And it’s not too late.  Amazing new research shows that eating a diet rich in plant-based food, and low in animal products, can significantly lower the risk of cognitive impairment later in life – even when changing your diet during midlife. Eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains and low in animal products such as meat and dairy lowers the risk of cognitive decline in later life by up to 33%, suggests the new study.  Read the entire article here.

Try this Citrus Beet and Freekeh salad recipe

You can find other plant-based recipes made with whole grains here

Ingredients:

4 small assorted beets (red, yellow and candy cane beets)
3/4 cup (175 ml) freekeh wheat
1/3 cup (75ml) crumbled goat cheese
1/3 cup (75ml) sliced kalamata olives
1/3 cup (75ml) sliced green onion
4 cups (1 L) shredded beet leaves

 

 

Citrus Vinaigrette :

1/4 cup (60ml) orange juice
3 tbsp (45ml) lemon juice
3 tbsp (45ml) olive oil
2 tbsp (30ml) miso paste1 tbsp (15ml) grated ginger
1 tsp (5ml) finely minced garlic
1 tsp (5ml) orange zest
1/2 tsp (2ml) red pepper flakes

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400 F . Wrap like beets together in foil, keeping  similar colors together so they don’t bleed onto each other. Place beets in baking dish and roast for 45-50 minutes or until tender. Unwrap beets and let cool.
  2. While beets are cooling, combine freekeh wheat with 1 1/4 cups (300 ml) water in a small saucepan, bring to a boil and reduce to simmer over low heat. Cook for 25 minutes, transfer to a medium, heat proof bowl to cool. Toss in goat cheese, olives, and green onion.
  3. When cool enough to handle,  cut ends of beets and remove skins easily by rubbing between your hands or scraping with the back of a knife. Slice beets into wedges.
  4. To serve, arrange shredded beet leaves on a platter, spoon freekeh in centre of platter and top with beet wedges. Drizzle salad with vinaigrette.
  5. For vinaigrette, whisk together, orange juice, lemon juice, olive oil, miso, ginger, garlic, orange zest and pepper flakes.