Sweet Bean Red Thai Curry

1 fat, 2 grains, 1 protein, 1 vegetable

Eggplants go well with bok choy. Kidney beans go well with sweet potatoes. Everything goes well with red curry. 

You’ll love this modification to the classic. I didn’t have any coconut milk in the pantry so I made my own version.

The spices in curry, specifically turmeric, cleanse the digestive system and the liver. Here are some quick facts:

• Red curry boosts the immune system.
• UCLA studies show a chemical found in turmeric reduces risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
• Curry spices can help ward off the common cold by triggering the body to produce extra mucus and reduce inflammation in nasal passages. 
  

1 tsp vegetable oil [1 fat]

1/2 sweet potato, chopped [1 grain]

2 baby bok choy, chopped [1/2 vegetable]

1/2 japanese eggplant, chopped [1/2 vegetable]

1/2 cup kidney beans [1 grain, 1 protein]

1 shallot

1/2 tbsp red curry paste

1 tbsp plain greek yogurt

1/2 cup coconut water

1/2 tsp cornstarch

chili powder and ground ginger

>> Heat oil in a skillet and sauté the sweet potato. In a separate bowl, combine coconut water, cornstarch, yogurt, and red curry paste. Once the potato gets some color, add the bok choy and eggplant. After about a minute, add the beans and curry mixture. Reduce to a simmer. Add a few shakes of chili powder and ground ginger. Let simmer about 3 minutes until all the vegetables are cooked through. Top with chopped shallot. Serve over rice, with naan, or enjoy as is.

Garlic and Ginger Bok Choy, Mushrooms, and Eggplant

1 fat, 2 vegetables 

 

Last week I wrote about a cabbage stir fry I made with button mushrooms. Today the ingredients became even more asian. I incorporated chinese cabbage (bok choy), shiitake mushrooms, and japanese eggplants.

I love cooking with japanese eggplants and baby bok choy because their smaller size gives them so much more flavor!

Bok Choy fun facts:

• One cup of bok choy gives you about 100% of your daily vitamin A needs, and about 66% of your daily vitamin C.
• The word bok choy originated from the Chinese word for “soup spoon” because of the shape of its leaves.

Japanese Eggplants:

• Uncooked eggplants may contain a toxin called solanine that inhibits calcium absorption.
• Traditionally, raw eggplants have been used to treat scorpion bites and help those suffering from frostbite.

1 scallion

1 japanese eggplant

5 baby bok choy

5 shiitake mushrooms

2 tsp minced ginger

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tbsp tamari/soy sauce

1 tbsp rice vinegar

1 tsp oil

>>Sauté chopped scallion and ginger in oil. Add vegetables. Once browned add tamari, rice vinegar, and ginger. Serve over rice and top with sesame seeds and fresh scallions.

 

Will April Showers Bring May Flowers ? // Pineapple Tofu Stir Fry

2.5 fats, 1 fruit, 2 grains, 3 proteins, 2 vegetables

Happy April! I’m so excited to share this recipe with you guys; it’s juicy, tangy, naturally sweet and salty.

But let me back track a little. Over the winter I bought a 4 lb bag of frozen pineapple chunks from Costco. I’m almost at the end, but still have a little left. I like to eat them right from the freezer, but decided to switch things up and incorporate them into my stir fry. Do you have any pineapple recipes to share for the last of my bag?

Fun Fast Facts:

• Pineapple has very good anti inflammatory benefits because of its enzyme bromelain.
• Pineapple grows as a result of of many flowers whose flowerets have joined around the core.
• Hawaii is the world’s largest producer of pineapple.
• Traditionally, pineapple was used as a diuretic and a labor inducer.

For stir fry:

1 cup brown rice, cooked [2 grains, 1 protein]

1 tsp coconut oil [1 fat]

3/4 cup fresh or frozen greens (I used a broccoli, edamame, green bean mix) [1.5 vegetable]

4 oz. tofu [1 protein, 1/2 fat]

1/3 red bell pepper [1/2 vegetable]

1/2 small onion

~ 1/2 cup chopped pineapple [1 fruit]

1/4 cup egg whites (opt.) [1 protein]

6 cashews [1 fat]

For sauce: 

2 tbsp pineapple juice*

2.5 tsp rice vinegar

2 tsp tamari (or soy sauce)

1 tsp brown sugar

1 tsp cornstarch

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tsp minced garlic

>> Combine all ingredients for the sauce, except cornstarch, in a dish. Dry tofu with a paper towel and dice it into a bowl. Cover with 2 tbsp. of sauce and set aside to marinade about 5-10 mins. Add cornstarch to the remaining sauce and mix until smooth. Heat skillet with coconut oil and sauté onions. Add the tofu until it has browned. Add vegetables and cook 2 minutes. Add the brown rice and egg whites. Cook an additional 2 minutes and serve. Garnish with scallions, cilantro, and cashews.

*To get pineapple juice, I simple microwaved the frozen pineapple chunks for about 30 seconds.