BEST’s own Gloria Kraegel serves up this fall seasonal food staple for stuffed acorn squash. Recipe below!
Tag Archives: Recipes
BEST Food Library
On the BEST blog, we’ve been fortunate to have some amazing food and nutrition experts, along with some access to other great resources, to help us serve up healthy food ideas, simple food preparation tips and organization, and other delicious inspirations to keep our brain and bodies healthy and energized.
Following, are some links to a library of articles on various topics related to food. Just click on the highlighted word, here, to view. Enjoy!
- BEST’s own Robin Spicuzza is a wealth of inspiration when it comes to food preparation and healthy eating. For Robin’s information on food storage, prep and organization, click here. For Robin’s short instructional Soup Group videos for two different, easy and versatile recipes, click here and here.
- We shared an informative article on healthy foods on a budget. Click here to view.
- Our BEST friend, Dr. Jannine Krause, is a wealth of information! Click here to read her BEST article exclusive on brain-boosting meals and foods, and click here to see her terrific article on brain-boosting supplements.
- We are so fortunate to have a wonderful Pinterest community! Click here and here for some great food graphics and food hacks that we’ve collected. Enjoy!
Have other healthy food ideas to contribute? We’d love to hear from you! Reach out by email to Kim T. at kimt@brainenergysupportteam.org with your thoughts.
Virtual Soup Group with Robin: Biscuits and Gravy
Tips, Strategies and Cooking for the BEST Community: BEST’s Robin Spicuzza is back with another Soup Group video! Join her for insight and instruction on a simple and versatile recipe for biscuits and gravy.
First, here’s the recipe. Next, will be your instruction video from Robin. Enjoy!
BEST Exclusive: Quick Brain Boosting Meals by Dr. Jannine Krause
(Editor’s note: The Brain Energy Support Team is delighted and honored to share a blog exclusive article from our BEST friend, Dr. Jannine Krause! Dr. Krause shares her thoughts steps to healthy eating. Read on for some great tips and strategies to start in the new year. KT)
So you have a brain injury and you want to eat healthier.
Or perhaps your family wants to help you eat better.
The thought of making your own meals is overwhelming.
Where do you start?
Whether you’ve just had a brain injury, or it was decades ago, you can use food to support and regenerate your nervous system.
Foods to Focus On
Foods rich in fat, protein, minerals and b vitamins support your nervous system.
Below is a list of foods and per meal portions to support your brain.
Fatty Foods:
Salmon, Halibut – 4-6 oz (palm or entire hand sized portion).
Tuna – canned in water – 1/2 can.
Avocado – ½ or 4 tbsp of guacamole.
Olives – 10 or 2 tbsp of olive tapenade spread.
Raw or Sprouted Nuts or Seeds – walnuts, almonds, pecans, hazelnuts, ground
flaxseeds are best for the brain – 1 handful.
Seed or Nut Butters – 2 tbsp – size of your thumb = a tablespoon.
Eggs – 2 whole.
Protein Foods:
Beans – Navy, Kidney, Red, Pinto, Black, Mung, Cannellini, Aduki, Garbanzo.Chickpeas ¼- ½ cup – ½ to ¼ of your fist.
Lentils – ¼- ½ cup.
Eggs – 2 whole.
Salmon, Halibut – 4-6 oz (palm to hand sized).

Veggies:
Leafy Greens – spinach, kale, chard, collards, bok choy, cabbage, arugula – 2
cups (two fists).
Broccoli – 1 cup (size of your fist).
Super Foods:
Cacao Powder – 1 tbsp, Chocolate – 1 oz.
Tumeric – 1 tsp.
Blueberries – ½ cup.
Fermented Veggies – sauerkraut (Oly Kraut), kimchi, pickled veggies (Bubbies
brand) – ¼ cup.
Adding the Brain Boosting Foods to Meals
Think of the foods mentioned above as medicines with dosages.
When you are putting together a meal or a snack, it’s wise to add your medicine to each
meal.
Below you will find examples of how to incorporate brain food into meals.
Here are some breakfast ideas:
Oatmeal, or Cream of Rice with blueberries, walnuts and ground flaxseeds.
o Cacao – 1 tbsp, ¼ cup of one of the following: walnuts, pecans, ground
flax or a mix of the 3.
Scrambled or poached eggs with 2 cups of spinach or dark leafy greens.
o Scramble the spinach into the eggs.
o Sauté the spinach on the side.
o Make a breakfast salad with fresh spinach & poached eggs on top.
Toasts:
o Avocado toast.
o Avocado with salmon lox toast.
o Refried beans on toast.
o Nut butter on toast.
Check out some lunch/dinner ideas:
Veggie Bowls – 2 cups leafy greens, ½ cup beans or lentils, ¼ cup of nuts or
seeds.
o High Protein Bowl: 4-6 oz of salmon/ ½ can tuna salad on top of the
veggies.
o Chickpea/Garbanzo Curry Bowl: ½ cup chickpeas, 4 tbsp full fat coconut
milk (canned), Curry Powder (has turmeric), salt and pepper to taste.
o Add fermented veggies to any bowl.
Soups – lentil, black bean (Brand: Amy’s Kitchen).
Salmon, halibut, tuna 4-6 oz with 2 cups dark leafy veggies or broccoli.
Tuna, Salmon or Egg Salad ¾-1 cup with 2 cups of leafy greens.
o Tuna, Salmon or Egg Salad Sandwiches.
o Tuna, Salmon or Egg Salad in ½ avocado.
Here’s a few snack ideas:
Hard boiled eggs – 2.
A handful (1 cup) of nuts or pumpkin/sunflower seeds.
½ avocado; 2 tbsp pumpkin or sunflower seeds.
Blueberries ½ cup with ½ handful (1/2 cup) nuts or seeds.
10 olives – any kind.
Keep in mind that you can always have more in your meals or larger portions.
The portions listed are the minimum amounts of these foods that have found to boost
brain health.
Putting It All Together
Solidifying healthy eating habits takes time.
You’ll have to train yourself to add these foods in daily.
Start by picking one meal or snack to focus on at a time.
Be patient with yourself as you work to boost your brain health.
You can do this! What are you waiting for? Grab your medicine and get started.

Dr. Krause is a doctor of naturopathic medicine, an acupuncturist and podcast host dedicated to empowering people to take charge of their own health. Her unique approach is simplifying natural medicine and healthy habit formation. She believes that health starts with what we eat, how we move and how well we manage stress. She wants to help prevent little health issues from becoming big ones down the road. She’s committed to slowing down the aging process and wants to help others with this too. There’s a lot of health information available out there, and she’s here to help people focus on what’s important and sustainable for them. Learn more here.
Good Eats with Gloria: An Easy Fall Favorite
BEST Executive Director, Gloria Kraegel, loves the fall bounty from the garden. Here’s one of her favorite and fall go-to-recipe for family and friends.
It’s a delicious recipe that just screams harvest bounty! Enjoy!
Ingredients
1 medium acorn squash
dried cranberries
chopped walnuts
1 tablespoon butter (room temperature)
1 teaspoon brown sugar or 2 teaspoons maple syrup
Preheat oven to 350 and follow these steps:
1. cut top off squash and scoop out seeds
2. poke the sides with a fork
3. mix sugar and butter
4. add cranberries and walnuts until even with top edge
5. top with the butter and sugar mixture
6. place in a shallow pan
7. bake for 30 to 40 minutes
This recipe is for one squash, but make as many as you like. They’re great as a side with a lean meat like a turkey or chicken breast. They’re also terrific on their own.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Spring and Summer Food Love: Recipes Sought
Spring and summer food love❤️🍓🥑.
One of the magical parts of this time of year is all of the fresh foods that are available.
BEST is seeking your favorite healthy and hearty spring and summer recipes to share. Feel free to email Kim at kimt@brainenergysupportteam.org. Can’t wait to hear your delicious ideas!