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Tropical Curry Chicken & Sweet Potato (WEM)
Recipes | January 22, 2017
Make sure to do your workout on a day you decide to have a meal rich in carbs. Good news – you have a large window of opportunity to do your workout. No need for special timing. Just make sure you do your training the same day and try to keep the rest of your meals low in carbs. The carbs in this meal are all rich in important nutrients, so you’ll be nourishing your body with a lot of goodness.
This meal has a delicious, sweet and spicy tropical flavor. It might sound complicated at first but it’s actually very easy to prepare. You will have also some leftovers for the next day, which is always a bonus!
*Yields about 4 large portions
Ingredients:
1 large sweet potato – peeled and chopped into small cubes
1 cup uncooked wild rice
1 tbsp butter
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 lb chicken tenders (or chicken breasts) chopped into small pieces
1 can (15oz) white kidney beans – drained and rinsed
1 can (13.5 oz) coconut milk
1 shallot – coarsely chopped
3 celery stalks – chopped
1 carrot – chopped
1 large clove garlic – finely chopped
1 tbsp fresh ginger – peeled and grated
1 tbsp curry powder
1/2 tsp cajun seasoning
3/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp coconut oil
1/2 cup raisins
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
3/4 cup flaked unsweetened coconut
2 bananas (1/2 banana for one serving. You can always freeze the other half and save it for a smoothie)
Instructions
- Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a medium size pot. Then lower the heat to low, and add the rice with 1 tbsp butter and 1/4 tsp sea salt. Let it simmer for 55 minutes until the water has completely evaporated and the rice is tender.
- While the rice is cooking, you can prepare and chop all the ingredients.
- Heat up one tablespoon of coconut oil in a large skillet over medium/high heat. Then add the chopped chicken tenders and cook until it’s golden brown on all sides. Then add about 3-4 ice cubes into the skillet and cover with lid. Let it cook until the chicken is completely cooked through. About 5-7 minutes. Test it by cutting one of the pieces in half. If it’s it’s white in the middle with no sign of pink, it’s done. Get the skillet off the heat and set aside.
- Heat up one tablespoon of coconut oil in a large deep pot over medium heat, then add the shallot, garlic, ginger, carrot, celery, and sauté for about 4 minutes until the onion becomes translucent and start turning light golden color.
- Add the curry powder, cajun seasoning, salt & pepper, and stir well to combine. Then add the sweet potato, kidney beans, coconut milk and raisins. Stir again to combine, then turn the heat down to low/medium, cover with lid and let it simmer for about 15 minutes until the sweet potato becomes tender but not too soft.
- Preheat the oven to 325F degrees and then toast the walnuts and flaked coconut on a baking sheet for about 3 minutes until you notice the coconut turning golden brown.
- When the rice is cooked, you can scoop about 1/2 cup into a bowl, then add one ladle of the Tropical Curry and sprinkle with some toasted walnuts and coconut. Add a few slices of banana on top. Serve and enjoy!
Macros Per Portion:
Calories: 833.6
Carbs: 78.5 g
Net Carbs: 62.6 g
Fat: 41 g
Protein: 44 g
Private Member |
uk
No cheese in this one? Not even 1 cup? : )
This meal is full of fiber. Good. Seems Zuzka has changed her mind about carbs. First white potatoes, now beans and rice. No fun to eat meat and veg all the time, right? Looks like low carb is on its way out and carbs are next superfood.
I might try this recipe, the only thing I’m not sure about is the banana – with chicken? If anyone is brave enough to try it – let me know : )
Private Member |
lake tahoe, nv, usa
Please, don’t translate this as the end of low carb diet. That’s not at all what is happening. The only thing that has changed is the 2 hour window after a workout – new research shows that you can have a high carb meal in your day at anytime but it’s still recommended to do your high intensity workout that day. What matters most is what and how much you eat throughout the entire day. if you’re interested in optimum health and fat loss, stick to one WEM meal per day and keep the rest of the meals FM (low carb).
Btw, I did try the banana with the chicken (duh, I made the recipe) and it’s delicious!
Private Member |
toronto, canada
Wow Zuzka really? That’s really good news. Do you have a new article about not needing the 2 hour window?
That is a game changer for me because I found the two hour window to be a little stressful.
P.S. Thanks for a less cheesy meal <33
Private Member |
seattle, washington
Would you do an article on this new research or provide a link, Zuzka.
Private Member |
seattle, washington
Lots of dishes pare fruits with meats. I do a chicken apple and raisins dish that is similar to this.
Private Member |
uk
I do apples too, or pineapple or dried cranberries….But a banana is in a different league: )
Private Member |
seattle, washington
I do pineapples, figs, mangoes and other fruit in similar recipes. They all add to the taste in interesting ways.
Private Member |
belgrade, serbia
Yeah the diet trends….one trendy diet always gets obsolesced by the next big thing. I am noticing more of the high carb being retrieved & coming back in fashion. So I started upping the carbs in the evenings (workout or not) & have been feeling more relaxed as well as having more energy in my workouts. The whole diet part of getting fit is the most strategic precise part & it does get stressful sometimes with everything we read. I have learned quick that i cannot follow anyone else’s diet. I have to make my own.
Private Member |
uk
Yes, carbs are definitely making comeback. I guess what gets me is the fact that diet and fitness bloggers present the latest trends and fads as ”the latest research or evidence” where in fact its seems to me they make it up as they go along. I know they mean well but I think they make it more complicated for the followers and the thing is eventually everyone comes back to normal way of eating anyway. Would be much easier if we stick with whole foods and common sense and forget about macros and timing and the rest of the rules – its too stressful and we all know stress makes us fat 🙂
Private Member |
velka polom, czech republic
I agree. Following someone else’s diet is not the best idea as every single body reacts differently. I also started adding more carbs (healthy carbs) which makes me feel great and I even lost some weight. I think portion control is the key.
My worst experience was Bulletproof coffee…even I love it…I gained quite some fat in a month even I workout daily and always been athletic. It just doesn’t suit me.
So I am quite happy with the carbs comeback 🙂
I really do like this recipe and def will try it 🙂
Private Member |
I can’t do a high fat diet either—after a month of bullet proof coffee and eating lots of avocado and other healthy fats, I gained a few pounds. Reducing the fat and adding in small portions of healthy carbs (fruit, brown rice, potato, etc.) helped me lose the extra lbs. Nowadays, I’ll treat myself to a bullet proof coffee once in a while so I don’t feel deprived, and all the other days I’ll have unsweetened vanilla almond milk sprinkled with cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, or raw cacao with my coffee. We are not all created equal so we need to make adjustments to our diet and lifestyle as needed for our own optimal health and wellbeing. 🙂
Private Member |
Sweet potatoes have a lower glycemic index than white so they don’t spike your insulin as much.
I’ve been wanting a meal with wild rice because I read that it’s not a grain.
This looks delish!
Can’t wait to try it!
Anna
Private Member |
Totally agree in regards to these diet “trends” and everyone being different. I like stick to a whole food diet (no artificial sweeteners, no packaged foods) and incorporate complex carbs, fats and protein into every meal to ensure I feel full. I do try to keep fats on The lower side though, especially before I work out as I tend to feel sick during the workout and tire more easily (even if I wait a while) if I have a high fat meal. I feel like I eat 3 times the amount Zu eats (although calories might be similar because I eat a lot less fat) and still keep a lean physique… i do incorporate zgym workouts with a couple of days of weight training each week though).
Think it’s great that Zu has found something that works for her, but what I do definitely works for me.
Private Member |
santa cruz, ca
I finally made this!! It’s totally my type of meal. I used salmon instead of chicken, dried currants instead of raisins, and garbanzo beans. I also added extra cayenne. It was so good! Such a great idea! I love wild rice. And sweet potato. And banana. It really felt like I was in the tropics eating this dish. Thank you for this unique recipe. I was out in the water (surfing) for 4 hours today…..lazy Sunday. This meal was the perfect complement to my surf sesh. Love you, Z.
Private Member |
umeå, sweden
I tried this one today and it was wonderful! Skipped the rice though.. Found it to be enough carbs in the dish as it was.
But it was super yummy and fulfilling. My hubby loved it was well. 😀