Thai Yellow Curry with Jasmine Brown Rice

Thai Yellow Curry with Jasmine Brown Rice

If you have never made a curry paste from scratch, this is the easiest one to start with. It’s worth the effort and makes you feel like a culinary genius! Serve with jasmine brown rice for authenticity.

serves 2

For the curry paste

3 shallots, chopped

1 lemongrass stalk, peeled and chopped

2 small red chillies, deseeded

5 garlic cloves

1/2 handful of coriander (cilantro)

5cm (2in) piece of galangal, peeled and chopped

1 fresh or dried kaffir lime leaf

1 tbsp ground coriander seeds

1 1/2 tbsp mild chilli powder

1/2 tsp turmeric

2 tsp rice syrup

1/4 tsp Himalayan pink salt

For the curry

1 lemongrass stalk

1 tbsp coconut oil

5 heaped tsp curry paste

75g (3oz) aubergine (eggplant)

400ml (14fl oz/1 2/3 cups) coconut milk

60g (2 1/2oz) yellow pepper

45g (1 3/4oz) sugar snap peas

50g (2oz) fine Thai asparagus

65g (2 1/2oz) red and yellow cherry tomatoes, halved

150ml (1/4 pint/2/3 cup) water

4 Thai basil leaves, shredded

Tamari, to taste

To make the paste, whizz all the ingredients in a blender until smooth.

Next, make the curry. Peel and bash the lemongrass and chop into pieces. Heat the coconut oil and sauté the lemongrass over a lowheat for 2 minutes to infuse the oil. Add the curry paste and sauté for 2 minutes.

Halve the aubergine (eggplant) lengthways and thinly slice and simmer in 200ml (7fl oz/generous 3/4 cup) of the coconut milk for 5 minutes. Cut the pepper into strips and pop that in the pan and simmer for a further 5 minutes.

Add the sugar snap peas, asparagus and tomatoes, the remaining coconut milk and as much water as required to make the consistency you like and cook for 4–5 minutes, until the vegetables are just tender. Stir in the basil and a splash of tamari, to taste.

I like this curry served with some jasmine brown rice sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds and grated lime zest.

TIP

Take care not to overheat the oil and burn the spices, as this will distort the wondrous flavour of the curry. 

Red Rice and Beetroot Risotto

Red Rice and Beetroot Risotto

This might take a little more time than a normal risotto but my oh my, doesn’t it taste delicious? The vibrancy of the red rice along with the juice from the beetroot (beet) makes this dish look so beautiful.

serves 4

2 tbsp olive oil

1 red onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped

180g (6oz/scant 1 cup) Camargue red rice

600ml (1 pint/2 1/2 cups) hot vegetable stock, made with 1 tbsp bouillon powder

160g (5 1/2oz) beetroot (beet), cut into chunks

1 handful of parsley, chopped

100g (3 1/2oz) feta

Heat the olive oil in a wide-bottomed pan over a medium heat, add the onion and garlic and cook for 2–3 minutes, until softened.Add the rice and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute to coat the rice in oil, then reduce the heat and stir in 2 large ladlefuls of stock. Simmer, stirring gently, over a low heat until the rice has absorbed the stock, then continue adding the stock a ladleful at a time and stirring gently until it is absorbed before adding another ladleful.

After 10 minutes of cooking, add the beetroot (beet) chunks. After 25 minutes, add most of the chopped parsley, then continue to add the stock until the rice is cooked but al dente – this will take 30–40 minutes. At the last minute, stir in most of the feta to make the risotto wonderfully creamy.

Serve garnished with the remaining feta and chopped parsley.

How To Eat Healthy for Sports Athletes

If you play sports, you need a equipment, right? Would you consider  playing baseball without a glove? or do you Want to play soccer without shin? The answer is absolutely no. Would you consider doing sports without the most important of all equipment - a body that is fully charged and ready to go? Unfortunately, there are many children that do exactly that. You have to eat healthy and fuel up  before your training  with the right kind of foods and when you eat these foods.

Timing is everything. You can eat healthy, but if you eat too much before you exercise, you will feel lethargic and can have a stomach ache or upset stomach. On the other hand, if you do not eat anything before you exercise, you may feel weak, tired or weak.
To eat healthier and better preparation for the day, it's always smart to have a healthy breakfast. If you eat a big healthy food, eat at least three to four hours before exercise. If you only have two hours before the game, eating a small healthy meal. You also need to eat after exercise to help muscles recover. So what should you eat?
Carbohydrates are the main source of energy for your body so that you should eat healthy foods that are rich in carbohydrates and low in fat. Your body uses carbohydrates for energy. Good sources of carbohydrates are cereals, breads, vegetables, pasta, rice and fruit. Proteins and fats are the most consumed after exercise to restore your muscles. Some examples of foods high in protein are meat, dairy products and nuts.
Drinking water is also important. Unless you are doing strenuous exercise for more than 60 minutes, the water is better than sports drinks like Gatorade. To stay healthy and well hydrated during exercise, the American College of Sports Medicine recommends that: Drink plenty of fluids to balance the loss of fluid per day. You probably have more days where the temperature and humidity are high .drink   2-3 cups (0.5 to 0.8 liters) of water before your workout. Drink 2-3 cups (0.5 to 0.8 liters) of water after the workout for every pound (0.5 kg) of weight lost during exercise. Drink about 1 cup (0.25 liters) of water every 15-20 minutes during your workout. You might be more your body is not the time or need warmer. Each one is an individual and has to let your body be your guide to eating healthy foods and when.
Pay attention to what feels best for you. Might be a good idea to keep a food diary for a few days to see how much you eat and if you get all the nutrients you need. Two important nutrients that children need are calcium and iron.
Calcium helps build strong bones and iron give you energy. There is plenty of calcium in dairy products like milk, yogurt and cheese. Other good sources include green leafy vegetables and calcium-fortified products such as orange juice. Iron can be found in foods such as meat, beans and fortified cereals. Remember, without enough iron, you can get tired more easily. Do not go on a diet. When you're a child athlete your body needs every opportunity to grow to the size it was meant to be. If someone like a coach or a teammate suggests that you change your diet to put on or take off weight, talk to your parents or another trusted adult. Also avoid food supplements and aids. These could cause damage to a growing organization.
Eating healthy is not bad at all ages. When you're a child athlete are often busy and have difficulty finding the time to eat healthy. Talk to your parents and see what ideas you can find. You have a fridge with fresh fruit, water and a sandwich with whole wheat bread in the car is better than going through a fast food chain. Plan ahead, but worth it. Do not forget to take care of the teams of the most important of all - your body. If you do, you will do your best and feel better more important. Eat healthy!