A word of advice: don't make this in the winter, the price of necessary groceries will skyrocket. I learned this lesson the hard way.
It was a lovely November day, but a November day nonetheless and I headed to the grocery store to pick up some herbs and something coconut-y that wasn't 500 calories per serving or laden with added sugar. Having filled my basket I headed to the checkout. I should add, I'm not someone who pays close attention prices at the grocery store. Sure, if there are several different brands of dijon mustard I'll pick the cheapest and I'll occasionally do the math to find out if the bulk mushrooms are cheeper per pound than the prepackaged mushrooms. But, If it is November in the North East and there is one kind of packaged fresh basil, one kind of packaged fresh cilantro and one kind of packaged lemon grass, I'm just going to grab them.
Each tiny plastic container of fresh herbs was close to $3.00, totaling nearly $9.00. For a few tablespoons of herbs.
This experience wouldn't have bothered me so much if we hadn't had cilantro growing like a weed in our garden and basil showing up weekly in our CSA box just over a month ago.
So, lesson learned.
Anyway, this dish is an adapted green curry. Instead of the overly heavy and calorically dense coconut milk that is traditional in thai curries, this one is made with almond milk for the creamier texture and coconut water, oil and flour for flavor. The texture is definitely different- a bit grittier and closer to a pesto than a cream broth- but the flavors are all consistent with thai green curry.
The fish sauce was a last minute addition. Without it this dish was just missing a hint of umami. Some mysterious ingredient was missing and fish sauce, definitely being a mysterious ingredient to most, was the answer.
Even my seafood hating and self proclaimed, "not a curry person," mom liked this. And for under 200 calories a serving, you can have seconds. Or dessert.
This recipe is grain free and paleo
Serves 2
Ingredients:
3 oz. green beans, cut into inch strips
3 oz. carrots, cut into inch strips
1/2 small yellow onion, diced
1 stalk lemon grass, minced
3 tbsp cilantro, chopped
1 tbsp jalapeño, diced, seeds removed
1 and 1/4 tsp curry powder
1 and 1/2 tsp fresh ginger, minced
1 tbsp basil, chopped + an additional leaf cut into strips for garnish
1 tbsp coconut water
1 tsp coconut oil
1/3 cup original unsweetened almond milk
1 tsp fish sauce
8 oz. Shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tbsp coconut flour
Method:
Boil green beans and carrots in salted water until tender but still crisp (only about 3 or 4 minutes). Set aside.
Puree onion, lemon grass, cilantro, jalapeño, curry powder, ginger, basil, and coconut water in a food processor. Pour into a medium sauté pan, lightly greased with coconut oil, and reduce the curry paste until it is dry, mixing frequently to avoid browning.
Pour the almond milk and fish sauce into the sauté pan and bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring to combine. Add the shrimp and coconut flour and allow to lightly simmer until the shrimp is just cooked through.
Add the veggies to the pan and coat with the curry sauce to bring them back up to temperature.
Serve with a garnish of fresh basil and a squeeze of citrus.
Don't you hate how you can't buy just a little cilantro at the grocery store? It's always a ridiculously large amount that no one would ever need all at one time. Use some of the extra for Orange Cilantro Scallops with Warm Lupini Bean Salad and Charred Asparagus.
It was a lovely November day, but a November day nonetheless and I headed to the grocery store to pick up some herbs and something coconut-y that wasn't 500 calories per serving or laden with added sugar. Having filled my basket I headed to the checkout. I should add, I'm not someone who pays close attention prices at the grocery store. Sure, if there are several different brands of dijon mustard I'll pick the cheapest and I'll occasionally do the math to find out if the bulk mushrooms are cheeper per pound than the prepackaged mushrooms. But, If it is November in the North East and there is one kind of packaged fresh basil, one kind of packaged fresh cilantro and one kind of packaged lemon grass, I'm just going to grab them.
Each tiny plastic container of fresh herbs was close to $3.00, totaling nearly $9.00. For a few tablespoons of herbs.
This experience wouldn't have bothered me so much if we hadn't had cilantro growing like a weed in our garden and basil showing up weekly in our CSA box just over a month ago.
So, lesson learned.
Anyway, this dish is an adapted green curry. Instead of the overly heavy and calorically dense coconut milk that is traditional in thai curries, this one is made with almond milk for the creamier texture and coconut water, oil and flour for flavor. The texture is definitely different- a bit grittier and closer to a pesto than a cream broth- but the flavors are all consistent with thai green curry.
The fish sauce was a last minute addition. Without it this dish was just missing a hint of umami. Some mysterious ingredient was missing and fish sauce, definitely being a mysterious ingredient to most, was the answer.
Even my seafood hating and self proclaimed, "not a curry person," mom liked this. And for under 200 calories a serving, you can have seconds. Or dessert.
This recipe is grain free and paleo
Serves 2
Ingredients:
3 oz. green beans, cut into inch strips
3 oz. carrots, cut into inch strips
1/2 small yellow onion, diced
1 stalk lemon grass, minced
3 tbsp cilantro, chopped
1 tbsp jalapeño, diced, seeds removed
1 and 1/4 tsp curry powder
1 and 1/2 tsp fresh ginger, minced
1 tbsp basil, chopped + an additional leaf cut into strips for garnish
1 tbsp coconut water
1 tsp coconut oil
1/3 cup original unsweetened almond milk
1 tsp fish sauce
8 oz. Shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tbsp coconut flour
Method:
Boil green beans and carrots in salted water until tender but still crisp (only about 3 or 4 minutes). Set aside.
Puree onion, lemon grass, cilantro, jalapeño, curry powder, ginger, basil, and coconut water in a food processor. Pour into a medium sauté pan, lightly greased with coconut oil, and reduce the curry paste until it is dry, mixing frequently to avoid browning.
Pour the almond milk and fish sauce into the sauté pan and bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring to combine. Add the shrimp and coconut flour and allow to lightly simmer until the shrimp is just cooked through.
Add the veggies to the pan and coat with the curry sauce to bring them back up to temperature.
Serve with a garnish of fresh basil and a squeeze of citrus.
Don't you hate how you can't buy just a little cilantro at the grocery store? It's always a ridiculously large amount that no one would ever need all at one time. Use some of the extra for Orange Cilantro Scallops with Warm Lupini Bean Salad and Charred Asparagus.