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ODDS ARE, YOUR FOOD DELIVERY guy is bringing trouble to your doorstep. Inside that innocuous bag, he carries unhealthy versions of virtuous, protein-packed Asian dishes like salmon teriyaki and shrimp Pad Thai. Loaded with gloppy, neon-colored sauces, limp vegetables, MSG, and excess oil, the food may blunt your hunger, but it won’t optimally fuel your body. And that #2 combo isn’t doing your waistline any favors, either: A 2011 study in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association reports that people who eat takeout just once a week may significantly increase their body fat as well as other risk factors for heart disease and diabetes.

Time to reclaim takeout. Where to start? From scratch. In less time than it takes the delivery dude to reach your doorstep, you can create vibrant homemade versions of your go-to Asian orders. Just deploy lean protein, produce for fiber and disease-fighting phyto-nutrients, and fresh aromatics like garlic and ginger. Stock up on a few Asian pantry staples, and prep can be even easier. The only thing that’ll make your meals better? A strategic dose of spicy sriracha.

Salmon Teriyaki with Asparagus

UPGRADE: A helping of in-season asparagus adds potassium and folate to this Japanese stir-fry.

2 Tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 Tbsp mirin (Japanese rice wine)
1 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp chili sauce, such as sriracha
1 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp Asian sesame oil
1 Tbsp minced fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 Tbsp vegetable oil (preferably peanut)
1 lb skinless salmon (preferably wild), cut into 1-inch cubes
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into thirds
Cooked brown rice, for serving
1 Tbsp sesame seeds (optional)

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, mirin, honey, sriracha, cornstarch, sesame oil, ginger, and garlic. Set the mixture aside.

2. Heat a wok or large skillet on medium high. When it’s hot, add the oil and swirl to coat the pan. Add the salmon pieces and cook, stirring occasionally, until they just begin to turn opaque, about 2 minutes. Transfer them to a plate.

3. Add the asparagus to the wok and stir-fry until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Return the salmon to the wok and stir in the soy sauce mixture. Heat, stirring, for 1 minute. If the sauce seems too thick, add a couple of tablespoons of water. Serve over brown rice and garnish with sesame seeds.

Makes 4 servings

General Tso’s Chicken with Broccoli

UPGRADE: Why weigh down chicken chunks with bland, oil-logged batter? Bake them instead to cut calories without sacrificing taste. Then pile on the fresh vegetables.

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 Tbsp plus 2 tsp cornstarch
2 tsp vegetable oil (preferably peanut)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp minced fresh ginger
1/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 Tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 Tbsp hoisin sauce
1 Tbsp rice-wine vinegar
1 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp chili sauce, such as sriracha
4 cups steamed broccoli florets, for serving
Cooked brown rice, for serving

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. On a foil-lined baking sheet, toss the chicken chunks with 2 tablespoons corn-starch. Spread the cubes out and bake until they’re cooked through, about 12 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, heat the oil, garlic, and ginger on medium for 2 minutes, stirring often. Add the broth, soy sauce, hoisin, vinegar, honey, and sriracha; simmer 3 minutes. Whisk the remaining cornstarch into 2 tablespoons water; add that and heat until the mixture has thickened, about 30 seconds.

3. Add the cooked chicken to the pan with the sauce and toss together. Serve alongside the broccoli and over brown rice.

Makes 4 servings

ODDS ARE, YOUR FOOD DELIVERY guy is bringing trouble to your doorstep. Inside that innocuous bag, he carries unhealthy versions of virtuous, protein-packed Asian dishes like salmon teriyaki and shrimp Pad Thai. Loaded with gloppy, neon-colored sauces, limp vegetables, MSG, and excess oil, the food may blunt your hunger, but it won’t optimally fuel your body. And that #2 combo isn’t doing your waistline any favors, either: A 2011 study in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association reports that people who eat takeout just once a week may significantly increase their body fat as well as other risk factors for heart disease and diabetes.

Time to reclaim takeout. Where to start? From scratch. In less time than it takes the delivery dude to reach your doorstep, you can create vibrant homemade versions of your go-to Asian orders. Just deploy lean protein, produce for fiber and disease-fighting phyto-nutrients, and fresh aromatics like garlic and ginger. Stock up on a few Asian pantry staples, and prep can be even easier. The only thing that’ll make your meals better? A strategic dose of spicy sriracha.

Thai Red Curry with Beef

UPGRADE: Swapping in sweet potatoes for the classic white variety gives this curry a beta-carotene boost.

2 Tbsp vegetable oil (preferably peanut)
1 lb steak (round, loin, or flank), cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips
1 large shallot, chopped
1 Tbsp minced fresh ginger
1 Tbsp Thai red curry paste
1 can (13.5 oz) light coconut milk
1 tsp grated lime zest
1 Tbsp fish sauce
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and diced
Juice of 1/2 lime
Cooked brown rice, for serving
Chopped cilantro, for serving
1/3 cup unsalted roasted cashews (optional)

1. Heat a wok or skillet on medium high. When it’s hot, add 1 tablespoon of oil and swirl to coat the pan. Add the beef and sear it until browned, tossing occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the beef and its juices to a plate.

2. Return the wok to medium heat and swirl in 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the shallot and ginger; stir-fry for 3 minutes. Stir in the curry paste and heat for 30 seconds. Stir in the coconut milk, lime zest, and fish sauce; heat for 2 minutes.

3. Add the sweet potatoes to the wok and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce it to a simmer, cover, and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in the lime juice and the beef and heat through. Serve over rice and garnish with cilantro and cashews.

Makes 4 servings

Soba Shrimp Pad Thai

UPGRADE: Pad Thai typically uses nutritionally void rice noodles. Go unorthodox and use Japanese soba noodles instead for a bonus dose of fiber and nutty flavor.

2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 Tbsp natural peanut butter
1 Tbsp honey
2 tsp roasted sesame oil
1 Tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 Tbsp sriracha chili sauce
1 Tbsp fish sauce
2 Tbsp vegetable oil (preferably peanut)
1 lb peeled large raw shrimp (thawed and drained if frozen)
2 red bell peppers, thinly sliced
1 cup sliced shiitake mushrooms
6 oz soba (buckwheat) noodles, cooked, rinsed, and drained
3 scallions, sliced
1/4 cup roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped
2 limes, quartered, for serving

1. In a blender, combine the first seven ingredients and 1/4 cup water; puree until smooth and set aside.

2. Heat a wok or large skillet on medium high. When it’s hot, add 1 tablespoon of oil and swirl to coat the pan. Then add the shrimp and cook until they just turn pink, about 2 minutes. Transfer them to a plate.

3. Add another tablespoon of oil to the wok and swirl. Add the peppers and mushrooms; stir-fry for 2 minutes. Return the shrimp to the pan along with the peanut sauce, cooked soba, and scallions; stir-fry for 1 minute.

4. Serve with peanuts and lime wedges.

Makes 4 servings

Have you ever had one of those days where there
seemed to be no food in your kitchen…leaving with
you with nothing to eat?

You start to panic…

The hunger bug takes over and you start to sweat.

Ok, maybe that’s going a little too far but
when you’re hungry it’s usually nice to have a go-to
recipe that you can whip up in a snap.

Here’s a delicious smoothie recipe from
holistic nutritionist,Yuri Elkaim, that fits that role beautifully.

This is perfect at any time of day, even after
your workout.

INGREDIENTS:

2 bananas (who doesn’t like ‘nana’s?)
2 tbsp raw cacao (I have just discovered how great this stuff is!)
2-3 dates (I’m in love with fresh dates)
1 tbsp organic peanut butter (peanut butter is my ‘ice cream’)
300 ml almond milk (delicious and oh so healthy)
3-4 ice cubes, if thick milkshake-like consistency is desired or,
DIRECTIONS:

Add everything into a blender, blend until
creamy, and serve. This makes a BIG smoothie!

*Personally I usually add a serve of chocolate
whey protein (and reduce the raw cacao by a tbsp) – but that’s up to you.

If you’re fully raw/vegan, add a serve of
your favourite raw/vegan protein powder.

*Another tip is to use frozen bananas instead of fresh –
then you don’t need the ice cubes, and you’ll get even
MORE flavour.

Give this simple smoothie a try and you’ll be
surprised at how delicious it tastes, all the while
providing you with incredible “rawesome”
nutrition!

by Mike Geary

Here are my tips on how I make a healthier cup of coffee and what to watch out for…

First, you may have seen debate in the past about how coffee has some compounds in it that could have negative health effects such as some tars or other possibly inflammatory compounds in brewed coffee.

But, the good news is that coffee has such high concentrations of beneficia antioxidants, phenolic nutrients, chlorogenic acids, and other healthy compounds, that it more than counteracts any bad compounds.

In fact, coffee provides the biggest source of antioxidants for most Americans.

Although a lot of that has to do with the fact that many Americans don’t get enough antioxidants from fruits and veggies, so coffee ends up being their biggest source.

You should try to diversify your sources of antioxidants from fruits, veggies, spices, berries, beans, unsweetened organic cocoa, teas, and yes, even coffee if you like it.

So what’s the best way to make a healthy cup of coffee?  Well, here’s my 3 most important tricks to maximize the benefits of coffee and minimize the negatives:

1.  First of all, you need to AVOID adding any refined sugar or harmful
artificial sweeteners.  What I do instead is use either a very small touch of
organic maple syrup or a half packet of natural stevia to just lightly sweeten my coffee.

If you like your coffee black with no sweetener at all, that’s the healthiest
way.

If you’re getting your coffee at a coffee shop, make sure to avoid all of those fancy specialty coffees (sweetened flavored lattes, frappuccinos, etc) as they are almost ALWAYS loaded with extra sugars or artificial sweeteners.

Some of those fancy coffee drinks at Starbucks or other coffee shops can have 300-400 calories in just one coffee!  Definitely not good for your body or your blood sugar or insulin levels.

A latte or cappucino can be okay as long as you make sure to ask for it
unsweetened, and then use your own stevia if you need a light sweet taste.

2.  You also should try to AVOID at all costs any of those crappy artificial creamers (liquid or powder), which are usually made with corn syrup solids and hydrogenated oils (harmful trans fats).

Instead, use a little bit of REAL full-fat cream (organic grass-fed if you can find it, as the CLA in grass-fed cream is very healthy).

Or, better yet, what I’ve been using for a while now is coconut milk/cream as one of the healthiest creamer alternatives.  I get this by buying cans of organic coconut milk, and then after opening the can (shake the can well before opening), I store the coconut milk in the fridge in a container.

Note that the cans of coconut milk are much creamier and better as a coffee creamer than those cartons of “coconut milk drink” which are just watered down coconut milk.

The thick creamy coconut milk is the healthiest option for coffee creamer
because it’s loaded with super healthy saturated fats called medium chain
triglycerides (MCTs), which are known to boost your immune system and your metabolism!  Plus, coconut milk in coffee is just plain delicious!

It’s the best healthy creamer option by far.

When people visit my house and we make a pot of coffee, I’ll have them try the coconut milk/cream in their coffee and almost everyone always comments how much they love it!

3.  If you want to load your coffee up with more healthy antioxidants and good taste, consider trying some added cinnamon to your coffee (cinnamon can help control blood sugar and has many other health benefits).

It’s also really tasty in coffee!

I also sometimes like to add a teaspoon of organic cocoa powder (non-sweetened) to my coffee to make my own sort of mocha coffee (but without the loads of sugar in a typical mocha you’d get at the coffee shop).

The added cocoa powder also gives you great taste and a good dose of extra healthy antioxidants (and cocoa is also known for helping to lower blood pressure!)

I personally only drink coffee about 3-4 times per week, because I’m sensitive to caffeine and don’t want to get addicted to caffeine like some people are.  I see people that drink 3-4 cups per day that get a massive headache if they don’t have their daily coffee due to caffeine withdrawal.

I choose to avoid this addiction by only drinking it about 3-4 times a week, and I drink various teas like green, oolong, black, and white teas most other days, which are much lower in caffeine.

But despite the caffeine content, there is loads of data that show the high
antioxidant levels and health benefits to coffee.

Lastly, it’s extremely important to choose organic coffee beans, as conventional coffee is one of the most heavily treated crops with pesticides, fungicides, and herbicides.

Remember that one of the many health risks with these chemicals is that some pesticides can act as “xenoestrogens” in your body, disrupting hormone balance for both men and women.

Chronic xenoestrogen exposure can also be one cause of “stubborn abdominal fat” in both sexes as well as “man boobs” in men… so choose organic as often as you can with most foods, but especially with coffee!