Candice Brown shares three healthy recipes for your brain health

Did you know there are things you can do to look after you brain and help reduce your risk of developing dementia later in life?

This World Alzheimer’s Month, I’m hoping to inspire you to take better care of your brain health by sharing a few healthy and delicious recipes to learn and share with friends! Afterall, looking after your heart health, challenging your brain, and keeping connected are Alzheimer’s Research UK’s three rules for better brain health.

You can find most of the ingredients for my recipes in your local Iceland supermarket, where you’ll discover more inspiration to Think Brain Health.

Crunchy Coleslaw

Serves 6 – 8

• ¼ red cabbage, finely sliced.
• ¼ white cabbage, finely sliced.
• 2 large carrots, peeled and finely sliced.
• 1 red onion, finely sliced.
• 3 celery sticks, finely sliced.
• 1 eating apple, grated
• zest of 1 lemon and juice of ½
• small bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 3 heaped tbsp mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
• 50g pumpkin seeds, toasted (optional)
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

I do sometimes worry that side dishes get left out, so I wanted to make a coleslaw that would take a little bit more of a starring role. You want texture and crunch as well as flavour and this gives both, plus the apple is perfect for this time of year.

Put all the prepared vegetables and apple, lemon zest and parsley in a large bowl, get your hands in and mix around so all the ingredients are evenly distributed. Whack in the mayonnaise, lemon juice and wholegrain mustard, season with salt and pepper and give everything a good mix and squish together with your hands. Transfer to your best bowl for serving and sprinkle with toasted pumpkin seeds.

Sweet potato, garlic and red onion tortilla

Serves 4

• 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced.
• Olive oil.
• 2 red onions, finely sliced.
• 1 yellow pepper, deseeded and sliced.
• 5 garlic cloves, finely sliced.
• 6 eggs.
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Something about tortilla makes me smile. Whether it’s the thought of Spain or sharing tapas with friends, I really love it. It can be eaten hot or cold and is great as a quick lunch or in lunchboxes the next day. You can add lovely flavours – chorizo, bacon, mushroom or spinach – just don’t overfill and definitely don’t overcook it. You want that little eggy wobble in the middle.

Heat a good glug of olive oil in a large frying pan over a low-medium heat and fry the sweet potatoes for 10-15 minutes until softened. You can put a lid on the pan to help speed up this process. You don’t want the potatoes to colour, so keep an eye on the heat. Flip them over from time to time, but try not to break them up too much. You may need to cook them in batches, depending on the size of your pan. Remove from the heat and transfer the sweet potatoes to a bowl or plate.

Put the frying pan back over a medium heat and add more oil. Add the onions and pepper and fry for 4-5 minutes until they start to soften and colour slightly. Add the garlic and fry for a further 3-4 minutes until soft. Remove the pan from the heat.

Crack the eggs into a large bowl, season with salt and pepper and whisk together. Gently tip in the cooked sweet potato slices and the onions, pepper and garlic. Mix very gently.

Place the frying pan back over a low heat – if there is not enough oil, add a little more, then pour the egg mixture in. Gently shuffle so the mixture is evenly distributed and cook for 15 – 20 minutes. To flip the tortilla, place a plate on top of the pan and carefully turn the tortilla out. Then slide the tortilla back into the pan with the uncooked side facing down. Cook for a further 5 minutes until golden. The centre should still be slightly wobbly – if you prefer your eggs more cooked, then leave for a further few minutes.

Slide the tortilla out on to a plate and serve warm and wobbly with crusty bread.

The best potato salad

Serves 4 – 5

• 500g Jersey royal or salad potatoes, larger ones halved.
• 150g smoked streaky bacon, thinly sliced.
• 4 spring onions, finely sliced.
• 100g gherkins or cornichons, chopped.
• Small bunch of fresh flat leaf parsley, finely chopped.
• 2 tbsp wholegrain mustard.
• 3 tbsp mayonnaise.
• Zest of 1 lemon, plus about 1 tbsp of juice.
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Last BBQ of the year? Potato Salad. Picnic? Potato Salad. Hungry? Potato salad! Get the gist? It’s the perfect side dish to compliment the season, as we go from summer to autumn. It makes a great change from chips or mash or just potatoes. You want to make sure the bacon is super crispy to contrast with the crushed potatoes and please make sure you get them almost mushy as that’s how they’re best. I always have gherkins in the fridge – one for the salad, one for me.

Bring a saucepan of salted water to the boil over a high heat. Once at boiling point, carefully add the potatoes and boil for about 20 minutes until soft and crushable with a fork. Drain and tip into a large bowl.

Meanwhile, add the bacon to a dry frying pan over a medium-high heat and fry until crispy.
Add the spring onions, gherkins, parsley, and cooked bacon to the potatoes and mix together. Dollop in the mustard and mayonnaise then fold through – the potatoes should break down slightly. Add the lemon zest and juice and season with salt and pepper to taste.

This World Alzheimer’s Month, Alzheimer’s Research UK has teamed up with Iceland Foods, adding simple brain health tips to fresh fruit and veg packaging – so you can give back to your brain while you fill up your basket!

To find your nearest store, visit: Iceland Store Locator | Find Stores Near You

Discover more of Candice Brown’s delicious recipes inside her book ‘Happy Cooking: Easy uplifting meals and comforting treats’. Published by Ebury Press.