Coconut Veggie Curry (Paleo)

Hello, all! It has been a very long time since my last post. But, to let everyone know, I am alive and well and have been living in Thailand now for the last month and a half. You can see my adventures on my other blog, Teach. Eat. Travel. Repeat.

I’ve been loving my time in Thailand, but the one thing I was really missing was cooking. So, I invested in an electrical skillet/wok to make some home-cooked meals some nights. Meaning… I can start up this food blog again! This time, it’ll be featuring fresh and in-season ingredients that I pick up from my local food stands and market.

To kick this blog back off, here’s a very Thai-ish meal (minus the spice) that I prepared with all of the ingredients literally down the block from me!

Coconut Veggie Curry (Paleo)

Ingredients:

1 tbsp coconut oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tbsp freshly grated ginger

1 large carrot, peeled and cut into sticks

1 head of broccoli, chopped into florets

1/2 head of cauliflower, chopped into florets

1/4 head of cabbage, chopped

3/4 cup of water (broth would probably be better, but I can’t find any in Thailand!)

250g full-fat coconut milk

1/2 tbsp curry powder

Pinch of cayenne pepper (by all means, add more! I just needed a break from spicy foods)

125g shimeji mushrooms

2 tomatoes, diced

1 large handful of snow peas, ends removed

salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Heat oil over medium-low heat and add in your garlic and ginger. Cook until fragrant. Add in your carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage and cook for 10 minutes. Stir in the water, coconut milk, and spices. Higher the temperature to medium heat and place a lid on top. Let cook, stirring occasionally until veggies shrink in size (about 15 minutes). Stir in mushrooms, tomatoes, and snow peas and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Add salt and pepper and serve!

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Sweet Potato, Apple, and Beef Skillet

This is something I literally threw together on a whim. Probably why we have the odd pairing of beef and apples in this recipe… Oh, well. It was tasty so it’s getting posted! 🙂

Sweet Potato, Apple, and Beef Skillet

Ingredients:

1 tbsp avocado oil

1 onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 sweet potato, peeled and cubed

1 lb organic, grass-fed ground beef

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp rosemary

1 tsp thyme

1/4 tsp chili powder

salt and pepper

1 apple, peeled and diced

Garnish: Shredded cheese and parsley

Directions:

Heat oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add in the onions and garlic and sauté until the onions begin to caramelize. Add in the sweet potatoes and cook for another 8 minutes. Add in the meat and seasonings and cook until the meat is completely brown. Make sure to break up the chucks of meat as it cooks! Afterwards, mix in your apple pieces and cook for another 5 minutes. If desired, top with shredded cheese and parsley before serving.

Pumpkin Coconut Beef Sauce/Soup (Paleo)

Last week, I had my annual Super Bowl Sunday Home-Alone-Cook-Off. Not going to lie, I’m no a football fan. I’ve tried watching games, but every time my mind begins to wander off to the 100 things I could be doing instead. And no, the Super Bowl is not the exception.

So every year, I have the house to myself and have my own party where I create my own recipes that I know my family would put their noses up to if they were around.

The arrangement works out nicely: I get to experiment in the kitchen and end up with a week’s worth of yummy food. I then eat while watching some Netflix with the game on in the background (for the halftime show and commercials).

Anyway, this was one of the end results:

Pumpkin Coconut Beef Sauce/Soup

Ingredients:

1 tbsp red palm oil (or avocado oil)

1 onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 tsp sage

1 lb. organic, grass-fed ground beef

1 cup chopped carrots

1 (13.5oz) can of full-fat coconut milk

1 (15oz) can of pumpkin

2 handfuls of fresh spinach

salt and pepper

For soup version– add in 1 cup vegetable/chicken/beef broth (if you just want a sauce, omit)

Directions:

Heat the oil in a pot and add in the onion, garlic, and sage. Sauté for 5 minutes. Add in the carrots and meat and cook until the meat is entirely brown. Add in the coconut milk and pumpkin and bring to a boil. Add in the spinach and cook until wilted. Adjust with salt and pepper, to taste. If you are making the soup: Stir in your broth here. If not, serve over rice or cauliflower rice.

Butternut and Chicken Tomato Bake (Paleo)

First post of 2017! I’m expecting great things out of 2017:

1. I’m finishing Student Teaching and college in the next few months
2. I’m moving to Thailand to teach and travel!!!!!
3. I’m planning to continue to post recipes until moving day (and maybe even while in Thailand).

Needless to say, I am very excited for upcoming events!

Now, onto food. This is something I served at my family’s Christmas Eve party. It was a definite hit and gobbled all up before the evening ended. Enjoy!

P.S- Results are in! My most popular post of 2016 (with 2,681 views): Shrimp and Chicken Fajitas! 

Butternut and Chicken Tomato Bake (Paleo)

Ingredients:

4 cups butternut squash, cubed

2 tbsp avocado oil

salt and pepper

1.5 lb chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces

1 onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp dried thyme

1/2 cup whole fat coconut milk

1/2 cup tomato sauce

2 tbsp tomato paste

2 cups fresh spinach

1 egg

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425°F. In a bowl, toss together the butternut squash, 1 tbsp oil, salt and pepper. Spread in a roasting pan and place in the oven for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the other tbsp of oil in a skillet. Add the chicken pieces, salt and pepper, and cook all the way through. Add in the onion and garlic cloves and sauté for 2 minutes. Add in the coconut milk, sauce, and tomato paste and bring to a boil. Let boil for 1 minute and then reduce to a simmer to thicken. Add in the spinach and cook until wilted.

Once butternut squash is finished, gently mix squash in with the chicken mixture. Transfer entire mixture into a baking dish. In a bowl, whisk an egg and then pour on top of mixture. Place mixture into a 350°F oven for 20 minutes. Let cool before serving.

This year’s annual Christmas Eve Sibling picture (I’m the one on the left!)

Roasted Butternut Squash with Spinach and Tahini Dressing

Last minute Christmas recipe!

Roasted Butternut Squash with Spinach and Tahini Dressing

Ingredients:

6 cups raw cubed butternut squash

1 tbsp avocado oil

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

salt and pepper

2 tbsp tahini

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp water

2 cups fresh spinach

Feta cheese

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 415°F. In a bowl, toss together the butternut squash, avocado oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Spread squash in a roasting pan and place in the oven for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk together the tahini, olive oil, and water in a small bowl. Mix in a dash of salt and set aside.

In a serving bowl, combine the spinach, squash and dressing. Serve into individual bowls and top with feta cheese.