Lemon and dill salmon (From St Albans & Harpenden Review)

Lemon and dill salmon

1:49pm Thursday 2nd March 2006

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HAVE you ever linked your mood to your food? Nutritionist Carina Norris, author of new book You Are What You Eat, reveals how to find happiness on a plate with a host of delicious meals to raise your spirits.

Our mood can dictate the food we eat who hasn't reached for a cup of coffee to get them moving in the morning, or dived into a tub of ice-cream after a bad day at work?

But food can also affect our mood and nowr could be the time to get smart and make sure the food you eat boosts your mood and happiness levels rather than depleting them.

Carina said: "The problem is that a lot of our foody props' are high in fat and sugar, rather than the nutrients we should be feeding our bodies if we want to be kind to them.

"A quick stimulant hit from caffeine or the dollop of sugar in that ice-cream leaves us feeling great for a while, but sadly the sensation soon passes.

"Add to that the guilt associated with giving in to temptation and the feeling isn't a good one."

Instead she says it's better to try to go for slow-burn foods such as those containing chromium. They contain energy to help keep our blood sugar levels and our energy and moods stable.

First though her advice is to avoid skipping meals, reduce alcohol and caffeine intake to one cup a day and if possible give up smoking.

All these are enemies of calm moods and stable blood sugar levels.

Then make an effort to alter your diet to include red meat, wholegrain cereals, nuts, beans such as red kidney beans, mung beans and aduki beans and brewer's yeast.

Substitute sweet snacks for unsalted nuts, dried figs or apricots, pumpkin or sunflower seeds, oatcakes and raw vegetable sticks.

Her other top dietary tip for banishing the blues is oily fish, rich in essential omega-3 fatty acids, which can help to boost serotonin levels, a feel-good hormone.

Population studies have shown that people who eat lots of oily fish the number one source of omega-3 fatty acids have particularly low rates of depression and that it can improve depressive symptoms.

Carina suggests eating oily fish such as salmon, tuna or mackerel three times a week and said: "It certainly looks as though omega-3s are involved in good moods, so it makes sense to boost your intake of these beneficial fats, found mainly in oily fish, but also in flaxseeds and flaxseed oil."

So start changing your diet for a new happier you and try a salmon dish, which is not only delicious but rich in those mood-enhancing fatty acids.

Lemon and dill salmon

Ingredients (serves four)

400g baby new potatoes, halved; 2tsp olive oil; 2tbsp chopped fresh parsley; 2tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice; 4 fresh salmon fillets, each about 150g, skinned; 8 thin slices of lemon; 2tbsp chopped fresh dill; 200g baby carrots, trimmed and cut in half lengthways (if thick); 200g baby corn, trimmed (or green beans); 200g sugar snap peas, trimmed; freshly ground black pepper and lemon wedges, for squeezing

Method

Fill the bottom of a steamer with cold water.

Toss the potatoes with the oil and parsley and place in a steamer basket. Steam until the potatoes are tender. Transfer to a serving dish and keep warm. Place the salmon fillets in a lightly oiled ovenproof plate.

Squeeze the lemon juice over the salmon fillets, top with the lemon slices and sprinkle with the dill.

Season with a little ground black pepper. Place the plate in a steamer and arrange the mixed vegetables around the plate.

Steam for about 18 to 20 minutes until the vegetables are tender and the fish is cooked.

Serve with extra lemon wedges for squeezing.

* You Are What You Eat is published by Virgin Books, priced £12.99.

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