Power Couple #4: Eggs and orange juice - Fight fatigue

If you don't eat much meat, you may be feeling sluggish because you're not getting enough iron. The reason? Your body can readily absorb iron from meal (which has heme iron), but only 2-20% of the nonheme iron found in vegetables, beans and eggs makes it into your bloodstream.

An effective booster? Vitamin C. It's the most potent promoter of nonheme iron absorption," says Elaine Magee, MPH, RD, author of Food Synergy. Vitamin C keeps the iron up to 6 times more soluble - meaning your body can now use 100% of the nonheme iron you eat and stave off fatigue-causing anemia.

Not sure how to get that extra vitamin C? Wash down your morning omelet with a glass of vitamin C-rich orange juice or fresh orange slices. Or toss iron-rich tofu with C-dense broccoli into your salad or stir fry, like our recipe below for Broccoli Tofu stir fry. Keep the cooking to a minimum (or at low temperatures) and cut your product into thick chunks. Vitamin C is easily destroyed by light, heat and air.

Broccoli-Tofu Stir Fry
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings (1 cup stir fry and 1/2 cup rice)

Ingredients

• 1 (3 1/2 ounce) bag boil-in-bag brown rice
• 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 2 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
• 2 teaspoons dark sesame oil
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 1 pound firm tofu, drained and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups broccoli florets
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 1/2 tablespoons bottle minced garlic

Directions

1. Cook the rice according to package directions.
2. While rick cooks, combine soy sauce and the next 4 ingredients (soy sauce through sesame oil) in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk; set aside.
3. Heat vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tofu, and sprinkle with salt. Cook 8 minutes or until golden brown, tossing frequently. Remove tofu from pan and keep warm. Add broccoli, water and garlic to pan. Cover and cook 4 minutes or until crisp-tender, stirring occasionally. Uncover; add soy sauce mixture and tofu, stirring gently to coat. Cook 2 minutes or until sauce thickens, stirring occasionally. Serve the broccoli-tofu mixture over rice.

Nutrition Facts 451 calories, 8.3 g fat, 4.4 g fiber