Vegetarian for Two is soon to be Vegetarian for Three! D and I are expecting a baby boy this fall (October) and couldn’t be more ecstatic. Pregnancy has been humbling in regards to my diet, and I find myself cramming in protein wherever I can get it!
While I’ve had an otherwise easy and fairly uneventful first 18 weeks, I’ve noticed my biggest weakness is the inability to get a craving out of my head. For weeks after watching Food Network I just wanted veggie burgers, and recently my food tastes have turned towards Indian and Thai. Baby loves the protein, I love the sauces and spices, and D loves getting to be needed in the kitchen!
This week we grabbed a ton of fresh veggies from the store (our re-wrap section is phenomenal and a great place to find produce at its peak for 1/4-1/2 price) and wanted to use them cohesively. This curry was the perfect combination of everything we’d stocked up on and is so easy to make you’ll question ever ordering takeout again!
Red Curry
- 2 TBSP coconut oil
- 2 TBSP red curry paste (I like Thai Kitchen)
- 1-2 TBSP natural peanut butter
- Few shakes of soy sauce
- Squeeze of lime juice or dash of any vinegar- rice wine works well
- 1 can coconut milk, doesn’t matter if it’s low fat or full fat
- Veggies of choice – we used sweet potato, red bell pepper, and green beans (cauliflower would also be amazing). You want about 2 cups of prepared veggies total
- Protein of choice – we used cubed tempeh but could use tofu, chicken, pork, shrimp. If using raw meat, be sure to pre-cook beforehand as the curry won’t get hot enough to cook raw meat to the correct temperature
- fresh cilantro
Heat the coconut oil in a Dutch oven (I love my Le Creuset for this) or large pot until warm – add curry paste and fry until well toasted. It WILL smell amazing! Add in peanut butter until melted, then soy sauce and vinegar/lime – combine all flavors. Add in coconut milk and cook together at a simmer for 2-3 minutes.
Add in washed and prepared veggies of choice and protein, then let everything cook together 20-30 minutes until vegetables are cooked. Stir in some fresh, chopped cilantro about 5 minutes before the end of your cooking time, then serve with rice or quinoa and additional cilantro.
*if using potatoes, I recommend washing and peeling them, then dicing into ½ inch cubes. Steam the cubes in a vegetable steamer or pre-cook in the microwave before adding to the curry – you don’t want them to break down completely and be mushy, or be raw since they won’t cook enough in 20 minutes.
VegetarianForTwo 