Coconut Chicken Curry and NAAN Bread!

I get A LOT of questions about yogurt?even the plain Greek yogurt has too much sugar for me. I know I am extreme, but my clients are usually desperate to get healthy or lose weight, so here are the facts:

Naturally fermented (homemade) yogurt that doesn't contain gelatin (yes, many store brands have gelatin) has a carbohydrate called lactose that is converted to lactic acid. This is what makes yogurt sour tasting and causes the protein to curdle which makes the liquid into a solid. Eating lactate as opposed to lactose doesn't raise insulin or interfere with ketosis. 1/2 cup of homemade naturally fermented yogurt has about 5 to 11 grams of carbs. Always avoid naturally fermented yogurts made from fat free or low fat milk (which will increase the carb count and create a larger spike in insulin due to no insulin-lowering response that fat creates). Non fermented cottage and ricotta cheeses should be used in moderation.

This is a photo of PLAIN yogurt, no sweetness added at all and it has 17 grams of carbohydrates, which turns into 4.25 tsp of sugar in your blood! A "normal" blood sugar is 1 tsp of sugar!

If you want to learn more on how to make baby steps to health and why you may not be losing weight on "low carb", check out my Metabolism Class Video. It is only $25. Email Craig at [email protected] to get access to it!
Are you looking for a thick, tasty beverage? or something to add to your protein smoothie? Try Coconut milk Kefir (plain, not vanilla! lol). It has less calories than skim milk, and only 3 grams of sugar (versus 12 for skim milk...skim milk is high in lactose, which we slowly lose the enzyme after childhood to break this down..."lactose intolerance"). It also has 10 live and active cultures for good bacteria. Feeding your body delicious fermented foods and drinks is a great way to boost your brain-body connection. Did you know that the health of your intestines affects your moods,behavior and brain health?

Our moods are directly correlated to the intestinal flora of our gut...the nervous system actually come from the gut to the brain (in the pasted they thought it was the other way). Check out the nutritional analysis compared to regular yogurt! WOW!


Yoplait Yogurt = 175 calories, 35 carbs, 28 sugar, 0 fiber
Plain Yogurt = 120 calories, 17 carbs, 10 sugar, 1 fiber
Coconut Milk KEFIR = 70 calories, 6 carbs, 3 sugar, 3 fiber

This dish is real comfort food! In the curry recipe, I substituted Coconut Milk Kefir in place of 1 cup yogurt and 3/4 cup coconut milk. I save a TON of calories, carbs and fat (for those of you who count fat grams:). Kefir is a cultured, enzyme-rich food filled with friendly micro-organisms that helps balance your "inner ecosystem." More nutritious and therapeutic than yogurt, it supplies complete protein, essential minerals, and valuable B vitamins. Just make sure to purchase the "original" version...the vanilla has a ton of unwanted sugar.



3 TBS coconut oil
1/2 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 TBS curry powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp paprika
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger root
1/2 tsp Swerve (or a drop of stevia glycerite)
Celtic sea salt to taste
2 skinless, boneless chicken breast - into bite-size pieces
1 TBS tomato paste
1 3/4 cup coconut milk kefir
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Saute onion until lightly browned. Stir in garlic, curry powder, cinnamon, paprika, bay leaf, ginger, sweetener and salt. Continue stirring for 2 minutes. Add chicken pieces, tomato paste, and coconut kefir. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove bay leaf, and stir in lemon juice and cayenne pepper. Simmer 5 more minutes. Makes 4 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving):
Traditional Chicken Curry = 313 calories, 14 carbs, 3.8 fiber, 21.7g fat
"Healthified" Chicken Curry = 207 calories, 10.75 carbs, 3.8 fiber, 11.9g fat

NAAN Bread is an oven-baked flatbread. It is one of the most popular varieties of South Asian breads and is particularly popular in India. It works great for picking up food instead of using utensils. It makes for a fun dinner...unless you are in charge of clean up!

3 eggs, separated
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1/4 cup unflavored whey
3 oz zour cream or coconut cream
OPTIONAL: 1 tsp curry powder


Separate the eggs (save the yolks for a different recipe), and whip the whites in a clean, dry, cool bowl for a few minutes until VERY stiff). Blend in the whey protein and sour cream (or softened coconut cream).

Heat the oil in a fry pan on medium high until a drop of water will sizzle. Once it is hot, place a circle of dough on the pan. Fry until golden brown on both sides. Remove from heat and place on a plate. Enjoy! Makes 6 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving)
Traditional Naan Bread = 312 calories, 46 carbs, 1.9g fiber, 3.4g protein
"Healthified" Fry Bread = 168 calories, 0.8 carbs, 0 fiber, 4.6g protein

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