Thai Green Curry Chicken

This Thai Green Curry Chicken is such an easy, quick, weeknight meal that really takes the boring out of the same old chicken. Another major time saver for this recipe is minute rice or precooked rice that you can just throw into the microwave for a minute and a half and be done with. I have a rice cooker and I’ve tried to make rice a million times, I’m just not good at it, so I take all the help that I can get from the store when I want to have rice with dinner. Also, Costco usually has this precooked rice in a large package of six bowls in the pantry area, or a quinoa and rice mix in the freezer section. Both are delicious and major time savers. Another option is to serve this curry with brown rice Pad Thai noodles, which are widely available in grocers’ international foods section.
Thai Kitchen makes a very good green curry paste, and all of their curry pastes (red, green, and roasted red…) are on sale this week at Whole Foods. Their green curry paste is gluten free, but it isn’t very spicy so I add a couple of chilies to my curry to spice it up. Side note about chilies: the skinnier and pointier the chili, the spicier. So, if you like spicy, go ahead and pick the pointy chilies.
You’ll notice that I only use one chicken breast in this recipe, my reason behind that is to decrease the cost while still keeping it balanced and healthful, but this recipe is very versatile; you can use more meat and less veggies or even substitute shrimp for the chicken. If you substitute in shrimp, just add it when you add the green curry paste to your coconut milk so that it doesn’t overcook.

Thai Green Curry Chicken:

1 Chicken Breast, cut into bite sized pieces
2 Serrano chilies, minced, seeded if you’re sensitive to spicy food or Optional
2 Cloves Garlic, crushed
1 inch of Fresh Ginger, minced
2 cups of Veggies (I used: Frozen peas and green beans, fresh bell pepper, and fresh broccoli, but you can use whatever you like…), cut into bite sized pieces
2 tbsp Thai Green Curry Paste, I use Thai Kitchen brand (it’s GF!)
1 13.5 oz. can of regular (not light) Coconut Milk (shake well before opening!)
1 sprig of basil (Thai basil if available), torn into pieces by hand
1 tbsp Thai Fish Sauce, I use Thai Kitchen brand (it’s GF!)
Salt and pepper to taste

In a skillet over medium heat, add a tablespoon of olive oil and sauté meat until almost cooked through (adding salt and pepper to taste, remembering that fish sauce is salty!); then add in chilies, garlic, ginger, and veggies to meat. Cook together for approximately 3-5 minutes over medium heat; you’re only trying to cook the veggies to remove their “rawness”; you still want them crunchy and fresh tasting in your curry. Stir in the coconut milk and bring to a simmer. Stir in curry paste and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Add fish sauce and torn basil just before serving.

Serve over jasmine rice in a bowl and you’re set!

Ground Turkey Larb

In 2006 I was working at a day spa when I met a Cosmetologist named Lisah. Lisah is one of those people who can make friends with anyone because she is genuinely nice and has such a great sense of humor that it’s hard not to like her. For Lisah’s 21st birthday she invited us to a party at her house, and me, unsuspecting as I was, I brought a huge bag of tortilla chips…Thinking it was a “pot-luck” type of party…I was wrong, Ooopppss! We arrived to a huge spread of traditional Laos food, none of which I recognized because at that point the most exotic thing I had ever consumed came from Wonderful Chinese Food restaurant (yes, that’s really what it’s called) in a strip mall in my home town.
Lisah’s birthday spread included: Spicy Green Papaya Salad with Crispy Chicken Feet (Seriously, eat crispy chicken feet if you have the opportunity. I wouldn’t lead you astray…), Crispy Rice Salad (Nam, but also nom, nom, nom), and Grilled Oysters… Needless to say, I was a little weary of eating this food that I didn’t even recognize. Luckily, my manners (but mostly my faith in Lisah’s good judgment) encouraged me to try these new dishes and I don’t regret it for a second! It was at that point that I became indebted to Lisah forever (dun, dun, dun…), for inspiring me to try new foods, to live outside of my comfort zone, and experience new things. Since that night at Lisah’s party, I’ve tried many different kinds of food and am always looking for new inspiration for my cooking. I like to challenge myself and test my skills for personal growth. To be honest, I have very few dishes that I make regularly because I always want to try something new. So now, it’s my turn to inspire you. Try something new, and think of Lisah and me when you do. Thanks, Lisah!!! You’re the best!

Ground Turkey Larb (Laab or Laap):
Larb is a traditional Lao minced meat dish that can be made with any ground meat. I find that ground chicken or turkey lend themselves nicely to the flavors of the herbs and the dressing. Stronger flavored meats, like beef can over power the herbs. This recipe is delicious because appeals to all five taste sensations, as most Asian dishes do. The five taste sensations are: Sweet, Sour, Salty, Bitter, and Umami (or Savory). This Larb tastes even better the next day!
Please see the notes at the end of the post related to serving and preparing lemongrass.
Dressing:
Fresh lime juice, from about 4 limes, if your limes aren’t juicy, put them in the microwave for about 15 seconds and they’ll yield much more juice, or you can use your palm to forcefully roll whole limes back and forth on your counter top to soften them up.
5 sprigs of Cilantro, stemmed, chopped
2 tablespoons fish sauce, I use Thai Kitchen (it’s GF!!)
1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons honey

Larb:
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 shallots (cloves), thinly sliced, lengthwise
2 Garlic Cloves, minced
1 2 inch piece of Ginger, peeled and minced
1 4 inch piece lemongrass the softer white portion of the stalk, minced *See Notes
3 Thai chilies, or 3 Serrano chilies, stemmed, thinly sliced
Sea Salt, to taste, remembering that fish sauce is salty
1 ½ pounds ground turkey, preferably dark meat
½ cup chopped fresh mint leaves
Freshly ground black pepper
1 head butter lettuce, leaves separated

Optional:
Roasted Chopped Nuts to garnish
Green Beans
Sliced Cucumber
Cabbage
Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, cilantro, fish sauce, red pepper flakes, and honey. Set aside.
Larb: In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the shallots (Your friends will be really impressed if you discuss the subtle nuances in the flavors of onion vs. shallot…By “impressed”, I mean bored.), garlic, ginger, lemongrass, chili, and salt to taste. (It’s important to season every layer when you’re cooking. When you add another ingredient to the pan, season to taste.) Cook until the vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the turkey and season with salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until the meat and vegetables are cooked through, about 10 minutes. Add the dressing to the pan and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the mint. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Spoon the Larb onto the prepared lettuce leaves and serve.
NOTES: When you order Larb (Laab or Laap) at a restaurant, they garnish it with roasted, chopped peanuts. I like to garnish our larb with roasted chopped almonds to add crunch. Larb (Laab or Laap) can be served with sticky rice and an assortment of vegetables, such as green beans, sliced cucumber, or cabbage.
Lemongrass is kind of an unusual ingredient, but it can be found in most grocery stores. It is a long, skinny stalk that’s usually light green in color and lighter near the root end (see picture). When you are ready to prepare your lemon grass, peel off the outer most layer of the stalk and discard. You’ll notice that the stalk is very stiff, so, you’ll want to pick a very sharp knife to mince it. To make the mincing easier, tenderize the portion of the stalk that you plan to use with the dull edge of your knife by hitting the lemongrass repeatedly and forcefully until the stalk is softer. Once it’s softened, use the sharp edge of your knife to mince your lemongrass.

If we’re being honest, my Larb recipe isn’t exactly traditional, but it hits all of the same flavor notes as the real thing and has ingredients that are pretty easy to come by. The recipe does not include the traditional toasted rice powder because it’s not easy to find and it’s a lot of work to make on a weeknight. But, if you’d like to use the traditional toasted rice powder and can’t find it at your local store, there’s a great (and simple enough) recipe at: SheSimmers.com
Enjoy!!

Blueberry Oat Bars minus the Starbucks

Recently, I was thinking about how different life in San Francisco is compared to what it was when I was growing up in the suburbs. All I knew was big business, Starbucks, Target (which I’ll never betray! I LOVE YOU TARGET!!), McDonald’s (blleehhhhhh!!), Chipotle, etc., etc… But I can’t lie; moving to San Francisco changed me, it changed me for the better. I became aware of the need to support my local businesses and the relationships, the sense of community, which is built when you’re a regular at your local businesses. Supporting local business is important because the people who own these businesses are your neighbors, trying to live their dream by owning their own business and being their own boss. Who am I not to support someone living his or her dream? Local businesses recognize and appreciate your business and create a sense of community that can be lacking in this big city. Almost immediately after moving to San Francisco a sense of community became a necessary ingredient in my personal happiness. With my personal happiness comes inspiration to create recipes that meet our dietary restrictions and fulfill my cravings for the food from the big businesses of my hometown! Lucky you!! So, here it is, without further ado…

Blueberry Oat Bars minus the Starbucks:

Once upon a time, Starbucks made a deliciously sinful blueberry oat bar full of refined sugar, gluten, and maybe even dairy…GASP!!... and I loved that blueberry oat bar for breakfast with my dirty chai latte. Alas, I replaced my regular (suburban) Starbucks visits with visits to my (urban) local coffee shop but still longed for a delicious blueberry oat bar that I could enjoy considering our dietary restrictions. Thus, GF, DF, Refined Sugar Free Blueberry Oat Bars were born (or made, if that word grosses you out less…)

Ingredients

2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
¼ cup agave nectar, or less depending on the sweetness of your berries and your palate
2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 ¾ cup gluten free oats, uncooked
1cup gluten free almond meal
½ cup of gluten free coconut flour
¾ cup coconut sugar, firmly packed
½ cup chopped nuts; I used walnuts (this is an optional ingredient)
½ teaspoon gluten free baking soda
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon sea salt
¾ cup coconut oil, melted, plus extra for greasing your baking sheet.
**I use coconut oil when I bake because of all the dairy free options, it behaves the most similarly to butter and has the fewest ingredients, all of which I can read and recognize.

Prepare:

Gather all of the recipe ingredients

Tools:

1 mixing bowl
1 sauce pan
1 11 x 7 inch baking pan
1 cup, ½ cup, ¼ cup measures
1 tablespoon measure
1 teaspoon, ½ teaspoon measures
A fork (or clean fingers!)
Heat proof spatula
Improvise your tools as needed (I can’t always find all of my measuring spoons…)

Preheat oven to 350 F

Grease 11x7-inch baking pan with coconut oil

Blueberry Filling:
In a medium saucepan, combine blueberries, agave nectar, and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and let the blueberry-filling simmer uncovered. Stir in lemon juice. Since I do not use cornstarch to thicken the blueberry filling, it’s important to let the blueberry-filling simmer uncovered, letting it reduce until it thickens naturally, approximately 10 minutes, depending on whether you used frozen or fresh berries.

Crust and Topping:
While your blueberry filling is simmering away, combine oats, almond meal, coconut flour, coconut sugar, nuts (if using), baking soda, cinnamon and sea salt

Add melted coconut oil, mixing until crumbly. You can use a fork but clean fingers make quick work of this step!

Reserve approximately one-third of your mixture for the crumbly topping and firmly press the remaining mixture onto the bottom of your greased 11x7 inch baking pan, creating the crust.

Bake your crust for 10 minutes.

Spread your prepared blueberry filling over your partially baked crust, leaving ¼ inch of space around the edges, so the filling doesn’t spill over onto the bottom of your oven.

Sprinkle reserved oat topping mixture evenly over the blueberry filling and lightly press the topping down into blueberries.

Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until topping is golden brown.

Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack, if the bars are not properly cooled, they tend to crumble apart.

Once cooled, use a very sharp knife to carefully cut your blueberry oat bars into desired portions.

Store tightly covered

You can freeze the bars in an air-tight container or a freezer bag and pull them out one at a time for breakfast or a snack, defrost them by microwaving them for about 20 seconds.

Enjoy!!

Stuffed Zucchini with Avocado Dressed Salad

Besides being healthful, adaptable, and wallet friendly, this recipe is a great make ahead meal. You can make your turkey filling ahead of time and store it in the fridge. When you’re ready to make your stuffed zucchini, just pull out your pre-made turkey filling, prep your zucchini into boats and stuff the boats with your turkey mixture. Pop them in the oven at 375° and cook until completely warmed through.

Stuffed Zucchini
Makes 6 Zucchini Boats

3 Zucchini, halved lengthwise & cored to create boats. I use a small spoon to core my zucchini, ensuring that I leave enough of the vegetable in tact around the bottom and the edges to hold the filling. Also, reserve the core to use in the filling! No reason to waste perfectly good zucchini…
¾ lb. ground turkey meat
1 c precooked brown rice
½ small sweet onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic
2 tsp Italian Seasoning
S&P to taste

Preheat oven to 375° Fahrenheit

Sauté onion and garlic until soft. Add the ground turkey and seasonings to the onion mixture and cook until the turkey is almost cooked through; stir in the rice and the reserved zucchini cores. Place zucchini boats on a baking sheet and stuff the boats with the turkey filling that you’ve created.

Bake your boats for approximately 25 minutes or until the filling has slightly browned.

I am lucky to be a Californian where avocado never seems to go out of season, as this dressing is my “go-to” on many occasions. On busy weeknights, I toss this with some kale salad and dinner is served, but I’ve also been known to cut up fresh mango with diced red onion, Serrano pepper, and cilantro and use this as the dressing for a spicy-sweet fruit salad. Your imagination is the limit with this deliciously creamy dressing.

Avocado “Dressing”:

1 soft, ripe avocado
½ lemon, juiced
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
S&P to taste

Mash the avocado into the bottom of your salad bowl. Squeeze ½ a lemon’s juice into the mashed avocado and add the extra virgin olive oil. Mash to combine, season to taste. Add any salad greens, noodles, veggies…that you would like and toss to coat.