100g (4 oz) Elbow Macaroni
1 bunch Spring onions (finely chopped)
50g (2 oz) Butter
4 Eggs
2 tbsp Milk
1 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
100g (4 oz) Cheese (grated)
2 Tomatoes (Sliced)
Salt and black pepper (freshly ground)
Cook the pasta according to the directions on the packet.
Drain.
Fry the spring onions in the butter for 4 minutes until golden brown.
Beat the eggs with milk, Worcestershire sauce, and half the cheese.
Season and stir in the macaroni.
Pour over the onions and cook, lifting and stirring the mixture, until the base is golden and set.
Lay the slices of tomato on top and sprinkle with the rest of cheese.
Place under the grill until bubbling, golden brown, and the egg is set.
Serve cut into wedges with wholemeal bread and butter.
I love this recipe as it delivers a whole lot of nutrients that help our physical and mental health in a tasty dish that's quick and easy to cook.
Tryptophan is one of the 10 essential amino acids that the body uses to synthesize the proteins it needs. It's well-known for its role in the production of the nervous system messengers. Especially those related to relaxation, restfulness, and sleep. Tryptophan is necessary for the production of several crucial substances in the body, including the neurotransmitter serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine). Serotonin (a melatonin precursor) plays a key role in mood and sleep patterns.
Tryptophan is a normal constituent of most protein-based foods or dietary proteins. It is particularly plentiful in chocolate, oats, bananas, durians, mangoes, dried dates, milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, red meat, eggs, fish, poultry, sesame, chickpeas, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, spirulina, and peanuts. Tryptophan occurs naturally in nearly all foods that contain protein, but in small amounts compared to the other essential amino acids. The following foods contain tryptophan in significant quantities: red meat, dairy products, nuts, seeds, bananas, soybeans and soy products, tuna, shellfish, and turkey.
The following foods are high in the sleep-inducing amino acid tryptophan: Dairy products such as cottage cheese, cheese and milk, soy products such as soy milk, tofu and soybean nuts, seafood, meats, poultry, whole grains, beans, rice, hummus, lentils, hazelnuts, peanuts, Eggs, seeds and sunflower seeds.
Iron: Depression is often a symptom of chronic iron deficiency. Other symptoms include general weakness, listlessness, exhaustion, lack of appetite, and headaches.
Magnesium: aids with muscle relaxation, maintenance of the heart muscle, neuromuscular transmission and widening of the blood vessels.A deficiency of magnesium can cause agitation, anxiety, behavioural disturbances, confusion, cold hands and feet, depression, insomnia and restlessness
Calcium: works with maintenance of electrolyte balance, muscle contractions, nerve transmission, regulation of cell division, hormone secretion and bone and teeth formation.A deficiency can cause agitation, depression, heart palpitations, insomnia and irritability
Zinc: When zinc is low, copper in the body can increase to toxic levels, resulting in paranoia and fearfulness.
B Complex Vitamins – they help provide energy by acting with enzymes to convert major nutrients such as carbohydrates to energy forms.A deficiency of certain B vitamins will cause fatigue, irritability, nervousness, depression, insomnia and loss of appetite.
Vitamin C— Essential to the production of neurotransmitters (chemicals in your brain that communicate between nerve cells and affect mood and sleep).
Potassium: Depletion is frequently associated with depression, tearfulness, weakness, and fatigue.
Tomatoes
Tomatoes are a good source of antioxidant vitamin-C (provide 21% of recommended daily levels per 100 g); consumption of foods rich in vitamin C helps the body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful free radicals.
Fresh tomato is very rich in potassium. 100 g contain 237 mg of potassium and just 5 mg of sodium. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure caused by sodium.
Further, they contain vital B-complex vitamins such as folates, thiamin, niacin, riboflavin as well some essential minerals like iron, calcium and manganese.
Worcestershire Sauce contains tamarind, chili peppers, anchovies, malt vinegar, molasses, cloves, garlic and red onion.
A single serving of blackstrap molasses, provides up to 25 % of your daily allowance of iron. The chili peppers add an additional 3 % to that total in a 2-tsp. Combined with an additional 14 % from the anchovies, you can get almost half your daily iron from a two to three tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce.
An ounce of anchovy provides 6.5 % of your daily calcium, and the blackstrap molasses provides an additional 6.6 %. You would have to take about two tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce to get that amount of both ingredients, though.
Onions
Phyto-chemical compounds allium and Allyl disulphide in the onion convert to allicin by enzymatic reaction. Studies have shown that these compounds help lower blood sugar levels in diabetics.
In addition, Allicin also decreases blood vessel stiffness by releasing nitric oxide (NO) and thereby bring a reduction in the total blood pressure. Onions are rich source of chromium, the trace mineral that helps tissue cells respond appropriately to insulin levels in the blood. It thus helps facilitate insulin action and control sugar levels in diabetes.
Onions are also good in antioxidant vitamin, vitamin-C and mineral manganese. This metal is needed for proper use of the B-complex vitamins and vitamin C. Since it also plays a role in amino-acid formation, a deficiency may contribute to depression stemming from low levels of the neurotransmitters serotonin and norepinephrine. Manganese also helps stabilize blood sugar and prevent hypoglycemic mood swings.
Onions are also good in B-complex group of vitamins like pantothenic acid, pyridoxine, folates and thiamin. Pyridoxine or vitamin B-6 helps keep up GABA levels in the brain, which works against neurotic conditions.