What does it mean to be an Energy Food? It is a food that not only provides the calories to fuel your body but also contains the nutrients to energize your body and help you reach your peak potential.
1) Fish – Arctic Char:
• Health benefits: Contains omega-3 Fatty Acids, essential fats that are beneficial for the heart, brain. They can help prevent and treat mood disorders and depression, they can reduce arthritic pain and may prevent Alzheimer’s disease and cancer. Enjoy this fish as well as other fish such as Salmon, trout, mackerel, sardines and herring 3 times per week. Enjoy grilled and topped with a fruit salsa or chutney, in a burger or wrap or simply with lemon.
Recipe: Arctic Char and Kale Frittata
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp olive oil 300g cooked arctic char 8 eggs 6 boiled nugget potatoes 2 leaves kale steamed and chopped 1/4 cup skim milk 3 plum tomatoes finely chopped 3 green onions finely chopped ½ cup grated Asiago cheese Salt and pepper to taste
Method:
1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees 2. Steam kale and chop into 1 cm x 1 cm peices, boil potatoes and bake Arctic Char (all these food could be leftovers from a previous dinner) 3. Wisk eggs and milk, stir in pieces of cooked fish, tomato and kale 4. Lightly oil glass pyrex dish 5. Thinly slice cooked potatoes and lay flat in one layer on the pie plate 6. Pour egg mixture over potatoes 7. Top with grated Asiago cheese. 8. Season to taste 9. Bake for 25 minutes or until eggs are cooked throughout and the centre doesn’t jiggle when moved.
2) Blackberries:
• Health Benefits: Contains the antioxidants vitamin C and anthocyanidins as well as fiber. These antioxidants prevent the oxidation of cholesterol (which makes cholesterol sticky and form fatty steaks in blood vessels), prevent free radical damage to cells caused by extreme exercise, pollution, sun exposure and aging. Enjoy topped on whole grain cereal or in your favourite salads, muffins or yogurt.
Recipe: Blackberry, Apple and Pear Crumble with Walnuts and Ginger Snaps
1 cup blackberries (frozen or fresh) 4 apples (Spartans) 3 pears 3 Tbsp whole wheat flour 3 Tbsp brown sugar
Topping:
1 cup Ginger snaps crumbled 1 cup chopped walnuts 1 Tbsp grapeseed oil
Method
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees 2. Peal, core and slice into 2 cm thick slices all the apples and pears 3. Toss apples, pears and blackberries with flour and brown sugar. 4. Rub oil all over the inside of a 9” glass Pyrex dish 5. Pour fruit mixture into dish 6. Combine crumbled Ginger snaps and chopped walnuts and sprinkle over fruit 7. Bake for 35-40 minutes until bubbling 8. Let cool 5 minutes before serving
Recipe: Ginger sesame soy gai lan Ingredients 1 bunch gai lan 4 cloves garlic minced 2 tsp fresh ginger minced 1 Tbsp soy sauce 1 tsp sesame oil 1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar 1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds (black and white)
Health Benefits: Pumpkin contains some vitamin A (beta carotene), C, iron and phosphorus and is an excellent source of potassium. As with the vitamin A in carrots, the vitamin A in pumpkin is good for vision. Vitamin A also plays a roll in the maintenance of healthy skin, teeth, skeletal tissue and mucous membranes. Enjoy mashed pumpkin as a side dish, pumpkin soup, roasted with other root vegetables, in a curry or blended into muffins. Consider adding squash as a food for recovery after exercise as it is a great source of carbohydrates to help replenish glycogen stores but also provides potassium for replacing electrolytes.
Recipe: Pumpkin Muffins Ingredients: 2 eggs, 3/4 cup sugar, 28oz can pumpkin, 1/3 cup canola oil 3 tsp vanilla 1 ½ c whole wheat flour 1 ½ cups whole rolled oats 1 tsp salt 1 tsp baking soda 1 tsp baking powder 1 ½ tsp cinnamon 1 tsp pumpkin spice
Method: 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees 2. Beat together eggs, sugar, pumpkin, oil and vanilla 3. In separate bowl combine flour, rolled oats, salt, baking soda and powder, cinnamon and pumpkin spice. 4. Add dry ingredients to pumpkin mixture, blend until just mixed 5. Add 1 cup raisins or nuts 6. Bake for 25-30 minutes
5) Whole Grains - Quinoa
Health Benefits: Quinoa is one of the highest protein grains there are. It is rich in nutrients such as selenium, magnesium and fiber. Enjoy as a side dish cooked with currants, cold as a salad or in a casserole.
Recipe: Quinoa Lasagne 2 cups quinoa - rinsed 4 cups water 1 med yellow onion – diced 1 tbsp olive oil 3 cloves garlic - minced 1 large can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes 2 red peppers – roasted and chopped 1 can brown lentils 1 tbsp oregano 8 cups pre-washed baby spinach 1 cup low fat cottage cheese Grated low fat cheese to taste
Method: 1. Preheat oven to 400. 2. Heat oil in a large saucepan. Sauté onion until translucent; add garlic and sauté for a couple of minutes longer. Add crushed tomatoes, lentils, and oregano. Cover and simmer for 20 min – ½ hour 3. Combine quinoa and water in a med pot and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce to a simmer for about 15 minutes or until water evaporates and quinoa unravels. 4. While sauce is simmering, steam the spinach, drain well and chop. Add cottage cheese and mix well. 5. Press cooked quinoa firmly into lasagna dish. Cover quinoa with tomato sauce, top evenly with roasted peppers and spinach mixture. Sprinkle with low fat cheese and bake covered for about 15 minutes, or until cheese melts. (recipe provided by Tracy Harrison – personal trainer in Vancouver)
6) Starchy Vegetables - Yams
Health Benefits: Yams are high in potassium, vitamin C, fiber and vitamin B6. This tuber is low on the glycemic index scale meaning it is turned into sugar in the body slower, which assists in more sustainable energy production and weight control. Enjoy mashed or baked adding cumin and garlic for flavour.
Recipe: Yam and Roasted Cashew Soup Ingredients: 500g(1 lb) Yams, pealed and sliced 4 cups vegetable stock 2 Tbsp olive oil 1 tsp red chilies 1 tbsp chopped ginger 1 Tbsp chopped garlic 3 medium carrots sliced 1 large onion sliced ¼ cup flour 3 Tbsp soy sauce 1 tin (6oz) light coconut milk Few Sprigs coriander (cilantro) plus extra for garnish Salt and pepper 1 cup cashew nuts
7) Legumes – Chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
Health Benefits:Chickpeas are a good source of protein, iron and folate. They are also a good source of soluble fibre known to help reduce bad cholesterol. Being a vegetarian source of protein they are an excellent option instead of meat.
Recipe: Breakfast Cookies with Garbanzo Beans
Wet Ingredients 1/2 cup dark brown sugar 1/4 cup olive oil 1 egg 2 tsp vanilla 1 can chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
Dry Ingredients 1 cup quinoa flour 1/2 cup whole wheat flour 1/2 cup oat bran 2 tbsp ground flax 1 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp baking soda 1/4 cup dried cranberries 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips 1/4 cup slivered almonds or chopped walnuts Method: 1. Preheat oven to 350 2. In a food processor pulse wet ingredients until almost smooth. 3. In a separate bowl combine dry ingredients. 4. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix with your hands until mixture becomes dough like. 5. Spoon onto prepared cookie sheet and bake for 12 minutes, or until golden 6. Remove from heat and place on cooling rack *If you can’t find quinoa flour, use 1 cup whole wheat flour and ½ cup rolled oats. (Recipe provided by Tracy Harrison, owner of FemFit in Vancouver)
8) Probiotics
Health Benefits: Probiotics contain live bacteria that, when consumed, will survive the transit through the gut to the large intestine where they provide a benefit to the host. Different bacteria provide different benefits. Most help to restore the gut’s natural bacterial flora by crowding out pathogenic bacteria. Some will also help improve the mucosal lining of the GI tract and improve our immune system. Others may help prevent and treat diarrhea. Enjoy probiotic cheese, yogurt, milk and drinks as part of your daily regime.
Recipe: Raspberry Recovery smoothie (serves 1) 1 Dan Active probiotic drink (raspberry) ½ banana ½ cup frozen raspberries ¼ tsp orange zest (optional)
9) Nuts – Almonds
Health Benefits: This “nut” is technically the seed of a fruit. It is high in vitamin E, magnesium and flavanoids (powerful antioxidants). Almonds are high in monounsaturated fats known to be heart healthy. They also contain calcium which is essential for good bone health, metabolism, muscle contraction and blood pressure. Enjoy a handful with a piece of fruit or as a spread on your toast.
Recipe: Almond Butter Energy Bar Ingredients: 1 cup Crunchy almond butter 1 cup Brown rice syrup 1 cup Liquid honey 4 Tbsp Molasses 2 tsp vanilla 1 cup chopped dried apricots 1 cup dried blueberries (or currants) 1 cup sliced almonds 1/2 cup sesame seeds 1/2 cup flax seeds 1/2 cup sunflower seeds 5 cups Raisin Bran cereal 2.5 cups Quick rolled oats
Method: 1. In a large saucepan, over low heat, cook almond butter, rice syrup, molasses, honey and vanilla until blended. 2. Add apricots, blueberries, almonds, sesame seeds, flaxseeds and sunflower seeds and mix well. 3. Add cereal and oats; mix well. 4. Pour mixture into two 9 inch (2.5L) square baking pans, lightly greased. Press down with clean damp hands to compact evenly. 5. Let stand for 30 minutes, until firm, then cut into squares. 6. Freeze ½ the batch for next month
10) Psyllium
Health Benefits: Psyllium contains soluble fibre known to lower LDL or bad cholesterol, not to mention prevent and treat constipation. It can also help manage diabetes by slowing the rise of blood sugar levels. Enjoy breads with added psyllium, All Bran Buds or Guardian cereals and psyllium husk powders added to pasta sauce or casseroles. Recipe: Granola with Bran Buds Ingredients: 5 cups rolled oats 1 cup sesame seeds 1 cup wheat germ 1 cup instant powdered milk 1/2 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup vegetable canola oil 1/2 cup honey 1 cup All bran Buds 1 cup chopped almonds 1 cup coconut 1 cup mixture of flaxseeds, sesame seeds and pumpkin seeds 1 1/2 cups mixture of chopped dried apricots, blueberries, cherries raisins, currants, and cranberries Method: 1. Mix dry ingredients except Bran Buds, nuts, coconut and fruit 2. Combine and warm vegetable oil and honey 3. Mix oil and honey with dry ingredients 4. Spread on 2-3 cookie sheets 5. Bake on low oven (275° F) about 30 minutes, stirring frequently until slightly browned 6. Add nuts, coconut and fruit during last 10 minutes Store in fridge.