One Pot Pasta With Turkey & Spinach

This recipe was inspired by an empty fridge and a girl who doesn’t like doing dishes. I had low expectations but my in-house food critic proclaimed it as one of my “top five recipes ever,” so I wrote it down so I can make it again and you can recreate for your family and friends.

Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cook Time: 25 Serves: 2

• 1 TBSP olive oil

• 1 pound lean ground turkey

• 2 TSP salt

• 3 TSP ground cumin

• 1.5 TSP black pepper

• 1 small onion, diced

• 3 garlic cloves, pressed

• 14 oz can of diced tomatoes

• 1 TSP chili powder

• 10 ounces dried pasta, any kind

• 3 cups chicken broth

• 1/4 cup heavy cream

• 4 cups of spinach (or leafy green of your choice)

• 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

• Chopped cilantro for garnish

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or high-sided skillet over medium heat. Add ground turkey, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon ground cumin and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Break up the turkey, mixing the spices evenly throughout, and cook for five minutes.

Add the onion and pressed garlic, cook for another five minutes until turkey is browned and vegetables are soft before stirring canned tomatoes into the skillet. Add the pasta and chicken broth, bring the mixture to a boil and then turn down to a simmer. Cover and cook until the pasta is tender, about 10 minutes.

Stir in the heavy cream while delicately folding the spinach into the pasta so it begins to wilt. Top with shredded cheese and cilantro, serve immediately.

Harvest Chicken Casserole

For some, the word “casserole” might stir up cringe-worthy memories from elementary school cafeteria lunches. Don’t worry, I promise tuna and noodles are not ingredients for this fall flavored meal. This one dish dinner will satisfy all your seasonal cravings with a medley of autumn’s best flavors. I like to make a large batch to enjoy leftovers throughout the week.

Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 1 hour Serves: 8

• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

• 2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts

• salt and pepper to taste

• 1/2 onion, chopped

• 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

• 1 lb brussels sprouts, trimmed and quartered

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves

• 1 tsp paprika

• 1/2 tsp ground cumin

• 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth

• 6 cups cooked wild rice

• 1/2 cup dried cranberries

• 1/2 cup sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and coat your baking dish with olive oil. Heat one tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper before adding to the skillet and cooking through (about eight minutes per side). Let the chicken rest for ten minutes and slice into one inch pieces.

Heat another tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Add onion, sweet potatoes, brussels sprouts, garlic, thyme, paprika, and cumin. Season with salt and pepper and cook until softened (five minutes). Add 1/4 cup broth, bring to a simmer, and cook, covered for five minutes.

Place cooked rice in a large baking dish, stir in chicken, cranberries, cooked vegetables and the remaining 1/4 cup broth. Top with almonds and bake until dish is hot and almonds are toasted (15-18 minutes).

Slow Cooker Turkey Chili

It’s raining and in the low 70s here in Miami so I broke out the crock pot to cook a comforting turkey chili for dinner. I really like this recipe because it is packed with lean protein and requires very little effort, like all of my favorite slow cooker meals.

Prep Time: 30 minutes Cook Time: 4.5 hours Serves: 2

• 1 lb ground turkey

• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• 1/4 white onion, chopped

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 2 tbsp tomato paste

• 1 cup chopped tomatoes)

• 1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained

• 1 can (15 oz) kidney beans, rinsed and drained

• 1 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth

• 2 tsp chili powder

• 1 tsp ground cumin

• 1 tsp dried oregano

• 1 avocado, sliced for garnish

• shredded cheese for garnish (optional)

• salt and black pepper to taste

Heat olive oil over medium-high heat, add onions and cook until soft (about four minutes). Add ground turkey, stirring occasionally, until turkey is golden (not completely cooked through) and season with salt and pepper, garlic and tomato paste, and cook until fragrant (approx. two minutes).

Transfer the turkey mixture to the slow cooker and add tomatoes, black beans, kidney beans, chicken broth, chili powder, cumin and oregano. cook on high until chili has thickened (about four hours). garish with sliced avocado and cheese, if desired, and serve over rice.

French Women Don’t Get Fat Magical Breakfast Cream

Mirelle Guiliano’s French Women Don’t Get Fat is a cult classic that reaffirmed many of the health and eating habits I picked up from my own mother as a child. Having grown up in France and lived in the U.S., the author advises readers of a few rules I’ve always lived by including drinking lots of water, eating a wide variety of seasonal fruits and vegetables, and treating yourself to small amounts of high quality indulgences (like chocolate and wine) instead of depriving your cravings.

The book features some easy-to-make, healthy recipes that are fillings, satisfying and actually taste great. The “Magical Breakfast Cream” is my favorite recipe from the book and replaces my go-to oatmeal when the weather warms each summer.

Prep Time: 10 minutes Servings: 1

• 1/3 Cup Yogurt

• 1 Teaspoon Flaxseed Oil

• 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice

• 1 Teaspoon Honey

• 2 Tablespoons Finely Ground Cereal (No added sugar, I use Shredded Wheat)

• 2 Teaspoons Finely Ground Walnuts

Add each ingredient one at a time to your bowl, mixing well between addition to get a smooth, creamy texture. Start with yogurt before stirring in oil, lemon juice and honey. Add ground walnuts and cereal to the yogurt mixture and stir well. Serve immediately.

Note: I like to grind the cereal and walnuts in a small food processor and store a week’s worth of the ground cereal/nut mixture in the fridge so I only have to mix ingredients together in the morning.

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Banana bread in quarantine? Groundbreaking. I’ve always been a huge fan of banana bread and couldn’t resist trying my hand at the recipe published recently in the New York Times. Their recipe called for Nutella and my grocery store was completely sold out, so I improvised with chocolate chips. This turned out to be delicious but I will try again once I get my hands on a jar of everyone’s favorite Italian hazelnut spread. Using the ingredients below, follow along with my video to make a loaf of your own.

• One 9-inch x 5-inch baking pan

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), plus more for greasing the pan

• 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for flouring the pan

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1 1/2 cups mashed bananas, from about 3 medium bananas

• 2/3 cup granulated sugar

• 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt

• 2 eggs

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 package semisweet chocolate chips

Mexican Stuffed Sweet Potato Skins

In an effort to stretch our groceries as far as possible, I’ve gotten quite creative! Here’s one of our new favorite vegetarian recipes with a Latin kick for extra flavor that can be adapted to be vegan as well by using vegan cheese or forgoing the topping completely.

Prep Time: 40 minutes Cook Time: 15 minutes Serves: 2

• 2 Large Sweet Potatoes

• 1 Can of Black Beans

• 1/2 Onion, Finely Chopped

• 1 Can of Corn, Rinsed and Drained

• 1 Cup Shredded Cheese

• 1 Teaspoon Lemon Juice

• Fresh Cilantro, Finely Chopped

• Canned or Fresh Salsa

• Olive Oil

• Salt & Pepper

Preheat oven to to 430°F and lightly grease a baking sheet. Pierce sweet potatoes a few times with a fork. Arrange them on the tray and roast for about 40-50 minutes, or until tender (Quick version I use: wrap the pierced sweet potato in a kitchen towel and microwave for 10 minutes until soft).

While sweet potatoes are baking, heat the oil in a pan and cook the onions until softened, about 3-5 minutes. Add the garlic, salt and pepper, and roast for another minute until fragrant, set aside.

Once sweet potatoes are tender, let cool before cutting them in half and scooping out the flesh with a spoon, leaving just a thin layer of potato inside the skins and brush the outside with a bit of oil. Mash the soft flesh, add roasted onion mixture, beans, corn, salsa and mix to combine. Scoop the filling inside and sprinkle over with cheese and bake for about 5-10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Note: I paired these with homemade tortilla chips and the leftover salsa. To make these, brush corn or flour tortillas with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Slice into smaller pieces and bake at 400°F for a few minutes, flipping the slices once and checking often so they don’t burn.

Easy Homemade Pasta Sauce

I’ve loved pasta since my early running days and carb-loaded feasts before cross country meets but my basil allergy makes it difficult for me to order marinara dishes at Italian restaurants or purchase pre-made sauces. Here’s a veggie-packed recipe I love and you can probably recreate with staples from your fridge and pantry.

Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 45 minutes Serves: 2

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1/2 medium onion chopped

• 2 cloves garlic minced

• 1 carrot diced

• 1 tsp kosher salt

• 1/2 tsp dried oregano

• 1/2 tsp dried thyme

• 1 28 oz can whole peeled tomatoes

• Optional: Handful of mushrooms, spinach or other vegetables

In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium low heat, add the onion, garlic, carrot, salt, oregano, thyme. Reduce the heat to low until onions and carrots soften for 25 minutes. Tonight I decided to include some mushrooms that needed to be used and a big handful of spinach, these softer vegetables go in about 20 minutes after you begin cooking.

Add the tomatoes and increase the heat to bring the sauce to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, and breaking up the tomatoes with your spoon to the smoothness of your preference, for 15-20 minutes.

Tonight I used this sauce on top of butternut squash ravioli from Giovanni Rana. The pasta is delicious and cooks in just four minutes — boiling the water is the longest part of the process!

Pulled Pork Sandwiches with Pineapple Salad

Pulled pork sandwiches are a favorite in our household and actually really simple to prepare, as long as you plan ahead because it needs most of the day to cook. You can simplify the recipe even further by replacing my homemade barbecue rub with one found in your grocery store. I balanced the indulgent sandwiches with a quick salad made up of a few of our favorite fruits and vegetables that I always have in the fridge.

Prep Time: 30 minutes Cook Time: 4-8 hours Serves: 4-6

Sandwich ingredients:

• 2 lb boneless pork loin

• 1 bottle of barbecue sauce

• 1 packet of barbecue rub

• Sesame seed hamburger buns

  No rub? No problem, I use…

• 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed

• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

• 1 tbsp chili powder

• 1/4 cup paprika

• 1 tbsp pepper

• 1 tbsp salt

Cover the pork loin with BBQ rub and rub into both sides before placing the pork loin in the crock pot and covering with the lid. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours. Once the meat is fully cooked it will shred easily with a fork. I do this in the crock pot so I only have one bowl to clean. Add about half the barbecue sauce bottle to the shredded meat and stir until pork is completely coated. Top buns with 1-2 spoonfuls of pulled pork and add more sauce, if desired.

Salad ingredients:

• 1 canned pineapple

• 1 cup grape tomatoes

• 1 avocado

• 1 medium cucumber

• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

• 1/2 can of sweet corn

• 1 lime, juiced

• 1 pinch of salt and pepper

Dice the fruits and vegetables, toss everything with cilantro and lime juice, and add a little salt and pepper. I like to make the salad about an hour or so before the meat will be ready so the avocado, lime and cilantro mix to make a light, flavorful dressing.

Refreshing Watermelon Juice

Find relief on a hot summer day with this quick, healthful and delicious drink.

Yes, you can buy watermelon juice for $5 a cup but you can also purchase a full watermelon and bag of limes for that price and make a larger portion for your entire family or as a mocktail option for summer parties.

Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: 2 minutes Serves: 1

• 1 cup watermelon chunks

• 1/2 lime juice

• 1 cup ice

Simply add ice and watermelon chunks to blender, squeeze in lemon juice and mix.

Weekly Smoothie Prep

I love starting my mornings with smoothies (and coffee, lots of coffee) but some days I just don’t have 10-15 minutes to chop, peel, pour and blend greens, fruits, powders and other nutrients into healthy concoctions. To save myself the time and trouble, I portion out the ingredients for five days worth of smoothies into plastic sandwich bags. This example includes one large papaya, five small bananas, a handful of fresh spinach in each bag and generous portions of frozen mixed berries. Seal bag completely and store in the freezer.

In the morning, I add collagen powder to help my skin and joints, bee pollen for protein and allergy prevention, and chia seeds packed with fiber and omega-3 fatty acids. Lastly, I top the mixture with milk, water or coconut water before blending. I rinse the plastic bags, turning them inside out to dry fully before reusing the next week.

Sweet Potato & Black Bean Quesadilla with Cilantro Sauce

If you love quesadillas but are looking for a healthy twist on the classic recipe, try my sweet potato and black bean version. My vegan recipe forgoes shredded cheese — haters will say it can’t be a quesadilla without queso — but can be added, of course. I’m also including the recipe for my cilantro sauce that pairs perfectly with this quesadilla; feel free to add more garlic or leave it out completely, depending on your personal preference. This quick, filling meal is perfect for a weeknight — especially Meatless Monday.

Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 5 minutes Serves: 2

Quesadilla

• 1/2 can black beans

• 1 large sweet potato, mashed

• 1 lime

• 2 flour tortillas

Sauce

• 2 cups fresh cilantro leaves

• 1/2 cup of hummus

• 2-3 garlic cloves, crushed

• 1/2 lemon

• 1/4 cup water

Sides

• 1/2 cup of cherry tomatoes, diced

• 1 small can of corn

• 1 avocado

Start by blending the ingredients for the sauce and refrigerate. Warm a large, nonstick pan on the stove and do not add oil or butter, this way the tortilla gets crispy, not soggy. Place one tortilla on the pan and spread half the mashed sweet potatoes, beans and lime juice across half of the tortilla and fold the empty side over the mixture. While the first side cooks, add corn and tomatoes to the pan. Flip the quesadilla and allow the vegetables to cook until the second side is fully cooked (tortilla should be brown but not burned). Plate the quesadilla, drizzle cilantro sauce over it and add half a sliced avocado as well as the cooked vegetables to the dish. Repeat quesadilla steps for the next serving.

Blueberry Beauty Smoothie

This delicious smoothie is a quick and nutritious way to kickoff your morning. Packed with vitamins and nutrients that hydrate your skin, slow the aging process and reverse cell damage, this breakfast drink helps you look your best from the inside out. I typically make only one serving for myself in the morning, but you can easily multiply the recipe if you've got additional early risers in your household. 

Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cook Time: None Serves: 1

• One banana, peeled

• One handful of frozen blueberries

• One TBSP of chia seeds

• One full scoop of collagen powder

• One spoonful of coconut oil

• Half a cup of almond milk

Add ice for additional hydration and a smooth frozen texture, blend and pour! So easy. 

Favorite Food Friday: The Best Autumn Produce

I was born in late spring so summer was the first season I really experienced and I am pretty sure that is why I love it the most. But even after the season’s juicy melons and tangy citrus are past their prime, Mother Earth’s bounty offers up some of its richest flavors and a cornucopia of benefits for our bodies. Before hitting the grocery store, check out my list of favorites to fill your cart this fall.

Sweet Potatoes: The long-lasting, versatile veggie is packed with Vitamin C and E which improve the immune and cardiovascular systems, exactly what we need as cold season looms in the near future. The tuber also offers Vitamin B, maintaining your mood, and Vitamin D, the “sunshine vitamin” of which we need to increase intake levels during colder months.

Rutabaga: This thick-skinned root vegetable is a great source of potassium for regulating blood pressure and serves up lots of fiber, aiding in digestion. Also known as Swedes, they have phytochemicals that eliminate the body’s carcinogens and help the liver process harmful toxins. What’s more, a serving of rutabaga includes over half the daily value of Vitamin C.

Pumpkins: Reigning king of the season, pumpkins have a wealth of nutritional benefits — when they’re not flavoring your latte, sorry ladies. Expectant mothers can benefits from their folate levels which boost cell renewal and fetal development. Don’t toss the seeds! Instead, roast them with a little oil and salt, as they contain tryptophan, an effective treatment for social anxiety disorder that improves your mental well-being.

Carrots: This fan favorite is the most abundant food source of beta-carotene, effectively slowing down the aging process by diminishing wrinkles and repairing cell damage. The Vitamin A in carrots protects the skin from sun damage, acne, uneven tone and dryness. Those of us who consume carrots at least twice a week have drastically lower rates of glaucoma.

Red Cabbage: Although you can find cabbage in grocery stores any time of the year, the cruciferous vegetable ripens at the end of the summer and gets sweeter as the weather turns colder. Red cabbage contains ten times the vitamins of its green brother, improving your eyes, teeth and bones.

Mojo Criollo Chicken with Pineapple Salsa

I put this recipe together for the first time this summer and it was a huge hit with my Latin husband and not too spicy for this Gringa. Combining healthy, lean protein with the best seasonal fruits and vegetables, this meal can be made ahead of time for easy midweek dinners. I recommend making extra salsa (especially if you have a chopper to do all the dicing for you), and eat with tortilla chips or over spinach for a quick salad. 

Prep Time: 30 minutes Cook Time: 2.5 hours Serves: 4

• 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 canned pineapple
• 1 medium tomato (or a handful of grape tomatoes)
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 1/2 white onion
• 3 tbsp fresh cilantro
• 1 canned corn
• 1/2 a lime, juiced
• 1 pinch of salt and pepper
• 1-2 avocados
• Spanish rice (I am lazy and love Uncle Ben's Ready Rice)
• 1 bottle of GOYA Mojo Criollo

Add chicken to crock pot and cover with the Mojo Criollo marinade. Cover, turn to high and cook for 2.5 hours (alternatively, cook on low for about 5 hours). While the chicken cooks, chop tomato, onion and cilantro. Heat coconut oil on a skillet and add pineapple chunks, allowing them to brown (about 4 minutes each side). Remove the browned pineapple from the heat and chop. Add all the chopped fruits and veggies to a large bowl, add corn and mix well. 

When chicken is fully cooked, remove from the crock pot and shred with a large fork. Pop Ready Rice in the microwave for 90 seconds. Plate rice and chicken, top with the salsa and add half an avocado to each plate. 

Healthy Desserts that Actually Taste Like a Reward

After almost every meal, no matter how satisfying, I am overcome with an irresistible craving for something sweet. If you're trying to cut calories or lower your sugar intake, there are plenty of guilt-free ways to please your palate. To combat your sugar cravings without reeking havoc on your diet, try one of these naturally sweet alternatives for your next dessert. 

Raspberry Frozen Yogurt: Blend Greek yogurt, frozen raspberries, lemon juice and honey for a homemade blend that is sweet, delicious and takes about five minutes to make. 

Pears and Peanut Butter: This naturally sweet fruit pairs well with peanut butter for dieters who have grown tired of apples. The fructose will give you a quick burst of energy and peanut butter provides protein to keep you full longer.

Blueberries Dipped in Yogurt: A great frozen treat to prepare ahead and enjoy after a day in the sun or at the sweaty gym. Coat fresh blueberries in low fat yogurt (plain or fruit flavored), spread on a cookie sheet covered with wax paper and stick in the freezer. 

Chocolate Banana Cookies: Stir together instant oatmeal, two ripe bananas and unsweetened cocoa powder, add spoonfuls of the mix on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees. 

Elevated Avocado Toast

I will never fork over $14 to have this for brunch when I’m out with my friends, but I’ve come up with a few homemade recipes that are just as delicious and cost half of avocado toast on any restaurant menu. Here are a few of my favorites:

Classic: Avocado mashed up on whole wheat toast with an egg on top. I like to hard boil eggs and have this for lunch throughout the week but if you prefer scrambled or fried eyes, those work well here, too. Optional add-ons include salsa or red pepper flakes.

Tex Mex: Trade eggs for black beans and top with lime juice and hot sauce.

Veggies: Avocado spread with sliced cucumbers and diced grape tomatoes, sprinkle with dill.

Savory Veggie: Heirloom Tomatoes, balsamic vinegrette. I’m allergic to basil but some people think it pairs well with this dish.

Philly: Smoked salmon, capers. Optional: red onions and cream cheese.

Iced Coffee Protein Smoothie

This Friday I am sharing one of my absolute favorite smoothie recipes because it's quick, delicious, nutritious AND wakes you up -- everything a breakfast shake should be (especially on a Friday). If you workout in the morning, this combination gives you potassium, electrolytes, protein and caffeine to start your day with some energy. Add the following ingredients to your blend, mix well and drink up on your way to the gym. 

Prep Time: 5 Minutes Cook Time: None Serves: 1

• One banana, peeled
• One cup of cold coffee
• One cup of almond milk (I used coconut flavored)
• One full scoop of vanilla or chocolate protein powder
• Half a cup of ice

Favorite Food Friday: Apples

In honor of being back in the Big Apple after a month of travel, today I'll share some of the surprising ways this popular produce benefits your body. 

One of the most highly-consumed fruits in the United States, apples are a delicious, portable and doctor-approved sweet treat. Twenty-five hundred kinds of apples are grown in the U.S. and species triple worldwide.

Apples have always been a favorite pre-workout snack for me but I never realized how much good this fruit was doing for my entire body until recently. A few months ago on a press trip with I Love NY, I had the chance to tour Fly Creek Cider Mill, a water-powered mill operating outside Cooperstown for over 150 years. Between cider samples and doughnut tastings, I learned the following apple tidbits:

• The abrasive texture acts like a mini toothbrush, removing plaque and helping whiten teeth by stimulating saliva production. 
• The natural sugars are more potent than coffee without the inevitable caffeine crash. 
• Apple skins contain a compound that breaks up cholesterol before it solidifies on artery walls, preventing coronary diseases.
• Studies have proven fruits high in antioxidants -- like apples -- help protect eyes against cataracts.
• Fighting the effects of aging on the brain, apples can keep Alzheimer's symptoms at bay. 

Favorite Food Friday: Dark Chocolate

Everyone has a weakness when it comes to food and mine is chocolate, specifically ice cream. While sundaes topped with hot fudge are probably not a secret solution to weight loss, dark chocolate is actually very beneficial to your health. If you're looking for ways to treat yourself after a week of "good" eating, read on to see why chocolate could be the indulgence you deserve.

• Increasing blood flow to the brain, chocolate helps cognitive function and decreases age-related mental problems
• This additional blood flow also improves skin by protecting against harmful effects of the sun
• Chocolate boosts endorphin production, the hormone responsible for feeling happy and lowering stress levels
• Eating dark chocolate reduces the number of LDL ("bad") cholesterol, which harms muscles and tissues
• Last but not least, the antioxidants kick start the metabolism, helping burn calories and reduce fat

Foods to Keep You Energized All Day

It's Friday and after a long week, I know we could all use a pick-me-up to make it through the final hours in the office. Instead of downing cup after cup of coffee, trade your cappuccino for a healthier energy boost. Here are some of my favorite snacks that naturally increase your stamina. 

Apples: Everyone's heard that an apple a day keeps the doctor away, but did you know eating an apple can give you as much energy as a cup of coffee without the caffeine crash? Apples contain about 13 grams of glucose, a natural sugar. These sugars provoke a similar response to caffeine because the vitamins are released slowly, making you feel more awake. 

Honey: This sticky, sweet food includes healthy carbohydrates like fructose and glucose as well as vitamins, amino acids and antioxidants. Sports dietitians recommend athletes  add honey to their pre-exercise meal to instantly boost performance and endurance while reducing muscle fatigue. Compared to other forms of sugar, honey keeps blood sugar levels constant. 

Green Tea: This soothing drink is loaded with epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a substance that increases the rate of fat burn. Green tea also contains some caffeine (but not too much!) to nudge up those energy levels temporarily when you need them the most. 

Greek Yogurt: Its liquid form makes yogurt easy to digest so your body absorbs the calcium and vitamins B2, B5 and B12 immediately, resulting in an instant energy kick. Yogurt's high protein levels mean this energy will last while keeping you satisfied and elevating your mental state.  

Almonds: This portable snack delivers a potent combination of nutrients like vitamin E, copper and magnesium, known as the "miracle mineral" for its ability to support the immune system, improve sleep patterns, relax muscles, relieve stress and boost mood. The protein and fiber in these nuts also stabilizes your blood sugar levels and slows digestion, regulating your energy.