not be your first thought as far as effective treatments.
You may be thinking an SSRI or mood stabilizer is your only option.
But recent research shows that there is so much more to a calm and balanced mood than just serotonin hanging around in the neurotransmitter space so we can feel good.
A balanced mood relies upon:
A Healthy balanced gut
Regular bowel movements (at least daily, preferably 3 times a day)
Nutrients nutrients nutrients!
If we focus only on serotonin for a moment, we can see that there are several precursors to making serotonin:
A Healthy digestive tract including stomach acid, bile and enzymes that break down food so we can utilize the nutrients in the bloodstream.
Eating the RIGHT food that helps to not only balance stomach acid, stimulate bile, AND provides enzymes that feed the good bacteria in the gut, and then those bacteria stimulate the production of serotonin in the gut.
It is estimated that up to 70% of our serotonin is actually made in the gut! Only 30% is made in the neurotransmitter space in the brain. (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6005194/)
This means that there is SO much we can do to feed those good bacteria so we can feel our best (and thankfully, it doesn’t have to be as complicated as it might sound, nor does it have to be all or nothing!)
This brain-boosting recipe will help you to get off on the right foot and begin supporting those happy mood chemicals so you can feel your best.
Pressure-Cooker Rice & Bean Burrito
1 ½ tsp extra virgin olive oil
¾ yellow onion
¾ red bell pepper (chopped)
1 ½ tsp smoked paprika
¾ tsp cumin
⅛ tsp sea salt
1 ⅓ cups black beans (cooked and rinsed)
½ cup salsa (more to taste)
1 ⅛ cups water
3 brown rice tortillas
¾ avocado (mashed, optional)
Directions:
Turn your pressure cooker to sauté mode and add the oil.
Add the onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring often for one to two minutes.
Then add the smoked paprika, cumin, and salt and continue cooking until softened, about two to three more minutes.
Deglaze the pot with a splash of water if needed.
Turn the sauté mode off.
Add the beans, rice, salsa, and water and stir to combine.
Put the lid on and set to “sealing” then press manual/pressure cooker and cook for five minutes on high pressure.
Once finished, let the pressure release naturally for five minutes, then do a quick release.
Layer the bean and rice mixture onto your tortilla and top with mashed avocado, if using.
Fold in the sides and roll into a burrito.
Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat and add your burrito seam side down and cook for two to three minutes, then flip and cook the other side for one to two minutes, until slightly browned. Enjoy!
*This recipe is full of prebiotic fiber that feeds good bacteria. Prebiotic fibers are essential for healthy microbiome and a healthy mood. Fiber also helps to regulate blood sugar for sustained mood.
For more brain-boosting recipes, grab the meal plan here
