#healthydinneridea

Thai Tofu and Vegetable Curry with Noodles

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4 SERVINGS. READY IN 30 MINUTES.

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

  • 1 (14 ounce) package extra-firm tofu, cut into ½-inch pieces

  • 1 (14 ounce) can coconut milk

  • 2 tablespoons red curry paste

  • 1 tablespoon lime juice

  • 2 medium cloves garlic, grated

  • ½ teaspoon salt

  • 1 tablespoon avocado oil

  • 1 (8 ounce) package sliced mushrooms

  • 1 bunch scallions, cut into 1-inch pieces

  • 6 cups chopped kale

  • 2 (10 ounce) packages zucchini noodles

Preparation

  1. Heat sesame oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Pat tofu dry and add to pan. Cook in a single layer, without stirring, until the pieces turn golden, about 4 minutes. Gently stir and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until golden all over, 4 minutes more. Transfer to a plate.

  2. Meanwhile, whisk coconut milk, curry paste, lime juice, garlic and salt in a small bowl.

  3. Add avocado oil, mushrooms and scallions to the pan. Cook, stirring, until the mushrooms have released their liquid and started to brown, about 5 minutes. Add kale, the sauce mixture and the tofu and cook, stirring, until the kale is wilted, the sauce has thickened and the tofu is heated through, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

  4. Add zucchini noodles to the pan and cook, stirring, until heated through, about 1 minute. Serve the curry over the noodles.

Strawberry Spinach Salad

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SERVES 2

Ingredients

  • 6 cups baby spinach

  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion

  • 1 cup sliced strawberries

  • 3 tablespoons light raspberry vinaigrette

  • 1/2 medium avocado, diced

  • 4 tablespoons toasted walnut pieces

Preparation

  • Combine spinach, onion, and strawberries in a medium bowl.

  • Drizzle with vinaigrette; toss to coat.

  • Top with avocado and walnuts.

I was talking to a health client of mine the other day about the long journey that I’ve taken to being a healthy eater and having a balanced weight. For me it was a slow, gradual process. I started out setting really small goals for myself. For example, one of the first decisions I made early on was to quit eating fast food. That was a big step for me because I used to LOVE going to Wendy’s and it took awhile to make the adjustment. After I felt like I’d conquered my fast-food addiction, I set another small goal for myself: quit drinking coke! Little by little I transformed my way of eating over the years. My current diet which is primarily plant based, is a total 180 from what it was 20 years ago. What I always recommend to clients starting out is to be gentle with themselves and to set realistic goals along the way.

One of the things that has really helped inform my food choices over the years is an awareness around THE ENERGY OF FOOD. Before I got into nutrition I never, EVER thought about foods containing their own unique energy. I would eat a hot dog and not make a connection between the hot dog I just ate and the quality of my energy afterwards!

(I really have to stretch myself to remember back to this time because it’s SO different from how I think about food today!)

Nowadays it’s second nature to consider how a certain food is going to affect my mood, my mental clarity, and my energy levels.

This approach is largely based on the yogic concept of Prana, which is a Sanskrit word translated as energy. There is a vital life-force energy that exists around us and inside us. Energy comes from the universe: from the air we breathe and from our food. When we eat, we assimilate not only the nutrients, but also the energy of the food.

Certain foods, such as fresh produce, have a greater amount of energy than foods that are heavily processed. If you think about it, this intuitively makes sense.

Plant foods which grow into the ground and absorb the nutrients from the soil and then grow up toward the sun and soak up chlorophyll, provide our blood with oxygen. For this reason, greens are powerful mood enhancers. They actually lift the spirit!

In contrast to these vegetables, reflect for a moment on the character of a donut. It starts with dough, made of wheat and sugar; then it’s deep-fried in oil and topped with sugary icing. What kind of energy do you imagine you get from this donut?

Experiment with how different foods and their unique energetic properties affect you!

By understanding the energy of food, you can choose meals that will create the energy you are seeking in your life!