Our moods, our foods

Our ancestors ate for sustenance and thus chose carb-heavy foods over lighter ones, so experts consider healthy eating a more contemporary concept: happy people often choose more nutritious options, while sadness can trigger unhealthy cravings. Check out these four emotion-linked foods—they’ll make your mouth water.

Guilt: stack attack  

1. Toast four plain buttermilk toaster waffles until golden brown.
2. Stack the waffles, using a knife to spread a chocolate-nut spread on top of each before placing the next one on top.
3. Garnish with raspberries and crushed sliced almonds.

Joy: brussels bake

1. Halve 15 Brussels sprouts, and place in a bowl
2. Add two diced cloves of garlic, two tablespoons of olive oil and one teaspoon of salt. Mix until the Brussels sprouts are thoroughly coated.
3. Let sit for 15 minutes. Place on baking tray and bake for 20 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Garnish with roasted couscous to taste.

Surprise: hole in one

1. Use a cookie cutter to cut a hole in a piece of bread, and cook one side of the bread on medium heat for around one minute. 
2. Flip the bread over, and crack an egg into the hole. Top with cheese, vegetables and spices of choice.
3. Remove the bread from the pan once the egg has cooked to taste.

Anger: fowl ball

1. Wash one-by-two-inch silvers of thawed chicken breast, and douse them in buttermilk or plain yogurt.
2. Mix with a clove of garlic and a half-teaspoon each of paprika, cayenne pepper and salt, and refrigerate for a half hour.
3. Coat each chicken slice in crushed Hot Cheetos, and fry in a pan over medium heat. Top with excess Cheetos crumbs.

This piece was originally published in the pages of Wingspan on December 14, 2016.