Turmeric Fried Chicken

“I’m a HUGE fan of turmeric.”

-Jennifer Brand, MPH, MS, CNS

Turmeric is a spice used in curry.

Curcumin, the active component in turmeric that provides health benefits, REALLY provides health benefits.

Curcumin, therefore turmeric, is an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory spice. It has been scientifically studied for a variety of health conditions:

• Its anti-inflammatory properties match that of some anti-inflammatory drugs!

• It boosts your body’s antioxidant capacity, and this can be protective against a number of conditions, including cancer.

• Turmeric is linked to improved brain function, increased memory, and a lower risk of brain diseases (possibly even Alzheimer’s).

• This super spice may reduce your risk for heart disease.

• Because of its anti-inflammatory properties, it can be helpful with arthritis and joint aches and pains.

• There is early evidence from scientific studies that turmeric/curcumin products and supplements, both oral and topical, may provide therapeutic benefits for skin health.

• It’s great for gut health and helps repair leaky gut.

I make sure to include turmeric in my diet DAILY. I have achy joints, and it seriously helps. Because I use it daily, I’ve gotten creative when it comes to getting it in. Here are my current 3 favorite strategies:

1. Add it to my coffee, along with cinnamon (also antioxidant and anti-inflammatory)

2. Put it in my smoothies

3. Make my turmeric ‘fried’ chicken!

Turmeric ‘Fried’ Chicken Recipe

Ingredients:

1. Grass fed butter or ghee

2. Chicken thighs

3. Turmeric

4. Pepper (black pepper is important because its active component piperine activates curcumin)

5. Salt

Instructions:

1. Heat up a fry pan and add about 1 Tbsp of grass fed butter or ghee

2. Add in chicken thighs

3. Sprinkle with turmeric, pepper and salt

4. Cover and cook until browned on bottom

5. Flip, cover and brown on the other side (I usually don’t add more turmeric, pepper and salt but you can to taste)

6. When browned to your liking, it’s done

7. Enjoy!

Jennifer Brand, MPH, MS, CNS is a clinical nutritionist helping children with dry, flaky, weepy, red, itchy, painful rashes navigate the journey to healthy skin and enjoy a childhood free from disruptive skin symptoms.

2 Ingredient Guacamole

Photo credit: Julia Gomelsky

Avocado is a serious super food. It’s nutrient dense, which means you get a lot of nutritional benefits from them for little in the way of calories.

My favorite thing about avocado is that it’s a healthy fat. Consuming healthy fats is important for lots of reasons, here are some of them (this is just the tip of the iceberg):

• You need to eat fats so that your body can absorb fat soluble nutrients like vitamins A, D, E and K

• Your cell membranes (all of them in your body) are made from fats

• You need fats for energy production in your body

• Fats are important for healthy hair and skin

Avocados are also a good source of vitamins, minerals and antioxidant nutrients.

Cooking with avocado oil is something I recommend because it has a higher smoke point, meaning it’s safe for cooking at high temperatures (whereas olive oil is not, FYI). It also has a very neutral taste, unlike olive oil, so it’s more versatile in my opinion. That’s why I use it to make my mayo.

Because avocados are so good for you, guacamole can be a great addition to your healthy diet, if you do it right of course.

JCBN Guacamole fits that bill, and it only has 2 ingredients!

Ingredients:

1. Avocado

2. Pico de gallo

Instructions:

1. Mash avocado

2. Mix in pico de gallo to your liking

3. Enjoy!

Jennifer Brand, MPH, MS, CNS is a clinical nutritionist helping children with dry, flaky, weepy, red, itchy, painful rashes navigate the journey to healthy skin and enjoy a childhood free from disruptive skin symptoms.

Rye Fried Chicken

Recipe alert! I call this da boom chicken (don't ask).

Ingredients:

• Chicken thighs (boneless and skinless)

• 1 egg

• Rye flour - NOT GLUTEN FREE (can substitute a gluten free flour)

• Avocado oil

• Salt

• Pepper

Instructions:

• Beat egg

• Dip chicken in egg

• Roll in flour (add salt and pepper to flour to taste)

• Place in hot oil

  • Avocado oil is my preference, and is better for higher heat cooking than some other fats, including olive oil, because it is more heat stable, which means it doesn't break down and create dangerous compounds as readily as olive oil can

• Fry til brown and crispy

• Eat

Disclaimer: In addition to the creation of dangerous compounds from the fat/oil used, frying meat can lead to the formation of AGEs, which can cause oxidative stress and inflammation (linked to all sorts of chronic disease). Using a lower cooking temp (did these on medium), and adding acid (lemon juice) can help reduce AGEs formation. 

So... enjoy, take cautionary measures, and don't eat this daily. 

Info on AGEs: 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3704564/#!po=10.1852

Jennifer Brand, MPH, MS, CNS is a clinical nutritionist helping children with dry, flaky, weepy, red, itchy, painful rashes navigate the journey to healthy skin and enjoy a childhood free from disruptive skin symptoms.