Fight Fatigue with Easy Energy Enhancing Recipes

When your energy meter is low it could have an adverse effect on your body. Registered Dietician, Dina Aronson tells Health Media that, “Fatigue breaks us down physically and emotionally and wreaks havoc on the immune system, making us more susceptible to illness, depression, and even chronic conditions like heart disease.” Before reaching for caffeine or sugar to kick into gear you may want to avoid this temporary fix and fight fatigue with easy energy enhancing recipes.

Absorb in the A.M.

When you wake your body is cleansed and ready to take what you throw at it. Instead of taxing it with heavy breakfast carbs, acidifying coffee or hard to digest animal proteins take advantage of its absorption capability and go high nutritional plant based dishes. This will enable you to hit the ground running feeling light, energized and highly focused.

Here are a few quick recipes:

Savory Booster

Toasted whole wheat or sprouted grain bread, covered in three slices of avocado, lightly drizzled with extra virgin olive oil, sea salt, black pepper. Squeeze of lemon optional.

You get high energy burning good fats and whole grains.

Banana Energy Smoothie

Try a banana, watermelon (if not in season use orange juice), lemon and ginger smoothie. Add a little ice if desired. This combo offers:

• Potassium for your muscles
• Antioxidants for your system
• Clean fructose sugars for a slow energy burn
• Enzymes to enhance digestive health
• Compounds to quell extra internal heat that may be causing your system to not fire on all cylinders.

This is a combo that should have you double stepping beyond anything coffee can offer. Other smoothie ingredients to fight fatigue include fresh greens (or green powder) from kale or spinach. Avoid dairy and use rice, almond, soy or hemp milk instead.

Iron It Out at Lunch

Sometimes thinking outside the box is required for figuring out fatigue which is why increasing your iron intake may do the trick. An Australian study published in Quality of Life Research stated that, “The results suggest that iron deficiency is associated with decreased general health and well-being and increased fatigue.”

Use spinach, kale, lentils, beans and sesame seeds to receive more iron naturally. Men need about 10 mg per day and women need about 15 mg (unless pregnant where you will need 30 mg). Be sure to maintain vitamin C as this is essential for iron absorption.

Warm Spinach Salad

1 1/2 pounds baby spinach leaves

2 tablespoons good olive oil

2 tablespoons chopped garlic (6 cloves)

1 chopped onion

1 cup cleaned sliced mushrooms

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup sesame seeds

1/2 lemon

Clean spinach thoroughly; heat olive oil, chopped garlic, chopped onion, soy sauce and mushrooms in a sauté pan; pour over spinach, squeeze lemon on top, add salt and pepper if desired; toss and serve. About 18 grams of iron.

Note: Yes, you can put this in a container and take it to work. Be careful though, co-workers may mingle and salivate.

Plant Packed Protein Supper

Meat and fish are packed with nutrition and are good chooses but if you want to stay on the light side while still getting enough system fueling protein turn to this plant based recipe. Okay, it’s tofu but before you wave it off like a bad smell this food derived from soybeans (like edamame, the Japanese bean pod snack) just may surprise you when made just right.

Vegetarian Times offers this impressive preparation.

Spicy Grilled Tofu

1 lb extra-firm tofu

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

1/4 cup maple syrup

1/4 cup low-sodium tamari or soy sauce

2 tsp. chile paste

3 medium cloves garlic, minced

1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

Drain tofu and slice it lengthwise into 8 slices.  Place tofu slices on a plate covered with a thin kitchen towel and cover with another thin towel. Put a heavy object, like a plate with a heavy weight on top of the tofu and let stand 20 minutes.  Drain excess water that did not soak into the towels.

Arrange tofu in single layer in 13 x 9 inch glass baking dish. Whisk together lime juice, syrup, tamari, chile paste, garlic and pepper in small bowl. Pour over tofu so both sides are covered. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and chill 4 hours, or overnight, turning tofu once in the marinade.

Spray a grill rack or pan with nonstick cooking spray. Heat large non-stick skillet to medium heat. Remove tofu slices from baking dish, reserving marinade. Grill tofu slices 3 to 4 minutes on each side, or until browned and crisp on the outside. Plate the tofu and heat reserved marinade in the skillet until warmed. Pour over tofu and serve immediately.  If desired, add  whole grain like quinoa and stir-fry vegetables. Serves 4

Calories: 197, Protein: 12g, Total fat: 7g, Saturated fat: g, Carbs: 25g, Cholesterol: mg, Sodium: 581mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugars: 17g

 

Put down the processed foods, sugars and caffeine to finally fight fatigue with energy enhancing recipes. Hopefully this will be a good jumping off point to put you on a path of healthier, body control eating.