Happiness Nurtures Happiness!

Published: American TurkNetwork Magazine, Washington DC, May 2025 , "CULINARY CHRONICLES"

Gastronomy helps education!

When factors like emotions, psychology, behavioral science, hormones, and the foods that influence them come into play, gastronomy can help educational scientists.

In my opinion, people usually confuse the concept of education and teaching. Education is at the heart of a society’s values, while teaching is the method for delivering structured knowledge. If you graduate from university lacking a sense of social morality or responsibility, no matter how well-trained you are in structured knowledge, you are still an uneducated person.

Teaching or schooling subjects like math and physics aims to provide structured knowledge during school years.

Education, on the other hand, includes personal development, passing societal culture from generation to generation, teaching moral values, and fostering social responsibility. It prepares you to respond appropriately when you encountered different circumstance. Gastronomy is one of the components we should learn for a long, productive, healthy life.

Nutrition & Behavior of Young Generations

Studies have shown that during adolescence, aggressive behaviors and defiance can be reduced, and social harmony, concentration, and productivity can improve when proper nutrition suitable for the individual's age and health condition is provided.

In a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study, 62 incarcerated children aged 13–17 were monitored for three months with regular intake of minerals, vitamins, and omega-3s. Blood samples were taken before and after the study. Among those who showed significant improvement in their nutritional status, rule violations decreased by 28% compared to the placebo group. The rate of rule violations dropped sharply.

A second trial (Schoenthaler & Bier,2000) focused on 468 school children aged 6–12. A high-risk group of 80 children, who had received at least one disciplinary penalty over seven months, was selected. Children in the experimental group took supplements containing 12 vitamins and 11 minerals. In terms of rule violations, there was a clear 47% difference between the placebo group and the experimental group.

In summary, these types of studies have demonstrated a reduction in feelings of hostility and aggression. If you’re dealing with aggressive or tense situations at school with your adolescent child, looking into their diet could be a good starting point, as it affects brain function, decision-making mechanisms, energy level, and hormones.

Gastronomy is a supportive science for the education sector. I hope this topic draws more attention from esteemed academics conducting research and studies in the field of education

What about the senior group? What can we learn from them?

Living a healthy life is closely tied to a combination of the habits you develop and the guidance of experienced people around you who assist you during your senior years.

One of the eldest seniors in our community is Mrs. Mecbure Erim. We recently celebrated her 95th birthday. She came to United States approximately seventy years ago. Many of us know her, her husband Seyfettin Bey, her son Metin (Matthew) and her lovely daughter Sue.

Her philosophy is “Happiness brings happiness”.  Her life experiences have turned into valuable life advice for us. I think she has discovered the key to a good life. There is a saying: What you think affects your words, actions, behaviors, characters, and your destiny. She has truly practiced this law of physics, linking the happiness electrons into her life.

Her advice for a good, healthy, and long life includes exercising regularly such as daily walking and calisthenics – an exercise that uses your own body weight for resistance instead of equipment- It’s like teaching your body discipline through movement. She also says “Love math” whether you use it for playing games or for shopping. She advises caregivers to encourage seniors to build their own social network.

She loves cooking, and her food sculpture and table settings have been nicknamed 'Turkish Martha Stewart” at family gatherings. She pays close attention to what she eats. Working at volunteer-driven events has kept her energetic. She shares her valuable life experience and continues to give back to the community.

I learned from her daughter that one of her favorites is börek. I would like to share my grandma Ayten’s recipe. Since they are close in age, I’m sure she will like the recipe. Happy Birthday Mecbure!

Like Mecbure, enjoy my family’s traditional recipe! It’s a wonderful way to teach happiness and gratitude through the food you share. Always remember to keep your portions small, based on your age, health and the energy you spend. I wish you a fulfilling life where you invest in yourself, nurture your habits, and educate both yourself and those around you.

Klemantin Spiral Börek

Yield: 4 Servings

Ingredients for the dough:

1 kg flour

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon yogurt

1 tablespoon salt

1 egg

Half a lemon

400 ml water

For brushing between dough layers: Melted Butter

For rolling the dough: An equal mixture of cornstarch and flour

Optional toppings before baking: Black cumin seeds, sesame seeds, or thyme

Alternative fillings: You can use cheese and sun-dried tomatoes, or vegetables like potatoes, celery, spinach, Jerusalem artichokes, beans (the vegetables should be pre-cooked) or even 10 chestnuts in autumn. It’s good to use vegetables that are in season for the filling.

Ground meat filling:

Ingredients:

200 grams ground meat

1 onion

Salt and black pepper (optional: walnut, currants and pine nuts, chestnut, depending on taste and budget)

1/3 potato

1 tablespoon olive oil

Preparation of the filling:

1. Preheat a stainless-steel pan.

2. Dice the onion and add it to the hot pan without oil. Sweat the onions until they release moisture, add olive oil, turn the heat down and cook until translucent, being careful not to burn them. This method helps preserve the organosulfur compounds and nutrients in freshly chopped onions, which are often lost otherwise.

3. Add the ground meat, grated potato, and other ingredients. The potato will prevent the börek from having a soggy bottom, increase its crispy texture, and absorb the excess meat juices.

The dough preparation:

1. Combine all dough ingredients and knead until soft. Let it rest for 30 minutes in a plastic bag in the fridge.

2. Divide the dough into 50-gram pieces. Roll out each piece using a rolling pin, sprinkling it with the cornstarch-flour mixture.

3. Brush semi-melted butter between each layer of dough. Stack 5 pieces on top of each other and let them rest in the fridge until the butter hardens.

Assembly:

1. Roll out the rested dough, grease the surface, add the filling, and roll it up tightly. Twist the roll to enhance its crispiness.

2. Brush the surface with more semi-melted butter and sprinkle with your choice of toppings, like thyme or black cumin seeds.

3. Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C (about 390°F) until golden.

Enjoy your meal!

Resources:

Orhun, D., Akıllı K. 2019, Yedikleriniz Davranışlarınız Olur. Velespit yayınları, 2. Basım, ISBN 9786058259287

Ap Zaalberg, 2015, Nutrition, Neurotoxicants & Aggressive Behaviour

Dunbar, R.I.M. (1998). The social brain hypothesis. Evolutionary Anthropology, 6, 178- 190.

Gailliot, M.T. & Baumeister, R.F. (2007). The Physiology of Willpower: Linking Blood Glucose to Self-Control. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 11, 303-327.

Duggan, M.B. (2011). Deficiency diseases. In: Human Nutrition, 12th edition. Eds: Geissler, C. & Powers, H. Elsevier Ltd. ISBN 978 0 7020 3118 2.

Schoenthaler, S.J. & Bier I. (2000). The Effect of Vitamin-Mineral Supplementation on Juvenile Delinquency Among American Schoolchildren: A Randomized, Double- Blind Placebo-Controlled Trial. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 6 (1), 7-17.

Schoenthaler, S.J. & Bier, I.D. (2002). Food addiction and criminal behaviour. In: Food allergy and intolerance. Eds. Brostoff, J. & Challacombe S.J. Saunders, London.

Bekaroğlu, M., Asian, Y., Gedik, Y., Değer, O., Mocan, H., Erduran, E. & Karahan C. (1996). Relationships Between Serum Free Fatty Acids and Zinc, and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Research Note. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 3, 225–227.