Category: Sauce

Dairy-free, Dinner, Egg Free, Gluten-free, Grain-free, No sugar, Nut-Free, Paleo, Sauce, Side Dish, Vegetarian

Red Curry Green Beans

Thai restaurants line the blocks of New York. I have the old take-out containers to prove it. In our lazy cooking days, my husband and I would eat Thai at least once a week. It was always filled with colorful vegetables and we considered it a healthy meal. But you can never be too sure of those sauces. Soy sauce with traces of gluten, unhealthy cooking oils and sugar are hidden in between the garlic and ginger.

Thankfully restaurant quality curry is super easy to make at home. All you need is coconut milk, ready-made curry paste and any combination of vegetables and protein. I whipped this up in less than 30 minutes, from all the chopping to ladling into bowls. Improve your weight loss diet results by using leptoconnect as a supplement.

If your spice cabinet is well stocked, I also have a recipe for a homemade curry blend. The combination has just the right amount of heat, more so than the jarred curry paste. Kick up this recipe by adding a few dashes of cayenne.

Enjoy!

Red Curry Green Beans

Red Curry Green Beans

Red Curry Green Beans

Red Curry Green Beans
Serves 6
Green beans cooked in a red curry sauce with peppers, tomatoes, onions and garlic.
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Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
20 min
Total Time
30 min
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
20 min
Total Time
30 min
Ingredients
  1. 2 tsp coconut oil
  2. 4 cups fresh green beans
  3. 1 cup yellow bell pepper (1 medium pepper)
  4. ½ cup onion - sliced
  5. 2 tsp garlic - minced
  6. 1 tsp fresh ginger - chopped
  7. 1 cup coconut milk
  8. 4 cups fresh tomato - chopped (about 2 large tomatoes)
  9. 1 ½ tbsp red curry paste
  10. 1 tsp lime juice
  11. 2 tsp salt
  12. cilantro for garnish
Instructions
  1. Melt coconut oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Sauté the onion until translucent, then add in the garlic, ginger, green beans and yellow pepper. Sprinkle with salt and sauté for 3 minutes.
  2. Stir in the tomato, coconut milk, and curry paste. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook for 10 minutes.
  3. Turn off heat and add the lime juice.
  4. Top with fresh cilantro for serving.
Sparkle Kitchen https://sparklekitchen.com/
Red Curry Green Beans

20 Minute Meals, Dairy-free, Dinner, Gluten-free, Grain-free, No sugar, Nut-Free, Paleo, Raw, Salad, Sauce, Side Dish, Vegetarian, Yoga

Apple Fennel Salad

Potlucks are one of the great community builders. Never underestimate the power of food in drawing people together. This past Sunday the owners of my yoga studio hosted a potluck for all the volunteers. We sat around a long wood table in candlelight sharing stories, yoga experiences and food. Some of us had never met, yet by the end of the evening we were all good friends. There was a certain welcoming energy in the space that made everyone feel at ease.

The act of full participation, of the give and take exchange shows kindness and I think that’s the beauty of a potluck. Everyone feels included to partake on the same level. It’s also relatable. Food is the great commonality. We all have to eat and we all have opinions on food. The yoga studio is a place where health is valued and there is a general consensus of eating for nourishment. Our meal was abundantly green, with four different salads, three kinds of brussels sprouts and ample fresh fruit.

My contribution was this salad of baby kale, apple, carrot, fennel and golden raisins. I kept the dressing light and simple taking care not to overpower the natural flavors.

At the yoga studio, our community continues to grow. The studio owners plan to open the potlucks to all in the community later this summer and I’m looking forward to sharing more stories, making new friends and eating delicious food. 

Apple Fennel Salad

Apple Fennel Salad

Apple Fennel Salad

 

Apple Fennel Salad
Serves 6
Baby kale, apple, fennel and carrot with a lemon olive oil dressing.
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Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
5 min
Total Time
15 min
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
5 min
Total Time
15 min
Ingredients
  1. 2 Pink Lady apples - sliced
  2. 10 cups baby kale - loosely packed
  3. 3 cups carrots - chopped
  4. ½ cup fennel - thinly sliced or shaved with a peeler
  5. ½ cup golden raisins
  6. ♢
  7. Lemon Dressing
  8. 4 tbsp lemon juice
  9. ½ tsp salt
  10. ¼ tsp onion powder
  11. ½ cup olive oil
Instructions
  1. Once everything is sliced and chopped, combine all in a large mixing bowl. Drizzle over the dressing and toss to coat evenly.
  2. For the dressing, combine the lemon, salt and onion then allow to sit a minute. Add in the oil, stirring to combine. I like to make my dressing in a mason jar so it’s easy to put a lid on it and save the extra.
Notes
  1. For shaved fennel, cut fennel bulb in half lengthwise. Beginning on the side of the fennel bulb, peel strips of fennel using a peeler.
Sparkle Kitchen https://sparklekitchen.com/
Apple Fennel Salad

Dairy-free, Dinner, Egg Free, Gluten-free, Grain-free, No sugar, Nut-Free, Paleo, Sauce, Side Dish

Chocolate Mole over Crispy Chicken Thighs

They say sauce is the test of a great chef. Master a complex sauce and you can cook anything. Moles are intricate layers of chilies, fruits, garlic, onions, nuts and fragrant spices. Traditionally they are cooked over several hours, allowing the flavors to simmer and infuse together. Well I wanted to make a great sauce but who has time for that?

My mole musings resulted in an abbreviated version of No Gluten, No Problem’s 90 Minute Mole recipe. I shortened it a bit and altered the ingredients to suit my preferences. The nuts are omitted altogether since they’re a common allergen. You can read all about why I steer clear of nuts in this post. I chose ground spices rather than whole to save time. Ground tends to be just as effective when fresh. Try replacing your spices every six months and you’ll notice an extra kick, especially in that cayenne powder!

As I mulled over the intricacies of mole, I realized sauces are an optimal way to include a wide variety of plant foods into your diet. There are 13 different whole fruits and vegetables in this recipe. Talk about nutritional bang! Then by topping this off with avocado, cilantro and jalapeño, you’re already up to 16. More plant variety equals more nutrients and a healthier body.

Chocolate Mole over Crispy Chicken Thighs

Chocolate Mole over Crispy Chicken Thighs

Chocolate Mole over Crispy Chicken Thighs

Chocolate Mole over Crispy Chicken Thighs

Chocolate Mole over Crispy Chicken Thighs
Yields 4
Nut-free Chocolate Mole Sauce
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Prep Time
30 min
Cook Time
30 min
Total Time
1 min
Prep Time
30 min
Cook Time
30 min
Total Time
1 min
Chilies
  1. 10 dried ancho chilies
  2. 5 dried poblano chilies
  3. 3 dried chipotle chilies
  4. warm water
Fruits and Vegetables
  1. 2 1/2 tbsp dried apricots - chopped
  2. 2 1/2 tbsp raisins
  3. 1 cup onions - chopped
  4. 2 tbsp garlic - minced
  5. 1/2 tbsp lard
  6. 1 cup chicken broth
  7. 3 ounces 70-80% dark chocolate
Spices
  1. 1/2 tsp ground coriander
  2. 1/4 tsp ground cloves
  3. 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  4. 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  5. 1/2 tsp black pepper
  6. 1 tsp salt - use 1/2 tsp if chicken broth is salted.
Chicken
  1. 2 lbs bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
  2. 1 tsp salt
  3. 1 tsp pepper
  4. 2 tbsp lard
Mole
  1. Saute dried chilies over medium heat for a few minutes. Then submerge chilies in warm water for 20 minutes.
  2. Soak apricots and raisins in warm water for 20 minutes.
  3. Toast spices in a dry pan over low heat for 3-5 minutes. Set aside.
  4. Drain chilies, de-stem and remove all seeds. It helps to run water over them.
  5. Melt lard over medium high heat in your saute pan and cook onions and garlic for 5 minutes. Set aside.
  6. Place chilies, spices, drained dried fruits, onions, garlic, chicken broth, and salt in a food processor. Process until smooth, about 5 minutes.
  7. Melt chocolate in a double boiler and add to the food processor. Pulse to combine.
Chicken
  1. Generously salt and pepper the chicken on both sides.
  2. Melt 1 tbsp lard over high heat in a cast iron skillet or heavy pan.
  3. Place 1/2 the chicken thighs in the pan. Cook on each side for 4 minutes. Then turn the heat to medium low and cook an additional 4 minutes on each side. Repeat for second batch, adding more lard before placing chicken in pan.
Notes
  1. If sauce is too thick, add more chicken broth.
  2. Serve the mole over the chicken thighs with avocado, cilantro and jalapeño.
Adapted from No Gluten, No Problem 90 Minute Mole
Adapted from No Gluten, No Problem 90 Minute Mole
Sparkle Kitchen https://sparklekitchen.com/
Chocolate Mole over Crispy Chicken Thighs

Chocolate Mole over Crispy Chicken Thighs

Chocolate Mole over Crispy Chicken Thighs