Brain Food: Coconut Milk and Turmeric Marinated Chicken Skewers

I was at BiRite last week and couldn't resist trying their coconut milk and turmeric marinated chicken skewers. I had just been reading in Grain Brain about the numerous health benefits of turmeric and coconut, so I was thrilled to see both in one simple dish. Luckily, my friends at BiRite were kind enough to share their recipe with me so that I could share it with all of you. 

So why are coconut and turmeric such wonder foods?

Turmeric is a proven cancer-fighting, antioxidant-rich, anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal spice that has been used in Indian and Chinese medicine for thousands of years. As David Perlmutter points out in Grain Brain, there's a direct link between diets rich in turmeric and a decreased risk of neurological disease. Perlmutter asserts that one of turmeric's secret weapons is "its ability to activate genes to produce a vast array of antioxidants that serve to protect our precious mitochondria. It also improves glucose metabolism. All of these properties help reduce risk for brain disease."

Full of heart and brain healthy saturated fat, coconut is one of the most nutritious foods you can eat. In addition to being anti-viral, anti-bacterial and most importantly, anti-inflammatory, the fat in coconut is essential for insulin regulation and metabolism. It is truly a wonder food that accelerates your weight loss and reduces your risk of disease in the process. 

Simple and quick, pop these skewers on the grill or broil them for a nutritious and satiating meal. 

Coconut Milk and Turmeric Marinated Chicken Skewers

Ingredients:

1 can of full-fat coconut milk

1 tablespoon of freshly grated turmeric 

1/2 to 1 tablespoon fish sauce (to taste)

1 tablespoon honey (optional)

Sea salt and pepper to taste

1 lb chicken breast and/or thighs, cut into 1 inch cubes

In a large bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, fish sauce, turmeric, sea salt and pepper. Add the chicken to the bowl and coat evenly. Cover and let marinate for at 24 hours. When you're ready to cook your meal, simply thread the chicken onto skewers and broil or grill them until fully cooked. I've been serving mine over a simple salad, but the flavor in this recipe is subtle enough that they would go well with a variety of vegetables. 

HELP! I've never seen turmeric. Can I just buy it ground up? 

Fresh turmeric is best, and it can be found in the produce section of your grocery store, usually near the ginger. It looks like this