Coconut tumeric stir-fry with golden potatoes and tofu

Coconut tumeric stir-fry with 

golden potatoes and tofu

Ingredients to serve 2 
1 medium golden potato (cubed)
1 package firm tofu (cubed)
1 bag Asian style veggies (Frozen) - if you have extra time, let them de-thaw in 'fridge or counter top for at least 30 minutes, until soft.
Tumeric
1/2 - 1 cup coconut milk
Peanuts
Olive oil
(Want leftovers? Double up this recipe!)

1. In large skillet, (or wok) heat to medium and add a little olive oil and cook tofu until slightly brown on the sides. Toss every 2-3 minutes for even cooking.
2. While tofu is cooking for 5-8 minutes, place cubed golden potato in microwave and cook for 3-4 minutes or until soft (you may also boil or oven-bake your potato until soft). Keep skin on for more nutritional value. 

3. Add potato to tofu in skillet/wok and add 1/2 cup coconut milk and 2-3 tsp of tumeric. 

4. Add frozen veggies to your skill and stir until veggies are lightly tossed in coconut milk. 

5. Cook for 20-25 minutes until veggies are soft. If needed, add more coconut milk, however, your mixture should not be boiling so if the liquid is disappearing, turn down the heat a little.
6. When finished, season with a pinch of salt (if needed) and top with a few peanuts and enjoy!

Substitutions:
-You may use any lean meat instead of tofu or you can use beans/lentils
-You can use your favorite can of soup (we use Amy's) for the "broth" instead of coconut or any stock that you'd like
-You can choose any veggie mixture (fresh or frozen)

Trimarni produce tip:

Make sure you always have at least two bags of recipe-ready frozen veggies in your freezer for an easy yet healthy, go-to meal. This is a must-have for busy athletes for you never know when you will need/want something quick and healthy or to simply bump-up your veggie intake at one meal (either as a side or mixed into your meal).
Whereas canned fruits and veggies tend to lose nutritional value during the canning (or preserving) process, frozen fruits and veggies may be an ideal choice if your favorite (or most commonly consumed) produce is not in season or you just can't get to the store for a few days. Frozen produce is processed at peak ripeness which means they are nutrient-packed. Regardless if a fresh produce item is organic or not, the "best" produce is always local so if you are anti-frozen foods or haven't yet learned to appreciate how they can be incorporated into your diet, keep in mind that fresh produce is shipped around the country. It is picked before it is ripe so it has less time to develop it's full package of vitamins and minerals. This doesn't mean you can not eat produce from another state (as we do all the time) but if you have been steering clear of frozen veggies and fruits, understand that flash-freezing locks veggies into a nutrient-rich state. Even during shipping, they do not lose nutrients during their haul to your grocery store as they are not exposed to heat and light (like fresh produce). 

We always have a variety of fruits and veggies in our home as we are lucky that we can shop for produce at least 2-3 times per week (I can easily go through a container of blueberries and  raspberries in one a day so when my fav berries are in season or on sale, I get super excited!). We love adding a variety of simple or mixed recipe-ready frozen veggies to soups, stews, stir-frys, pasta/rice mixtures, omelets or as a simple side to a meal or as a snack. 

Apple cinnamon, peanut butter granola - it's soooooo good!!!

I hope you enjoy my latest yummy Trimarni creation!!

Perfect on cottage cheese, topping yogurt, in milk or by the handful. 

Don't forget to yum!

Apple cinnamon, peanut butter granola

2 cups oats

1/4 cup honey

1 tbsp nut butter

2 tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut

1 tbsp chia sheeds

1/8 tsp salt

1/4 cup almonds (chopped)

1 large apple (chopped - Gala)

1 tbsp ground cinnamon

Olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

2. Rub a little olive oil on a large baking sheet to lightly cover the sheet until shiny

3. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. 

4. Mix with clean hands (this is the fun sticky part!)

5. Pour yummy contents on to baking sheet and spread all around dish.

6. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove sheet and toss granola. 

7. Bake for additional 10-15 minutes or until slightly golden brown. 

8. Keep refrigerated in air-tight container for up to 3 days (if it lasts that long). 

This will not be a super clumpy granola but it is absolutely delicious, especially after it sits in the refrigerator for at least an hour.
Feel free to use your creativity with additional ingredients or substitutions. 

Nutrition facts: 

Per 1/2 cup

Servings: 8 x 1/2 cup servings (or 4 cups total)

169 calories

5g fat

27g carbohydrates

11g sugar

4g fiber

4g protein

49g sodium

Minty Chocolate Trail Mix Bark with coconut

As a dietitian, there are many food and lifestyle related topics to discuss when it comes to heart health. Last year, when I was asked by News4Jax to talk about the health benefits of chocolate and wine, I thought to myself, "this will be one yummy segment!" 

You can watch the segment HERE: EAT DRINK AND BE MERRY

As we all know from the media and research, dark chocolate packs a great heart-healthy punch. Although bitter to many, up to 1.5 ounces of dark chocolate a day (I recommend >60% cacao) alongside a balanced heart healthy diet is the way to go. Whether it is due to the nutrient compound found in chocolate or just the way it makes most people feel inside after taking one bite, chocolate alone has been shown to improve cardiovascular health (lowering LDL cholesterol and blood pressure), reduce inflammation, control appetite (ex. overeating/excessive snacking), increase insulin sensitivity, reduce blood clot risk by improving blood flow and improve stress and mood. 

Now that's a great list of reasons for dark chocolate lovers! But even if you don't like chocolate, you don't have to start eating chocolate. There are many real-food options that have been shown to produce similar results for your overall health. 

A few ways to enjoy chocolate:
*Add 1 tbsp bittersweet cacao powder to smoothie, oatmeal or pancake/waffle batters
*Enjoy an individually wrapped piece of dark chocolate after two meals a day (most packages are ~.37-4 ounces) for dessert

*Enjoy an ounce of dark chocolate with an orange for a snack in the afternoon

*Add a little shaved chocolate to your coffee instead of creamers, sugar sweeteners or whipped cream (you can still splash with milk)

*If your body is OK with caffeine (and OK'd by your primary physician), choose 1/2 ounce dark chocolate with your pre-workout snack in place of the fat option that you would normally have (ex. instead of 1 tbsp peanut butter, have 1/2 ounce dark chocolate for the same amount of fat, ~4 grams)

*Savor your chocolate, don't devour it. Suck on a small bite of chocolate at a time and make it last instead of chewing it.

*Add chocolate to stews for a little extra hint of flavor

Remember that dark chocolate does have calories and fat but they appear to be heart healthy, so with these suggestions above, if you are seeking body composition changes, make some heart healthy swaps in the diet if you are wanting to add in chocolate to your daily diet. In working with many athletes and fitness enthusiasts, I find that individuals who like chocolate and make room for it in the diet, they end up having less cravings later in the day and overeating in the eating because they feel more satisfied with their diet. 

Karel and I always have a bar of dark chocolate in our refrigerator - always. It is a staple daily food in our diet and a necessary part in us having a healthy relationship with food. 

Minty Chocolate Trail Mix Bark with Coconut

Ingredients:
2 cups (1 bag) semisweet chocolate chips
1 x 6 ounce bag trail mix of your liking (or make your own trail mix, ex. cashews, peanuts, banana chips, raisins, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds)

5 Andes Mints

Pinch of ground/powder ginger 

Unsweetened coconut shreds
Parchment paper
Large cookie sheet (be sure there is room in the refrigerator for this to cool for 2 hours)

1. Spray a non stick cookie sheet (large) with cooking spray and then line with parchment paper. 

2. Melt chocolate in a medium-large stainless steel bowl placed over simmering water in a pot (about half pot filled). 

3. Use heat resistance spatula to stir chocolate together (you may need a towel to hold the stainless steel bowl for it will get hot if touching the pot of water). 

4. As you are stirring the chocolate, add in 5 Andes Mints (chopped) - you could also use peppermint extract

5. When chocolate is less chunky, add a tiny pinch of ground ginger for a little kick and stir in most of the chopped trail mix (lightly chop large pieces like banana chips and cashews with a knife or chop coarsely in a chopper for a few seconds). 

6. When nuts are combined, spread chocolate and nut mix on paper (be sure paper does not move on pan, you may need to secure or have someone help you) and you can add in a little of the trail mix to pop out from the chocolate.

7. After chocolate is spread on paper (it doesn't have to be an even square or rectangle) and there are no open spots to see the paper, sprinkle with a little coconut to dust the chocolate. 

8. Refrigerate for 2 hours and then break into pieces. 

9. Place a small portion into individual baggies and keep refrigerated (or in freezer) for a delicious snack, once a day or keep in a container if using for a (holiday) party. 

(This also makes a delicious holiday gift or dessert at a party or in the office - keep refrigerated as long as possible or place plate of chocolate over ice to keep cool)