If I had to break it down, I would admit that getting in my veggies is THE challenge of all challenge. I’m mindful of my protein, choose whole grains, skip the refined sugar (most of the time), and drink ample amounts of water but getting those greens in, it requires intention!
Read MoreBy Christal Sczebel, Nutritionist in the Kitch
Christal recreates a dragon bowl after a yummy dining out experience…
Dragon bowls aren’t a new thing. A dragon bowl is simply a meal-in-a-bowl that consists of a high-quality protein and nutrient dense vegetables over a whole grain base like rice, or is sometimes served over roasted sweet potatoes and a bed of spinach.
I stuck with spinach and brown rice as the base for my bowl, and then chose to go with chicken, broccoli, snap peas, and peppers in a delicious red curry sauce (with peanut butter and tahini!) as the bulk of the bowl. Then I chose to use similar toppings as the bowl I enjoyed at Communitea – cabbage, carrots, cilantro, peanuts, and bean sprouts for that crunch!
The colours, textures, flavour combinations, mixture of warm and soft with cold and crunchy is honestly so amazingly good. I just can’t help but FEEL unbelievably nourished and satisfied after this meal. It’s definitely a keeper.
1½ cups coconut milk (I mixed full fat and light)
2 heaping tablespoons natural peanut butter
1 heaping tablespoon tahini
2 tablespoons red thai curry paste
2 tablespoons coconut aminos or gluten-free soy sauce
½ tsp sesame oil
1½ tablespoons coconut palm sugar
juice of 1 lime
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons minced ginger or ginger paste
4 skinless boneless chicken breasts, diced into small pieces (cook with coconut or olive oil - see instructions)
1 red bell pepper, sliced
2 cups broccoli crowns, chopped
1 cup snap peas
2 cups brown rice or quinoa, cooked
GARNISHES:
2 cups spinach
¼ head of red cabbage, sliced
2 carrots, shredded
1 cup bean sprouts
½ cup cilantro. chopped
¼ cup peanuts, crushed
Begin by making the sauce. In a bowl dd all the sauce ingredients EXCEPT the coconut milk and whisk until smooth.
In a large pan over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of coconut or olive oil and warm for 30 seconds.
Add in the diced chicken and cook, stirring frequently until browned.
While the chicken is browning, in another large pot/wok over medium-high heat add in the curry sauce and bring to a simmer. Stir in the coconut milk and bring back to a simmer.
Add in the bell pepper, broccoli, and snap peas and continue to cook for a few minutes until the chicken is finished browning in the other pan.
Add the browned chicken to the pot/wok with the red curry sauce and vegetables.
Simmer everything for 3 more minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
Remove from heat.
Take 4 large bowls and line each bowl with fresh spinach leaves.
Top the spinach leaves with warm cooked quinoa or brown rice (1/2 cup per bowl, cook the rice or quinoa ahead of time).
Divide the red curry chicken and vegetable mixture between the four bowls.
Top each bowl with the sliced raw cabbage, shredded carrot, bean sprouts, cilantro, and crushed peanuts.
Dig in!
By Christal Sczebel, C.H.N., Nutritionist in the Kitch
“What the heck is broccomole?!” were the exact words that came out of my mouth as I was reading the brunch menu of a restaurant I went to recently with some friends. It’s a neat little place in Edmonton called Canteen and their brunch is delicious to say the least. I ordered the “Smoked Sablefish, Fontina Egg Scramble, Seeded Rye, Broccomole, Roast Tomatoes” entree (sans fontina)…and was very intrigued with this Broccomole item.
My hubby, being the little smarty pants that he is, looked at me and said “it’s obviously guacamole…made from broccoli”, and I thought to myself, what? for real? no… it’s got to be some other kind of sauce or garnish or some kind of vegetable I’ve never heard of. But, after a quick google search, I realized my hubby was right! Darn!
Looking into this whole Broccomole thing a little more I happened to come across this recipe by Domestic Fits and wondered why I had never heard of this interesting little concoction before!
When I got my entree at Canteen and ate every little morsel (had the restaurant not been packed with people I may have even licked the plate) I made the decision right then and there that I… was a fan… of broccomole.
So I used the Domestic Fits recipe as inspiration and got mixing! In my food processor I added steamed broccoli, spinach (for a little extra green and nutrients), tomato, spices, silken tofu, and lemon juice!
A few blends and scrapes with the spatula later – this smooth, creamy, rich and dreamy guacamole-looking dip was created! Considering I’m not the hugest fan of broccoli to begin with, I was surprised how it had transformed into this yummy looking and very nutritious dip!
A couple dunks of my crackers and I was sold! Don’t get me wrong, I’m still a HUGE fan of traditional avocado guacamole, but for a lower calorie, nutrient dense, something-different-dip, this one is definitely worth a try!
Serves: 2
3 cups chopped broccoli
1 cup spinach
1 tablespoon lemon juice
5 cherry tomatoes
2 tbs green onions
1 tsp olive oil
2 ounces silken tofu
¼ tsp chili powder
1 tbs cilantro
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp garlic powder
1. Cook the broccoli in lightly salted water until very soft. Overcook the broccoli in comparison to the al dente cooking that most recipes recommend.
2. Drain broccoli very well.
3. Transfer to a food processor. Add the remaining ingredients and process until smooth, add additional olive oil for a smoother texture.
4. Serve warm or chill and serve cold.
If you’re anything like me, you’re often on-the-go, traveling, and squeezing every little inch out of the warm weather. If there is a small downside to all of this bouncing around, it’s the challenge of eating healthy while traveling. Restaurants, plane-rides, road-trips, airports, hotel rooms or tents, unfamiliar destinations… what, where, and how do you eat to feel great and stay on track with your goals?!
Read MoreBY Christal Sczebel, C.H.N., Nutritionist in the Kitch
Ah, stress. Our bodies need it to function, but, far too often this necessary stress becomes overwhelming or chronic and leaves us feeling exhausted, anxious, irritable, depressed, or all of the above. Not only does chronic stress affect our mood and performance but it can lead to weight gain or the inactivity to lose weight despite our best efforts.
When stress occurs on a consistent basis from many factors in our life creating chronic stress there is a hormonal cycle which occurs that can damage the adrenal glands (the glands that regulate stress hormones in our bodies), leading to more stress, and further cortisol overproduction. This vicious cycle can ultimately lead to fatigued adrenals, blood sugar issues, and increased body fat.
I myself am no stranger to the negative effects of high stress levels and have had to learn how to manage my stress through diet, exercise, and saying “No” in the kindest way possible! It’s a work in progress, but the more I learn, the better I become at overall stress management. Remember, practice makes progress!
When it comes to nutrition, food can definitely be a friend or foe for managing stress and keeping the cortisol cycle at bay. Let’s look at the some Stress Busting Foods and how they help our bodies combat the negative effects of stress as well as the two main Stress Inducing Foods to limit.
1. Oranges - These juicy sweet fruits are loaded with Vitamin C, which is one of the main vitamins essential for healthy adrenal gland function. Our adrenal glands are the stress hormone regulators of the body and can suffer when we are under chronic stress. Giving the body a steady boost of Vitamin C found in oranges can help counteract the burden on the adrenals.
2. Turkey - We have all heard that turkey makes us sleepy, and while that might be slightly true, it’s actually a relaxing effect which is from the amino acid L-Tryptophan which is plentiful in turkey. L-Tryptophan increases the production of the feel-good neurotransmitter serotonin in our body which can reduce irritability or a depressed mood from chronic stress.
3. Spinach - One of my favourite leafy greens! Spinach is loaded with Folate, a B Vitamin that increases dopamine (another feel-good neurotransmitter like serotonin) produced by the body. B Vitamins are also depleted when the body is under chronic stress so ensuring you are getting adequate food sources of Vitamin B, like spinach, can keep those B Vitamins at healthy levels!
4. Wild Salmon - This oily and delicious fish is full of Omega-3 Fatty Acids which have potent anti-inflammatory properties. Because chronic stress can increase inflammation in the body resulting in joint pain, muscle tension, and cognitive issues like brain fog and poor memory, salmon can help to counteract this health-hindering inflammation.
5. Dark Chocolate - Who doesn’t reach for the chocolate when stressed?! Well, that might not actually be a bad thing… in moderation of course. High quality dark chocolate (minimum 70% cocoa) made with unrefined sugars is full of antioxidants which combat the negative effects of chronic stress in the body. So yes, pass (one or two squares of) the chocolate!
1. Refined Sugars - Aside from tasting delicious, refined sugars, provide us with nothing beneficial, especially during periods of stress. When refined sugars are consumed we can experience big fluctuations in blood sugar levels which lend to mood swings, energy lows, irritability, and the inability to cope with stress. While we may want to naturally reach for sugar when we are stressed it’s better to go with naturally sweet foods like yogurt with berries, an apple with cinnamon, or a piece of (high quality 70% + ) dark chocolate!
2. Caffeine - …and all the coffee drinkers are instantly angry with me… I know, but hear me out! Caffeine, in moderation can be fine for many people, one cup of joe a day might be just what the doctor ordered for you, but caffeine also becomes a stress inducer when it it is consumed in large amounts (more than 500ml per day). A higher intake can stimulate the surge of cortisol, the body’s main stress hormone, which intensifies the physical stress response in the body and can lend to its chronic nature. Also, if you are an anxiety-prone individual or someone who is often always feeling “stressed-out”, caffeine will only serve to perpetuate those symptoms.
While our diet does play a big role in our ability to deal with stress as well as combat the effects of stress on our bodies, a healthy diet alone will not solve chronic stress.
One of the best ways to kick stress in the butt is targeting it directly at the roots!
If you feel constantly overwhelmed, burdened, and weighed down by the amount of stress in your life (I’ve been there too!) it is so very important to look at what the sources of your stress are and take action. What can be changed? Can you pull back in areas of your life and do less? Can you cut down on commitments? Are you always saying Yes to please others when you really just want to say No? Do you set unrealistic expectations for yourself? I encourage you to honour your health and learn about setting healthy boundaries which is a key component to stress management.
If something cannot be changed about a situation, then changing perspective is always a good start. Our thoughts are powerful and while we may find ourselves overly stressed due to circumstances out of our control, intentional positive thinking is a very real and useful tool for keeping stress levels at bay!
As GorgoGirls we are strong, but we also have our (necessary) limits. Knowing and respecting those limits is essential to our overall health. Let’s always remember to make time for work, play, and rest!
