Healthy Recipes for Sleep-Enhancing Foods

August 27, 2019
If you’re hoping to get a better night’s sleep, try adding some of these sleep-enhancing foods to your diet. Studies have shown tart cherry juice and jasmine rice, and the nutrients in fish, yogurt, whole grains, kale, bananas, chickpeas and fortified cereals to lead to a more restful night’s sleep. Enjoy our healthy recipes for some of these sleep-enhancing foods for a delicious meal that might help you sleep more soundly.Watch Video
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Seared Salmon with Braised Broccoli

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Here we pair pan-seared salmon with braised broccoli and make it special with a quick, Italian-inspired topping of sautéed onions, pine nuts and raisins.

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Banana Bran Muffins

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Banana bran muffins are great to have on hand for breakfast on-the-go!

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Kale Chips

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Not a fan of kale? These crispy baked kale chips will convert you! For the best result, don't overcrowd the pans.

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Green Smoothie

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Get your daily dose of dark leafy greens any time of day with this delicious green smoothie. Ground flaxseed adds omega-3s. Pour any extra into a freezer-pop mold and have it later as a frozen green smoothie pop.

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Chickpea Burgers

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These chickpea burgers are similar to falafel, but with the added whole-grain goodness of brown rice and wheat germ. Serving them on pita breads with thick slices of tomato and a dab of plain yogurt continues the Middle Eastern theme, but if you want to take it even further, drizzle with a little sauce made with minced garlic and tahini thinned with water and lemon juice.

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Halibut Packets with Mushrooms & Polenta

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Garlicky mushrooms spiked with bacon make a lovely garnish for halibut and polenta. We can't decide what we like best about this dish: the flavors, healthfulness, ease or the fact that there is so little cleanup! Serve with steamed green beans tossed with olive oil, whole-grain mustard and a squeeze of lemon.

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Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe & Chickpeas

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The assertive flavor of broccoli rabe and rosemary are paired with sturdy chickpeas in this satisfying pasta dish. When buying broccoli rabe, check to make sure the bottoms of the stems are relatively tight, green and moist. If the broccoli rabe at your store is past its prime--or if you prefer a milder taste--use broccolini or regular broccoli instead. Garnish with a sprinkling of freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

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Fragrant Fish Soup

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Lemony rice, delicately flavored broth and gently poached tilapia are topped with a colorful blend of vegetables and herbs. The aromatic mint provides fresh and complex flavor.

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Quick French Onion Soup

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French onion soup is a favorite but it usually isn't substantial enough to make a complete meal. We've solved this problem by adding fiber-rich chickpeas to a broth flavored with sherry and three kinds of onions. Of course, we didn't forget the gooey topping, we've just made it a little lighter and a lot easier to prepare at home--simply top toasted whole-wheat bread with cheese and pour the soup on to melt it.

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Salmon Pinwheels

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Don't be intimidated by this fancy-looking breaded-salmon pinwheel--it's quite easy to do. This technique works best when you use “center-cut” salmon fillet. If you don't have a center-cut fillet or want to simplify the preparation, leave the fillet whole, spread the mayonnaise over it, top with the breadcrumb mixture and bake. To cut down on prep time, ask your fishmonger to skin the salmon for you. Serve with garlic-rosemary roasted potatoes and wilted spinach.

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Bagel Gone Bananas

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Talk about a grab-and-go breakfast: this bagel topped with nut butter and banana slices is ready in just 5 minutes and easy to eat on the run.

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Spiced Chickpea "Nuts"

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When roasted in a hot oven, chickpeas become super crunchy. They're a great low-fat substitute for nuts when salty cravings hit.

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Chocolate-Cherry Snack Bars

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These cereal bars are chewy, crunchy and delicious with good-for-you seeds, nuts, fruit and little explosions of chocolate. We like the flavor of dried cherries or cranberries, but any coarsely chopped dried fruit will work.

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Hearty Kale Salad

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A riff on the classic warm spinach-and-bacon salad, this recipe features thin ribbons of kale instead. Any variety of kale works, but flatter-leaf lacinato kale makes it extra-special.

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Braised Greens & Cannellini Bean Panini

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A creamy spread of cannellini beans cooked with onion, garlic and white wine is the perfect match for tender braised greens. Press the two between pieces of crusty whole-wheat bread and you have an outstanding vegan panini.

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Poached Cod & Asparagus

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In this recipe, we poach the cod right on top of the asparagus. The result is perfectly cooked cod and tender-crisp asparagus. The sauce is our take on beurre blanc--a traditional French sauce made with wine and lots of butter. Ours uses a little cornstarch for thickening and a judicious amount of butter for flavor.

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Tuna, Artichoke & Basil Stuffed Potatoes

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These baked potatoes topped with canned tuna, artichoke hearts, provolone cheese and basil may seem unconventional, but the flavor combination is awesome. Serve with a mixed green salad.

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Smoky Maple-Mustard Salmon

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It doesn't get much easier--or more delicious--than this speedy recipe for roast salmon topped with a smoky maple-mustard sauce. The sweetness of the maple balances the tangy mustard; smoked paprika or ground chipotle adds another layer of flavor. Ask at the fish counter to have the salmon cut into four 4-ounce fillets with the skin removed. Serve with roasted green beans and whole-wheat couscous tossed with pecans and chives.

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Baked Curried Brown Rice & Lentil Pilaf

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Pop this fast and fragrant vegetarian dish into the oven and forget it till the timer rings. Serve as a main course on a bed of wilted spinach to add color and maximize iron absorption or serve as a side with Turkish Chicken Thighs.

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Salsa-Braised Kale

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Braising kale in salsa and topping it with cheese makes a delightful side dish for your favorite Mexican meal. Different brands of salsa have varying amounts of sodium. Sometimes prepared fresh salsa is the lowest.

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Chickpea, Spinach & Squash Gnocchi

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Currants add a surprising touch of sweetness to this simple sauté of chickpeas, spinach, squash and gnocchi. We prefer the texture of shelf-stable gnocchi, but if sodium is an issue for you, opt for frozen instead. Serve with a glass of chardonnay.

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Jojo's Party Mix

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Our more sophisticated version of crunchy party mix gets its irresistible, rich taste from olive oil and a bit of Parmesan cheese rather than the better part of a stick of butter, or worse, margarine. With two-thirds less fat (none of it saturated) you can forget about that other stuff.

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Almond-&-Lemon-Crusted Fish with Spinach

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Coating fish with nuts and baking it is an easy, foolproof way to cook it elegantly. And it is especially nice with a mild white fish like cod or halibut. The spinach turns a little yellowy because it's cooked with the acidic lemon juice, but what you lose in green color is more than made up for in great flavor.

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Banana Spice Smoothie

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This healthy banana smoothie is made with vanilla kefir and spiked with warming spices.

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