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Red Thai Curry with Shrimp This is probably my favourite food.  You can easily substitute cooked, sliced chicken for the shrimp but is just so easy with shrimp and very tasty.  My version is packed with veggie goodness just to add to the health benefits.  I usually serve this over brown jasmine rice but it would work equally as well over riced cauliflower.  I was cooking for 5 people and a toddler so I made quite a bit.  I will half the ingredients in this recipe but know that it doubles well.  I only had 1 can of coconut cream so I just added a bit more broth and curry paste and it was good so it's a pretty versatile and forgiving recipe. Recipe: Ingredients: 1 Bag frozen raw shrimp, peeled, tails off 2 green onions Thumb sized piece of ginger grated 2 garlic cloves minced 1/2 red bell pepper sliced thin 1/2 yellow or orange bell pepper sliced thin 1 small zucchini sliced 1 small carrot grated 1 can coconut milk/cream 1/4 to 1/2 cup chicken broth 2 table
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Oatmeal Breakfast Muffins The batter for these muffins (I always lick the spoon when I'm done.) tastes like Quaker Instant Oatmeal mmmm.  These are a quick, healthy option for a rushed morning or can be easily packed to take along, oatmeal on the go. Ingredients: 1 Omega 3 large egg 1/4 cup apple sauce 1/3 cup pure maple syrup 2 tsp vanilla 1 cup low fat buttermilk 1 cup whole wheat flour 1/4 cup wheat germ 1 tsp baking soda 1/4 tsp sea salt 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1 cup quick oats 1 large apple grated Method: Set oven to 350 degrees.  Line a muffin tin with muffin liners.  (You can spray your muffin liners with oil but I don't use that stuff.  My liners stuck to the muffins a bit but not bad.) 1. Whisk together the egg and apple sauce until combined.  Add in the maple syrup, vanilla and buttermilk and whisk lightly until combined, 2. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, wheat germ and cinnamon.  Whisking your dry ingredients adds air to them a
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Race Series: Nutrition tips You train hard and you need to fuel your body accordingly.  Don't let your hard earned gains go out the window because you are not fuelling optimally.  In this post I will talk about antioxidants. Antioxidants protect your body from free radicals and other toxins.  There must be a balance of antioxidants and free radicals in the body or oxidative stress occurs.  Free radicals can alter fats, proteins, cells or DNA and lead to disease.  A free radical is a molecule with an unpaired valence electron that is free to react with other molecules by either donating or accepting an electron.  Radicals are highly reactive and unstable. A good visual example is an apple.  If you cut an apple and leave it exposed, it will turn brown.  If, however, you coat the slice of apple with lemon juice before leaving it to sit, it will take longer for the brown to appear.  The vitamin C in the lemon juice is a powerful antioxidant and slowed the oxidation process o
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Safe and Effective Weight Loss

We are now almost one week into the first ever Spring Makeover Challenge at Sturgeon Valley Athletic Club and the weekly weigh in is looming.  I wonder how all of the participants are feeling about their efforts so far. The thing that I love about this particular challenge is its emphasis on health and learning healthy new habits that are designed to be sustainable even after the challenge is over.  Yes, it is a weight loss challenge where people are competing to lose the most weight each week but the coaches are all doing their best to ensure that the weight loss is being done in the safest way possible. On the eve of our weekly weigh in, I want to remind everyone that even though it is a competition, in the end, it is your health and safety that we are concerned with.  A good amount of weight loss for a week is 2 lbs. There is a bit of leeway of course depending on the individual and their particular program, however excessive weight loss initially is likely water weight and wi
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Happy Valentines Day! Alright, maybe I jumped the gun a bit with the 'Happy' wishes a few days early but I love Valentines day.  Do you have any big plans this year?  May I suggest a fun idea?  How about this year, instead of going out to a fancy restaurant, why not stay in and cook a heart healthy meal together?  I have put together a menu built around heart healthy foods and the recipes that go along with it to ensure that your heart keeps beating strong for your main dish. Menu: Appetizer: Asparagus Wrapped in Prosciutto:   Just like it sounds, heavenly spears of crunchy asparagus spears wrapped together with a piece of salty prosciutto.  Asparagus is chock full of anti-inflammatory nutrients and antioxidants, among them, vitamins K and C respectively.  Heart disease is known to be a chronic disease that evolves due to excessive inflammation and oxidation.  Two key steps in preventing heart disease is to slow down oxidation and heal an
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Fighting off Cold and Flu Season

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Fighting off Cold and Flu Season Every year as Christmas draws near, I hear the same thing from several friends and relatives.  (Think back, I bet you either know someone who has said this or maybe you've said it yourself.)  " There is always someone sick in our house every Christmas! "  Why is it that some families get through the holidays unscathed and perfectly healthy while others struggle?  The best way to fight off any kind of sickness at any time of the year is to make sure that your immune system is healthy and has all the support it needs to keep you going strong.  I know it isn't fun when someone in your house is sick and can't join in the festivities.  Why not start planning ahead?   Start now , boosting your immune system and your family's and arm yourself with the proper tools to fight off infection. What are some of the things you can do? 1. Rest:  Make sure you are getting enough.  Getting enough sleep isn't just about beauty.  
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