Thai-style Banana Curry

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Servings: 4-6

Ingredients:
2T oil
2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced finely
1 red pepper, sliced*
1 small onion, sliced
1 zucchini, sliced*
1 peach, cut into big chuncks*
4 oz creamed coconut (can substitute 1 can coconut milk, lowfat if desired, but reduce other liquid)
3 tsp curry powder
Salt (can eliminate if using stock)
Black pepper
Red pepper flakes
1-1 ½ cups water/vegetable stock
1-2 bananas, sliced

Directions:
1. Saute the garlic in the oil for one minute then add all the vegetables. Stir fry until softened.
2. Add the peach, coconut, and sprinkle with curry powder and seasonings. Mix thoroughly.
3. If using creamed coconut, add the water slowly as the coconut melts into the curry. If using the milk, wait until the dish has cooked a bit, and add the liquid slowly until you reach the desired consistency. It should be creamy and will thicken as you cook it.
4. Cook on low heat for a few minutes then add bananas. Cook for another few minutes.
5. Serve with rice.

TIPS:
*these ingredients can be exchanged. Make your curry with your own favorite veggies/fruits, or whatever you have lying around. Peppers, broccoli, carrots, pineapple, mango would all work lovely.

To add chicken or tofu, just add it in the beginning after the garlic and stir fry for a few minutes before adding the veggies. I added shrimp for a low-cal, high-protien meal.

You can use lowfat coco milk for a lower-fat recipe.

This is a really fast dish to prepare. I just cut the veggies and toss them in as I’m done slicing them. That way the peppers and onions cook a little longer than the zucchini and the fruit.

Curried Chickpeas

Tonight's dinner was a hit, at least in my mind. We had Curried Chickpeas. Sean doesn't like cauliflower, so I think I will modify it a bit next time that I make it. I think I'll substitute potatoes and then use pureed cauliflower to keep the veggies (ssshhhh... don't tell Sean!). Why did I like this so much? #1 - it was tasty. #2 - Addie ate all of it! She even picked up the cauliflower and said "trees" and popped it in her mouth. "Trees" is what she calls broccoli and she won't touch it, so I was very surprised that she labeled this as "trees" and still gave it a shot.

I usually make my most labor intensive meal on Sunday nights, that way Sean is here to watch the girls for me. The recipe looks kinda involved (for my style of cooking), so I chose to make it tonight. I really should have saved it for a different night, it wasn't hard to make at all. I used frozen cauliflower rather than fresh to save time chopping. I also left out the ginger because I don't care for it.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 small onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, crushed/minced
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon fresh ginger root, minced
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon coriander
2 teaspoons turmeric
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 bay leaf
19 oz. can of chick peas, drained and rinsed
28 oz. can of whole tomatoes, chopped
head of cauliflower, chopped and steamed until tender
1/2 cup light coconut milk
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Saute onion until translucent in oil in a large saute pan.
2. Add garlic, ginger, and tomato and cook for 2-3 minutes.
3. Add water, spices, and bay leaf to the pan and mix well.
4. Add chick peas to pan. Bring it to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes.
5. Remove the bay leaf.
6. Add the cauliflower and light coconut milk and mix thoroughly.
7. Taste the chick peas and add salt and pepper to taste.
8. Serve over brown rice.