This smoothie and other foods may be the secret to getting better

We all know that a 9 o’clock dinner consisting of a ribeye steak, creamed spinach and a few glasses of Cabernet Sauvignon is not a recipe for a good night’s sleep.

But in the new book Eat Better, Sleep Better: 75 Recipes and a 28-Day Meal Plan That Unlocks the Food-Sleep Connection (Simon Element, Jan. 21), coauthors Marie-Pierre St-Onge, PhD, and Kat Craddock point out that the opposite is also true.

“There are also foods that can improve your sleep,” St-Onge, a nutritionist and founding director of the Center of Excellence for Sleep and Circadian Research at Columbia University, told The Post.

Tryptophan, an amino acid found in turkey that many blame for making them sleepy at Thanksgiving, can actually be found in a variety of plant and animal proteins and grains.

It’s not a holiday reliever, but a vital component for the production of serotonin and melatonin, hormones that are key to healthy sleep.

Other foods important for a good night’s rest include whole-grain, high-fiber carbohydrates; healthy fats such as those found in chia seeds, avocados and cold-water fish; and four key micronutrients – zinc, magnesium, vitamin B6 and folate. Such products should be consumed throughout the day, not just at night, to support sleep.

Conversely, eating poorly can cause poor sleep, which leads to cravings for unhealthy foods, namely fried foods and simple carbohydrates, and more sleepless nights.

“It’s a vicious circle,” St-Onge said.

Here, she shares two recipes for delicious, sleep-supporting meals.

Banana-Berry Smoothie Bowl

This new starter has chia seeds, which are high in omega 3 fatty acids, and lots of fruit. St-Onge currently has a paper under review showing that increasing fruit and vegetable consumption reduces sleep fragmentation. “So [you have] fewer little awakenings at night,” she said.

In a blender, combine 1⁄4 cup rolled oats (old-fashioned)., 2 tablespoons of chia seedsAND 1/2 cup milk and let soak until the oats have softened and the chia has gelled, about 5 minutes.

Add 2 cups frozen mixed berries, 1 cup frozen pineapple chunks, 1 banana, 1⁄2 cup Greek yogurt,
2 tablespoons of maple syrupAND 2 tablespoons of almond butter or sunflower butter and blend until very smooth.

Divide the smoothie mixture into four cereal bowls. Place the slices from above 1 banana, 1 cup mixed fresh berries, 1/2 cup granola – all divided into four bowls.

Garnish each bowl with one maple syrup and a chia seed topping. Enjoy immediately. Serves four.

Delicious chickpea pancake with shrimp, saffron and arugula

Chickpeas are an excellent source of protein, fiber and all four micronutrients that support sleep, book notes. Plus, St-Onge added, some research has also found that saffron helps with healthy sleep.

In a large bowl, whisk together 1 cup chickpea flour; 1 spoon of olive oil; 2 cloves of garlic, minced; 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt; or saffron tip dissolved in 1 tablespoon of warm waterAND 1 1⁄2 cups cold water. Cover with plastic wrap and set the dough aside at room temperature for at least 45 minutes and up to 24 hours.

Place a 10-inch cast iron or oven-safe nonstick skillet on a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400°F. Place a second shelf in the upper third of the oven. When the pan is hot, add 3 tablespoons of olive oilcarefully rolling to coat the bottom surface.

Return the pan to the oven and let the oil heat for 2 minutes, then carefully pour in the chickpea batter (it will sizzle). Return the pan to the oven once more and cook until the edges of the pancake are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 20–25 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large rimmed baking sheet, toss together a 1/2 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined; 1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes; 1 spoon of olive oil; 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel AND 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika. Season easily with saltthen transfer to the top rack of the oven and roast until the shrimp are pink and just cooked through and the tomatoes begin to caramelize and brown, about 10 minutes.

Remove both baking sheet and pan from oven; let it cool slightly. Using a thin spatula, release the pancake from the pan, then turn it out onto a cutting board or large plate. Add 1 1/2 cups baby arugula in the pan and toss the shrimp and tomatoes to warm through and soften the greens a bit. Transfer the contents of the baking sheet to the top of the pancake. Cut into wedges and serve warm, with lemon wedges on the side for squeezing. Serves four.

Excerpted from and adapted from EAT BETTER, SLEEP BETTER: 75 Recipes and a 28-Day Meal Plan That Unlocks the Food-Sleep Connection. Copyright @ 2024 by Dr. Marie-Pierre St-Onge and Kat Craddock. Photo Copyright © 2024 by David Malosh. Reproduced by permission of Simon Element, and an imprint of Simon & Schuster. All rights reserved.