Smart Snacking @ Super Target!

Watch as your wellness center's registered dietitian, Maria Tsakalis, talks about buying healthy snacks at Super Target!

Easy Cooking with Coconut Milk

So it is always an adventure trying to find something to cook with when you haven't been grocery shopping in weeks....it sparks, let's call it creativity?!  Stocking your pantry with canned items and stocking your freezer with frozen fruits and veggies can lend you a healthy back-up meal when your time is tight.

I think a great thing to stock in your pantry is LITE coconut milk.  It contains 50 calories and 4.5g of fat per 1/3 can.  It can make a great stir fry.  Below is a recipe that I threw together last night.

Curry Coconut Vegetable and Chicken

6 oz thawed frozen chicken breast
1 can lite coconut milk
2 tbs red or green curry paste (can be found in the international section at grocery stores)
4 cups chopped or frozen veggies.  I used frozen brocolli and peas.  A fresh red pepper, jalapeno pepper, one beet, and 1 cup fresh kale.
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
Red pepper, pepper, garlic powder to spice

1 cup rice 

Bring coconut oil to boil in a saucepan.  Add curry paste and mix until blended.  Add chicken and frozen vegetables.  Let cook until chicken and frozen vegetables are almost cooked.  Add fresh vegetables to pan and spices, cover and let cook 10 mins.  Serve over rice and garnish with fresh cilantro.

Makes 2-3 servings--depending on your appetite!

Smooth Mondays-Free smoothies!

I think that one of the best things that are healthy, cheap, and easy are smoothies!  Where else can you pack vitamins, minerals, protein, antioxidants, and fiber into an easy meal that you can take on the go?!  I always promote smoothies for the busy, non-breakfast eater, for something that is a bit easier on the stomach in the mornings and can quickly be made up in the blender the night before and poured into a protein shaker that is easy to grab on the go in the AM.  They are also great post workout, a perfect combination of carbohydrates and protein to help your body recover!  Making your own smoothies has a vast amount of benefits:
-You can make them all-natural
-They will have no added sugar
-They are CHEAPER

and don't fall for all the additive supplements marketed to be "good" for your health.  A simple smoothie recipe is as follows:

-1 cup milk (Provides protein)
-1/2 cup greek yogurt (Provides added protein and probiotics)
-1/2 cup frozen mixed fruit (Provides antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, fiber, carbohydrates)
-5-6 ice cubes

Join me your dietitian here at the wellness center and my co-blogger Sherry, as we let you taste test some smoothies for FREE!  We will be in the RMC this Monday, November 15th from 1pm until 4pm blending you up some goodness.  I will also be there to answer your nutrition questions and you will have the opportunity to book a free nutrition consultation with me!

"We're not talking about bacon..."

This week Chef Roger explains to us how he cooks up healthy pork tenderloins!  Pork tenderloin, like chicken, is a lean protein, high in protein and low in fat. A USDA analysis found that pork tenderloin contains only 2.98 grams of fat per 3 oz compared to chicken breast which contains 3.03 g per 3 oz. So pork can be a great alternative to chicken for more variety in your diet.  But Chef Roger reminds us, we are NOT talking about bacon, which comes from a different cut of the pig and can be very high in fat! Enjoy:)