Spinach, Chick Pea Thai Curry

Spinach was the vegetable on sale today at the store so my thoughts turned to what to do with it all. It wasn't until I actually had the vegetables frying in the pan that I finally decided on having a Thai coconut curry.
serves 2-3
20 minutes

• 1 onion, cut into strips
• 1 red pepper, cut into strips
• 1 carrot, cut into thin slices
• 3 cloves garlic, cut into thin slices
• 3 cups of rinsed spinach
• 1/2 cup of cooked chick peas
  
• 1 1/2 Tbsp Thai curry paste (red, yellow or green)
• 1 can of coconut milk
  
• fish sauce
• chili pepper
  
• half a lime

1. Fry onion, red pepper and carrot in a small amount of oil in a pan at medium high until vegetables start to brown.
2. Add garlic, spinach, chick peas and a small amount of water. Cover the pan and let simmer for 5 minutes.
3. Add the curry paste and mix with the vegetables.
4. Add the can of coconut milk and mix in well with the vegetables.
5. Simmer for a further 5 minutes.
   
6. Serve with juice from a quarter lime, fish sauce and cayenne into individual bowls.
7. I didn't have cilantro but this would have been added had I had some.
   

My Favorite Popcorn

I do a lot of things to popcorn, my favorite night time snack, and this is one I return to time after time.
serves 2-3
10 minutes

1. 2 Tbsp Wakame seaweed, cayenne to taste, and salt to taste, put in a grinder and ground to a fine powder.
2. In a small pot melt 2-3 Tbsp of butter. Add the juice from half a lime. With a garlic press, add 2-3 small cloves of garlic.
3. A small handful of cilantro, finely chopped.
4. Pop your popcorn, add the butter mixture, followed by the grinder mix and then the chopped cilantro.
5. Mix, eat and enjoy!
   

Broccoli, Red Pepper Redux

I still had lots of broccoli and red pepper so here is a heartier version for tonight.
serves 2
15 minutes

• 1 onion, cut in strips
• 1 red pepper, cut in strips
• 1 cup of diced yam
• 2 heads of broccoli, cut into stalks
  
• 4 cloves garlic
• olive oil
  
• juice from half a lime
• good handful of chopped cilantro
• thai fish sauce
• cayenne

1. Fry the onion, red pepper and yam in olive oil until slightly browned.
2. Add garlic and broccoli, put a lid on the pan and cook for a further 5 minutes.
3. Serve vegetables in large bowl.
   
4. Add lime juice, fish sauce and cayenne to taste.
5. Top with cilantro and serve.
6. Add your favorite seeds or nuts in top.
   

Steamed Broccoli and Fried Red Pepper

Whenever I want a nice light meal that is quick and nutritious I almost always turn to broccoli. This dish is definitely on the salty side so feel free to cut back on the salty ingredients if you wish.
serves 2

10 minute

To steam and cook

• 2-3 heads of broccoli, cut into individual stalks
  
• 2 medium red pepper, chopped any size you like
  
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 tsp sesame seeds
• 1 tsp olive oil
  

The sauce

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 3 anchovies, minced
• juice from half a lime/lemon
• 1 tsp real french mustard
• 1 tsp tamari sauce
• pinch of cayenne
  

Steam the broccoli and fry (in olive oil) the red pepper at the same time. After 5 minutes of cooking add the garlic to the red peppers and cook for a further 1 minute. While the steaming and frying is going on mix all the sauce ingredients together. When the vegetables are done put the broccoli on a plate topped with the red peppers. Pour the sauce on top of the vegetables and sprinkle on the sesame seeds.

Optional - You can use whatever sauce or vinaigrette you like on this dish. You can also use any other nuts or seeds such as shaved almonds, cashews, etc. These can be dry roasted or not. Throw some cilantro or parsley on top. What I made is very simple but many things can be added to it depending on your own taste and what you have in your kitchen.

Hummus

Another favorite of the kids is simple to make hummus. Eaten with carrots, celery, cucumber, peppers, etc., it ensures that they are eating something good. It's never the same recipe twice so use this as a starting of point to do your own thing. This recipe is for this particular batch.

serves a family
5 minutes

• 1 1/2 cup chick peas
• 1/2 large lime or lemon
• 1 small carrot, finely grated
  
• 2 Tbsp tahini paste
• 1-3 cloves garlic, finely minced
• olive oil
  
• a handful of chives and garden cress

1. Mix first 6 ingredients in a blender and puree. Use enough olive oil to get the consistency you like. I like mine slightly on the chunky side.
2. When pureed, add the chive and cress and blend them into the mix.

From Broth to Soup

Here are the left over vegetables from my broth of the last two nights turned into a very nice soup.

serves 2-3
5 minutes

1. Add 3 cups of water to the left over vegetables from the broth.
2. Put 3/4 of soup into a blender and puree. Return to pot.
3. Heat and serve with a quarter lime and some Thai fish sauce.
   

Recipe - A Tangy Broth

I made this simple soup broth last night and it tasted amazing, so I figured that I might as well make it again while I exit my cleanse. Perhaps it tasted so good because I haven't eaten in 15 days.

Serves 2-3
40 minutes

• 1 cup diced yam
  
• 1 medium onion, sliced thin
  
• 4 cloves garlic, sliced thin
• pinch of cayenne
• 1 Tbsp dried Wakame seaweed
• 1 tsp Yellow (or Red or Green) Thai Curry paste
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
  
• 1 tsp olive oil
• half a small lime
• 1 tsp Thai Fish Sauce (optional but recommended)
  

1. Sautee the first 3 ingredients at medium high in a heavy pot with the olive oil, curry paste and turmeric until onions turn slightly brown.
2. Add a bit of water, the cayenne, and seaweed. Turn to low, cover the pot and cook for a further 10-15 minutes.
3. Add 4 cups of water, bring to a boil, and then simmer on low for a further 15 minutes.
4. Remove from the stove and pour soup though a strainer.
5. Add 1 tsp fish sauce per serving. (optional)
   
6. Serve with a slice of lime to squeeze in
   

Eat this wonderful broth as is (very filling on it's own!) or use it as a base for any soup recipe calling for vegetable broth. Keep the vegetables to have a soup instead of a broth or mix them in with rice, pasta, scrambled eggs, or anything else you can think up.

50 Limes, 100 Thai chiles, 1 Litre Maple Syrup

I've just finished a 10 day cleanse called the Master Cleanse. I had a 10 day window of no kids and no work so I finally attempted this as it's something I've wanted to do for awhile now. The first 2 days were the most difficult as I had a nasty headache the whole time from not having my usual 2 cups of coffee in the morning. Day 3 was dominated by a persistent lower back ache. But day 4-10 were as effortless as mixing up the concoction of limes, cayenne, and maple syrup that I drank all day. I can't say that I noticed any dramatic changes in my body but I did lose over 10 pounds over this 2 week period. The most interesting part was how little I thought about food and eating once I hit day 3. I easily could haave kept going but I had already surpassed my 7 day goal and I had things to do that made going past 10 days impractical. I'm easing back to eating solid food with juice and soup for a few days. So spring is here and my body and brain have recieved a much needed and tune up and flush out. Give it a try, it's easier than you might think.