Foods that make you feel good!
February can be a tough month. Much of the United States is in the depths of winter. It gets dark at around 5 p.m., which means if you are stuck in an office all day, your only glimpse of daylight might be on your ride into work. Many people report feeling symptoms of Seasonal Effective Disorder (SAD) around this time of year.
There is good news. An easy way to feel better is to eat better. Soups, stews, and even chocolate might help! Some research suggests that chocolate may cause the brain to produce serotonin, a natural antidepressant. Zinc deficiency is a cause of exhaustion and depression that can be remedied by eating liver, peas, yogurt, shellfish, pumpkin seeds, mushrooms, broccoli, miso soup, spinach and oysters. Red meat and spinach is high in iron and might combat any fatigue felt by anemia. Vitamin B12 is a nerve coater and is found in meat, eggs and dairy products.
This Ham and Pea Frittata (which originally appeared on Coconut & Lime) is an excellent “one dish” meal that is full of mood lifting ingredients.
Ham and Pea Frittata
serves 4
1 cup cubed ham
4 oz sliced mushrooms
1 small onion, sliced into rings
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar
1/2 cup parsley, minced
1/2 cup frozen peas
1/4 cup green onions, chopped
6 eggs
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon hot paprika
In a large, oven safe skillet, heat oil. When hot, sauté, onions (not green onions), garlic, mushrooms and ham about 10 minutes or until the mushrooms are soft and the onions are translucent. Add parsley and peas, stir. Cook an additional 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together eggs, paprika, cheddar, salt, pepper and green onion.
Add butter to the skillet and stir.
Pour egg mixture over the skillet. Tilt the skillet slightly and turn to coat the ingredients in the skillet with the egg mixture. Keep on medium heat and cook about 15 minutes or just almost set-the top should still look “loose” and uncooked.
Place under the broiler for 5 minutes or until the top is just beginning to brown. Remove from pan and slice.
