Menus, July 9, 2014

Keep on the sunny side, always on the sunny side,

Keep on the sunny side of life;

It will help us ev'ry day, it will brighten all the way,

If we keep on the sunny side of life.

Ada Blenkhorn

There's no denying it, and if you want proof, all you have to do is step into a Northern Hemisphere outside, or step into a super-cooled Northern Hemisphere inside. It's Summer. Summer, the most popular season of the year.

No really.

I know this. I know that Summer is the popular one. And not only because I went to school with her....

party party party all the time...
and "have a great summer, see ya next autumn"?
ok, it was funny once...but in every yearbook?

I also know this because the internet tells me so. 
Summer's facebook page?   Two million, one hundred and ninety two thousand, three hundred and twenty eight likes. 2,192,328.  
Why, unpopular Winter was drizzling on my shoulder just the other day about her paltry 219,262 facebook friends.

"It's not just the social media thing." She sobbed, "It's the whole naming thing."
"The what?" 
"The naming thing. I mean, people even name their children after her! May, June, Julie, Julio, Augustus, Augusta, Summer, Sunny.....No one ever names a child after me! (sob) No Novebrette, no Decembers or Januaries, well, one January.... No Gloomus, no Icey, no Freezing, no Raining with a chance of Sleet..."
I was trying to be sympathetic, but really.
"Face it Winter", I said "Summer makes people happy. And people like what makes them happy. You've got Christmas, you've got New Year's. Now dry up. Chill. You're starting to look like one of Doctor Who's Weeping Angels....

and it's creeping me out."

 So, after Winter cooled off, I had a little think. 
Summer really does have a way of making people happy. I mean everyone knows that it's easy to feel down in Winter, but being depressed in Summer?  

It's possible,
but it requires a particular skill set.
and a lot of practice.

Thinking about being happy naturally made me think of eating. And I wondered, if there are seasons that can make people happier, are there dinners that can make people happy? There are foods that promote energy, foods for building muscle, for lowering cholesterol, for strengthening bones...are there meals that contain what the body needs to help produce a good mood? Sort of...

a different sort of happy meal?

And here's what I found- there are of course, comfort foods- foods that make you psychologically happy because for one reason or another, they take your brain to a safe and happy place,

like that time you shared an
ice cream cone with your cousin.

Then there are foods that give you a boost of chemicals like serotonin that your brain uses to produce the sensation we call happiness. So, according to the scientific authority otherwise known as the internet, yes. The right kind of food, and not just comfort food, can help you be happy. And if the onset of Summer already has you a little giddy with happiness, then the right kind of food..

Well, who knows what
may follow?

So, in the interest of scientific research, here are a few Summer sunshine good mood food dinners, gleaned from a few very scientific recipe websites. Let's see what happens!


Wednesday Slow cooked salmon, brown rice and broccoli.

Salmon has loads of  Omega-3 fatty acids, and together with brown rice and broccoli, this is a great meal. Broccoli's on the plate because, well, I like it. Since the stove will be fired up for the salmon and rice, the broccoli will  be pan roasted in a little olive oil.

Thursday: Scrambled eggs and salmon 

Any  leftover salmon (and there's always leftover salmon) will go alongside some scrambled eggs for a dinner rich in B vitamins and  Omega 3 fatty acids. Put some whole wheat toast and pan roasted asparagus with that and you've got a breakfast for dinner that'll  almost guarantee a happy night.

Friday: Grilled Turkey Breast and spinach salad

The jury's out, or maybe just confused, on whether or not the tryptophans  in turkey promote a sense of well-being, or simply promote a feeling of sleepy. Either way, it's good lean protein, and shaking things up by serving it across the calendar from Thanksgiving is pretty fun! Our local Kroger has  started selling toasted hazelnuts in reasonably priced packages right next to the chocolate chips, so this salad is easy for me- substitute whatever proteiny crunch you can find and afford- almonds, pecans, sunflower seeds  or sesame sticks would all be good.




Saturday: Turkey club Sandwiches


Bacon shows up, not because it's good for you, but because it's great for you. If you're trying to avoid gluten, leave off the bread and turn all these into a great salad, or try your hand at a gluten free sandwich loaf








Sunday: Turkey Chef Salad

So many ways to do a chef salad right, aren't there? This one has bonus vegetable protein from chickpeas, as well as directions for an easy peasy homemade thousand island dressing. 
Plus- if you cooked turkey breast on Friday, and you have a coupl of hard-cooked eggs on hand, you can throw the salad together in minutes, leaving lots and lots more time for whatever fun thing you've chosen for your summer Sunday afternoon. 




And I hope there's a long list of happy things that fill your summer afternoons.
And I hope for you sunny days and starry nights.
Hours, or at least moments, of indolence,
Sweet-smelling hugs from sun-warmed children
And the presence of at least one someone
who can turn an ordinary day 
into a holiday. 
Even (especially) 

if that someone is you.