---
category: mental
focus_id: mental_mood
calculator_goal: mood_stress
generated_by: meals/research-by-focus/generate_research_by_focus.py
---

# Combined-spice meal research — `mental` / `mental_mood`

**Calculator goal:** `mood_stress`

This file lists **five** world-food patterns where **multiple herbs/spices share one cooking phase** (marinade, bloom, curry base, braise, wet rub), aligned with HERBIX **combined_recipe** semantics in [`app/calculator.html`](../../../app/calculator.html).

**Evidence tier:** Culinary tradition + general press/test-kitchen sources linked below—not RCT evidence for disease outcomes.

## Meal 1: Bean shakshuka (no eggs)

- **Diet:** vegetarian
- **Protein anchor:** white beans or chickpeas
- **Combined spices (representative):** same cumin–paprika sauce as egg shakshuka
- **Technique:** Beans simmered in combined spice tomato base.
- **HERBIX mapping:** Subplan `mental_mood` → calculator goal `mood_stress`. Use **Recipe combine mode: Combined spices** when this dish carries most daily spice load.
- **Culinary disclaimer:** Educational ideas only—not medical advice, not therapeutic dosing.

### References

- [BBC Food — shakshuka](https://www.bbc.com/food/search?q=shakshuka)

### Nutritional research (protein anchor only)

**Anchor:** `white beans or chickpeas` (normalised: `chickpeas`) · approximate **per ~100 g cooked/edible** of the anchor alone: **~164 kcal (~686 kJ)**, **~8.9 g** protein, **~2.6 g** fat, **~27 g** carb, **~7.6 g** fibre. Full dish totals differ with oil, coconut milk, rice, etc.

- **Pattern:** Higher protein and fat than many pulses; folate and manganese.
- **UK composition tables (CoFID):** [McCance and Widdowson’s CoFID](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/composition-of-foods-integrated-dataset-cofid) — use the published spreadsheet or [UK food composition tool](https://quadram.ac.uk/UKfoodcomposition/) for cooked, edible portions closest to the anchor.

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## Meal 2: Fesenjan (walnut–pomegranate chicken or duck)

- **Diet:** omnivore
- **Protein anchor:** chicken or duck
- **Combined spices (representative):** turmeric, cinnamon, cardamom family notes in some recipes; black pepper; walnut richness
- **Technique:** Unified slow stew with ground walnut sauce—warm spices often combined early.
- **HERBIX mapping:** Subplan `mental_mood` → calculator goal `mood_stress`. Use **Recipe combine mode: Combined spices** when this dish carries most daily spice load.
- **Culinary disclaimer:** Educational ideas only—not medical advice, not therapeutic dosing.

### References

- [NYT Cooking — fesenjan search](https://cooking.nytimes.com/search?q=fesenjan)

### Nutritional research (protein anchor only)

**Anchor:** `chicken or duck` (normalised: `duck breast`) · approximate **per ~100 g cooked/edible** of the anchor alone: **~201 kcal (~841 kJ)**, **~24 g** protein, **~11 g** fat, **~0 g** carb, **~0 g** fibre. Full dish totals differ with oil, coconut milk, rice, etc.

- **Pattern:** Poultry with higher fat than chicken breast; skin-on raises calories significantly.
- **UK composition tables (CoFID):** [McCance and Widdowson’s CoFID](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/composition-of-foods-integrated-dataset-cofid) — use the published spreadsheet or [UK food composition tool](https://quadram.ac.uk/UKfoodcomposition/) for cooked, edible portions closest to the anchor.

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## Meal 3: Risotto allo zafferano (vegetable broth)

- **Diet:** vegetarian
- **Protein anchor:** rice + optional cheese
- **Combined spices (representative):** saffron bloomed in warm stock; onion base; optional nutmeg trace, white pepper
- **Technique:** Bloom saffron into combined liquid; gradual absorption risotto method.
- **HERBIX mapping:** Subplan `mental_mood` → calculator goal `mood_stress`. Use **Recipe combine mode: Combined spices** when this dish carries most daily spice load.
- **Culinary disclaimer:** Educational ideas only—not medical advice, not therapeutic dosing.

### References

- [Serious Eats — risotto](https://www.seriouseats.com/search?q=risotto+saffron)

### Nutritional research (protein anchor only)

**Anchor:** `rice + optional cheese` (normalised: `rice + optional cheese`) · approximate **per ~100 g cooked/edible** of the anchor alone: **~164 kcal (~686 kJ)**, **~8.9 g** protein, **~2.6 g** fat, **~27 g** carb, **~7.6 g** fibre. Full dish totals differ with oil, coconut milk, rice, etc.

- **Pattern:** Higher protein and fat than many pulses; folate and manganese.
- **UK composition tables (CoFID):** [McCance and Widdowson’s CoFID](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/composition-of-foods-integrated-dataset-cofid) — use the published spreadsheet or [UK food composition tool](https://quadram.ac.uk/UKfoodcomposition/) for cooked, edible portions closest to the anchor.

---
## Meal 4: Shakshuka (eggs in cumin–paprika tomato sauce)

- **Diet:** omnivore
- **Protein anchor:** eggs
- **Combined spices (representative):** cumin, paprika, coriander optional, garlic, chili optional
- **Technique:** Simmer spiced tomato base; crack eggs; lid to set.
- **HERBIX mapping:** Subplan `mental_mood` → calculator goal `mood_stress`. Use **Recipe combine mode: Combined spices** when this dish carries most daily spice load.
- **Culinary disclaimer:** Educational ideas only—not medical advice, not therapeutic dosing.

### References

- [NYT Cooking — shakshuka](https://cooking.nytimes.com/search?q=shakshuka)

### Nutritional research (protein anchor only)

**Anchor:** `eggs` (normalised: `eggs`) · approximate **per ~100 g cooked/edible** of the anchor alone: **~155 kcal (~649 kJ)**, **~13 g** protein, **~11 g** fat, **~1.1 g** carb, **~0 g** fibre. Full dish totals differ with oil, coconut milk, rice, etc.

- **Pattern:** Whole egg; cholesterol in yolk; choline and B12.
- **UK composition tables (CoFID):** [McCance and Widdowson’s CoFID](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/composition-of-foods-integrated-dataset-cofid) — use the published spreadsheet or [UK food composition tool](https://quadram.ac.uk/UKfoodcomposition/) for cooked, edible portions closest to the anchor.

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## Meal 5: Khoresh bademjan (Persian eggplant stew) — meat optional

- **Diet:** omnivore
- **Protein anchor:** lamb or beef optional
- **Combined spices (representative):** turmeric, cinnamon, saffron, dried lime; tomato base
- **Technique:** Unified khoresh spice phase with slow simmer.
- **HERBIX mapping:** Subplan `mental_mood` → calculator goal `mood_stress`. Use **Recipe combine mode: Combined spices** when this dish carries most daily spice load.
- **Culinary disclaimer:** Educational ideas only—not medical advice, not therapeutic dosing.

### References

- [NYT Cooking — Persian stew search](https://cooking.nytimes.com/search?q=khoresh)

### Nutritional research (protein anchor only)

**Anchor:** `lamb or beef optional` (normalised: `beef sirloin`) · approximate **per ~100 g cooked/edible** of the anchor alone: **~204 kcal (~854 kJ)**, **~27 g** protein, **~10 g** fat, **~0 g** carb, **~0 g** fibre. Full dish totals differ with oil, coconut milk, rice, etc.

- **Pattern:** Heme iron, zinc, vitamin B12; saturated fat varies by trim.
- **UK composition tables (CoFID):** [McCance and Widdowson’s CoFID](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/composition-of-foods-integrated-dataset-cofid) — use the published spreadsheet or [UK food composition tool](https://quadram.ac.uk/UKfoodcomposition/) for cooked, edible portions closest to the anchor.

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