Thai Green Curry ~ Dairy-Free and Gluten-Free

This is a very easy recipe that is great for leftovers. I love bulking it up with veggies ~ I used zucchini and yellow squash, but you could really use whatever veggies are in season (or are hanging out in your fridge). 

Ingredients:
1 can regular coconut milk
1 can light coconut milk
3 Tbs + 1 tsp Green curry paste (I used Thai Kitchen)
3 medium zucchini
2 medium yellow squash
1 Tbs xylitol
2 Tbs fish sauce
4 basil leaves per serving for garnish (I add this right before I serve it or right 
  before I reheat it when I'm eating leftovers). I used my kitchen shears to cut 
  strips but you could just tear them up.

***To make it vegan, just omit the fish sauce

Instructions:
Shake the cans of coconut milk and then pour them into a deep sauce pot or pan. While cooking the liquid on medium heat, stir in the green curry paste. Once the milk is simmering, add in your squash and stir well. Lower the heat to low-medium and cook for about 15 minutes or until your squash is your desired firmness, stirring periodically. Stir in the fish sauce. I removed the pan from the heat and let it sit for about another 5 minutes. The squash was tender but still firm. 

You can also use all light coconut milk. I did that last night and it was fine, but the sauce was quite a bit thinner than using even just the one can of regular coconut milk. If you are trying to lose weight or are watching your total fat intake, though, you may want to stick with only light coconut milk. It still tastes great!

The photo is with it over brown rice. I ate it the other day over spaghetti squash and it was delicious! I am sure it would also be great over quinoa. I also added some shredded chicken before I reheated it one day and plan to try it with shrimp soon. There are lots of possibilities!

It's a little bit spicy but both of my kids tried it and liked it. They haven't sat down to eat a whole bowl of it, so I'm not quite ready to give it the "kid-approved" stamp yet ;)

Please let me know how you like it and if you change it up at all, please share your results!

Lavash Bread and Paleo Hummus Sandwich - Gluten/Grain/Egg/Dairy Free, Vegan and Paleo Options

This is my new favorite lunch! The lavash bread is gluten/grain/egg/dairy free. It is also delicious and pliable which is not typical with bread that is gluten/grain/egg/dairy free :) I found this recipe on the Brittany Angell site: Lavash Bread (click the link to get the recipe). I used the spinach since it doesn't have it's own strong flavor but I'm sure the basil would be delicious. I also don't use cheese since I can't have dairy. Finally, I cut a little of the garlic out because even though I LOVE garlic, as a personal trainer, I need to be able to breathe on people without making them gag ;) After I make the Lavash Bread, I make a cauliflower hummus that I found on the site Livin Paleo: Paleo Hummus. I love the spices in this hummus! I haven't figured out the nutrition information to compare it to traditional hummus but I'm thinking you cut at least some calories using the cauliflower rather than garbanzo beans.

I spread the hummus on the lavash bread then add mixed greens (choose your favorites), sliced cucumbers, and sometimes a lean protein like grilled chicken breast or ground turkey if I have some. The lavash bread is made with psyllium husk and coconut flour so it will keep you full for a while. On that note, the bread is delicious but don't let yourself eat a lot at one time. As my mom pointed out to me, psyllium husk is basically Metamucil, so if you're not used to a LOT of fiber, you could be overloading your GI system if you eat more than one or two pieces.

The variations are endless since the bread does not have it's own strong flavor and you could change the spices you use in the hummus. Now it's your turn ~ how would you build your sandwich?

Cauliflower "Couscous"

I was very skeptical when I read about cauliflower "rice". I don't despise cauliflower as my mom does but it's not my favorite vegetable. I especially doubted claims that it could fool my brain into thinking I was getting something like rice. But my diet is fairly limited due to some health issues and I am desperate for variety, so I thought it was worth a shot. I read a bunch of recipes online and decided to experiment. I was so happy with my first try that I took some to a family gathering. Having the women in my family taste something I made is a huge step for me as they all cook really well and me, well, the gene seems to have skipped me. The last time I asked my professionally trained chef-grandmother to try something, it was a gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free muffin. She gagged, spit it out and asked how I could possibly eat something so vile. She is not afraid to tell me the truth. So I knew I hit the jackpot when she said, "This is pretty good!". Then my kids tried it and they both loved it! Victory dance :) Best of all, it is pretty quick and easy to make AND is still good reheated! 

I decided to go very basic in the seasoning so I could get a sense of how else it could be used. Just some salt and pepper this time but I think the options are almost endless. The coconut oil gives this a bit of a sweet, nutty flavor which counters the cauliflower taste well. The texture is firm and would work well on it's own or under a stir fry.  

Ingredients:

One head of cauliflower

3 Tbs Coconut oil

1/2 a large Sweet Yellow Onion

Salt

Pepper

Cut up the raw cauliflower and place in a food processor. "Pulse" until the cauliflower is shredded and set aside in a bowl . Mine looked more like couscous than rice. I had to do it in batches to do the whole head.

Finely chop the onion in the food processor. Mine was almost a pulp because I didn't want chunks of onion.

Put 2 Tbs. of coconunt oil in a large skillet set to medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until it is translucent and slightly browned.

Add the cauliflower and the last Tbs. of coconut oil. Stir continuously for about 10 minutes and then cover with a lid for a few more minutes. I like mine with a bit of "bite" but if you like yours softer you may need to cook it longer. I finished it off with some fresh ground peppercorn medley and Himalayan salt.

If you are trying to lose weight and are reducing your fat intake, you could make this in a non-stick pan and reduce the amount of oil (probably by at least half).

I have a few variations I will be sharing soon so if you like this recipe be sure to check back for more!

Enjoy! Please let me know what you think after you try it!

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