Thai Coconut Shrimp and Basil Curry

May 18, 2015 by Susan

If you like Thai food I strongly urge you to try this recipe. It is so delicious and you won’t believe how quick and easy it is to make!

When I saw this recipe I knew immediately that I needed make it and I had a very strong feeling that it would be really good. If nothing else, I think I’m getting pretty good at being able to pick out a recipe right away and gauge that it will be a success. Granted, there are still times when a recipe ends up being ‘just ok’, but it’s rare that I pick something that turns out awful.

I really, really like Thai food. Such wonderful, bold flavor combinations, it’s never boring. In this recipe the Thai curry paste combined with the coconut milk and ginger…so yummy. Tons of fresh basil and the juice of a lime at the very end really finish this dish nicely and round out the flavors. Oh, and the sauce? It’s drinkable. Seriously, it’s so good. I’m almost embarrassed to say that we never have much left over when I make this. If anything, we just have some of the sauce remaining and we love to pour it over plain white rice and eat it like that. Soooo good.

I will warn ahead that this dish is spicy. It’s not ‘blow your head off’ spicy, but it does have a nice kick to it. And I found that it’s even spicier the next day, if you are lucky enough to have any leftovers. The Thai curry paste is what gives it the kick (so resist the urge to add more than this recipe calls for) but the sweet coconut milk balances it very nicely. I really love that this is made with shrimp. I don’t make shrimp as much as I would like, which is one of the reasons this recipe caught my eye. I can imagine this would work well substituting the shrimp with chicken, but I haven’t tried it. The first few times I made this I used fresh shrimp but I have to say that frozen works perfectly. So much so that it is all we use now. The only change I sometimes like to make with this recipe is adding sliced baby bok choy. It works really well. But don’t fret if you don’t have it, just stick to the recipe as is and you will be thrilled. I promise.

If you already like Thai food and are looking for a delicious, quick and easy meal to add to your recipe book, you must try this. If you are interested in trying Thai food for the first time, I think this is a great dish to get started with.

Here’s what you will need to serve 2 very hungry, Thai-food-loving people…

Recipe

1 tbsp vegetable oil

2 cups broccoli florets, trimmed and sliced lengthwise into bite size pieces

1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced and then cut in half lengthwise

2 1/2 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and minced

2 1/2 cups light coconut milk (comes in a can)

1 1/2 tbsp green curry paste (I use Thai Kitchen brand)

20-22 large shrimp, peeled & deveined (I use 21-25 count/pound)

3/4 cup sliced basil leaves

juice of one lime

3 cups cooked white rice (I use long grain basmati)

salt to taste

** optional addition: 2-3 small heads baby bok choy, each stem/leaf sliced in half lengthwise

Method

Prepare rice according to directions.

In a large sauce pan heat the oil over medium-low heat. Add the broccoli, red pepper (and bok choy if using). Add salt and stir. Cover and cook until the vegetables begin to soften, 2-3 minutes. Add the ginger and stir immediately and constantly for about 30 seconds. Add the coconut milk and curry paste. Stir well until all the curry paste has dissolved into the milk. Bring to a simmer.

Add the shrimp to the pan and cover. Cook for a few minutes just until the shrimp turn pink and are cooked through. Turn off heat.

Add the basil and lime juice to the pan and stir well to combine.

Divide the rice among bowls and ladle the shrimp curry on top, with a little extra liquid to soak into the rice.

Recipe slightly adapted from Rachael Ray Magazine

Thai Coconut Shrimp and Basil Curry

Author: Feasts And Fotos

Ingredients

1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 cups broccoli florets, trimmed and sliced lengthwise into bite size pieces
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced and then cut in half lengthwise
2½ tbsp fresh ginger, minced
2½ cups light coconut milk
1½ tbsp green curry paste
20 large shrimp, peeled & deveined (I use 21-25 count/pound)
¾ cup sliced basil leaves
juice of one lime
3 cups cooked white rice (I use long grain basmati)
salt to taste
** optional addition: 2-3 small heads baby bok choy, sliced in half lengthwise

Method

Prepare rice according to directions.
In a large sauce pan heat the oil over medium low head. Add the broccoli, red pepper (and bok choy if using). Add salt and stir. Cover and cook until the vegetables begin to soften, 2-3 minutes. Add the ginger and stir immediately and constantly for about 30 seconds. Add the coconut milk and curry paste. Stir well until all the curry paste has dissolved into the milk. Bring to a simmer.
Add the shrimp to the pan and cover. Cook for a few minutes just until the shrimp turn pink and are cooked through. Turn off heat.
Add the basil and lime juice to the pan and stir well to combine.
Divide the rice among bowls and ladle the shrimp curry on top, with a little extra liquid to soak into the rice.

Buckwheat Breakfast Bowl

March 1, 2011 by Susan

Along the crazy train of trying to conceive I found out that I have hypothyroidism and in addition was told to try to severely limit (aka eliminate) wheat from my diet (as well as dairy and sugar). Ugh. It has been painful, people.

I am completely astonished at how many unsuspecting foods contain wheat. Soy sauce? Come on now. Not that I eat much soy sauce at all, but it’s just an example of a product that I would never think has something like wheat in it!

I already eat relatively healthy and very rarely eat any processed or packaged foods. As a result I am not having such a hard time with wheat free dinners. The same goes for lunches, I usually have something that was leftover from dinner earlier in the week or a big bowl of quinoa with chicken or kale. Breakfasts, on the other hand, get me the most upset. There are only a VERY few things that are acceptable to eat. And that can get very boring.

This past weekend I set out to create a type of ‘breakfast bowl’ containing something that would actually make me feel full. One of the new grains I have tried cooking with is buckwheat (despite the name it does not contain wheat), which has a nutty flavor. I have had it before in restaurants and liked it, so I thought it would be a great base for my breakfast bowl. Then I basically chose a few of my favorite veggies and added eggs to it – voila!

Although this recipe does have a few seperate components going at the same time, this dish is not difficult to make and it tastes good. Also, it holds up well in the fridge, so you really can get away with making a big batch of it to last you a few days. Most importantly, you feel like you are eating something substantial and don’t feel as if you are sacrificing. Which basically, you are. Because all you can think about is having a big, fat muffin.

Here’s what you will need to serve 4…

Recipe

1 cup buckwheat

2 cups water

1 box cremini mushrooms, cleaned and sliced thick

1 small head of broccoli, cut into medium-sized florets

3 whole eggs

3 egg whites

2-3 tbsp chopped parsley

1-2 tsp truffle oil

salt & pepper

olive oil

Method

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Pour 2 cups of water into a saucepan and bring to boil. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt to the water and stir in buckwheat, reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook approximately 7-10 minutes.

In the meantime, heat up a few tablespoons of oil in a large skillet. Add the mushrooms and saute until softened, 5-6 minutes. While the mushrooms are cooking lay the broccoli florets on a sheet pan and sprinkle with olive oil, salt & pepper. Mix with your hands to coat all the broccoli. Roast in the oven for 10-12 minutes, or until lightly browned, flipping once after 6 minutes or so. Allow to cool for a few minutes, then roughly chop.

Now for the eggs – basically just scramble the eggs as you would do normally. Once the eggs are cooked I like to roughly break up the eggs with the tip of my spatula right in the pan.

All that is left now is to assemble all the individual components. Into the large skillet with the mushrooms add the truffle oil and stir to combine. Add the buckwheat, broccoli and eggs, mixing well. Finally, add the parsley.

Buckwheat Breakfast Bowl

Author: Feasts And Fotos

Ingredients

1 cup buckwheat
2 cups water
1 box cremini mushrooms, cleaned and sliced thick
1 small head of broccoli, cut into medium-sized florets
3 whole eggs
3 egg whites
2-3 tbsp chopped parsley
1-2 tsp truffle oil
salt & pepper
olive oil

Method

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Pour 2 cups of water into a saucepan and bring to boil. Add ½ teaspoon of salt to the water and stir in buckwheat, reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook approximately 7-10 minutes.
In the meantime, heat up a few tablespoons of oil in a large skillet. Add the mushrooms and saute until softened, 5-6 minutes. While the mushrooms are cooking lay the broccoli florets on a sheet pan and sprinkle with olive oil, salt & pepper. Mix with your hands to coat all the broccoli. Roast in the oven for 10-12 minutes, or until lightly browned, flipping once after 6 minutes or so. Allow to cool for a few minutes, then roughly chop.
Now for the eggs - basically just scramble the eggs as you would do normally. Once the eggs are cooked I like to roughly break up the eggs with the tip of my spatula right in the pan.
All that is left now is to assemble all the individual components. Into the large skillet with the mushrooms add the truffle oil and stir to combine. Add the buckwheat, broccoli and eggs, mixing well. Finally, add the parsley.

Bulgar Salad With Broccoli

July 28, 2009 by Susan

This is one big bowl of healthy goodness.

Most people will recognize bulgar from tabbouleh, the middle eastern dish often eaten as an appetizer. As it turns out, bulgar is much more nutritious than rice and couscous because it contains more fiber, vitamins and minerals. Also, it has a better glycemic index than white rice or couscous. I wanted to branch out from my current quinoa frenzy and give bulgar a try…and I’m happy I did. It is very versatile, has a slightly chewy texture and a lovely nutty flavor.

I got the idea for this bulgar salad while flipping through some magazines in a bookstore. For the life of me I can’t remember which magazine it was. I liked the idea of the salad, however, I wanted to bulk it up a bit more so I thought to add steamed broccoli. Anytime I can add broccoli to something, I go for it. It’s common knowledge, for anyone that hasn’t been living under a rock, that broccoli is one of the most healthy, nutritious, anti-cancer foods available today. It is one of the richest vegetable sources of calcium, iron and magnesium and is loaded with vitamins A and C and K. The edamame, tomatoes and fresh herbs contribute to making this salad clean and wholesome.

This dish is quick to assemble, light and refreshing. And at the risk of repeating myself, super healthy. Every time I eat it I feel as if I’m taking a big scrub brush and cleaning my insides of anything harmful.

The salad is a terrific side dish for a piece of grilled chicken or fish. It keeps well in the fridge for a few days and is great served at room temperature, or slightly cool from the fridge. I like to drizzle some olive oil over the leftovers just before serving.

Here’s what you will need to serve 4 as a side dish….

Recipe

1 cup cooked bulgar (follow directions on bag)

2 cups cut up broccoli, steamed until tender but not too soft, cooled

1 pint grape tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise

1 cup frozen edamame, defrosted

1/2 cup scallions, chopped

2 tablespoons dill, chopped

1 cup parsley, chopped

1/4 cup mint, finely chopped

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/4 cup olive oil

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

salt & pepper to taste

Method

Cook bulgar (boil in water, 2 to 1 ratio, simmer for 15 minutes). Allow to cool. Fluff and separate with a fork.

Steam broccoli, allow to cool.

In a large bowl add the broccoli, tomatoes, scallions, edamame, dill, parsley, mint and bulgar. Stir to combine. In a separate bowl whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil , cayenne pepper and salt (pepper is optional). Pour over the bulgar salad and mix to incorporate. The salad should just glisten with the dressing, it should not be soaked.

It’s as easy as that!

Bulgar Salad With Broccoli

Author: Feasts And Fotos

Ingredients

1 cup cooked bulgar (follow directions on bag)
2 cups cut up broccoli, steamed until tender but not too soft, cooled
1 pint grape tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise
1 cup frozen edamame, defrosted
½ cup scallions, chopped
2 tablespoons dill, chopped
1 cup parsley, chopped
¼ cup mint, finely chopped
¼ cup lemon juice
¼ cup olive oil
⅛ tsp cayenne pepper
salt & pepper to taste

Method

Cook bulgar (boil in water, 2 to 1 ratio, simmer for 15 minutes). Allow to cool. Fluff and separate with a fork.
Steam broccoli, allow to cool.
In a large bowl add the broccoli, tomatoes, scallions, edamame, dill, parsley, mint and bulgar. Stir to combine. In a separate bowl whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil , cayenne pepper and salt (pepper is optional). Pour over the bulgar salad and mix to incorporate. The salad should just glisten with the dressing, it should not be soaked.

Bow Tie Pasta With Broccoli

April 14, 2009 by Susan

A few days ago we had some gorgeous, spring like weather here in NYC that really inspired me to make this dish, one that I usually prepare in the summertime. I was feeling nostalgic.

I love pasta and cannot imagine a life without it…which means I’m definitely not a contender for the carb-free diet. I do, however, try not to eat a ton of it. Everything in moderation, that’s my motto. Not only is pasta delicious, it’s also very versatile, quick and usually rather easy to make.

This recipe, adapted from Ina Garten, is so simple and quick to prepare. Literally, in the time it takes you to cook the pasta, the dish is complete. I also like this recipe because, although it tastes spectacular freshly made, it makes great leftovers, served warm or at room temperature, making this a great option for a picnic or for taking to the beach (which I’ve done several times) for a light lunch. Ina’s recipe calls for plain bow tie pasta, I use the tri color instead because I think it looks more fun and interesting. And life should be more fun and interesting.

Here’s what you will need to serve about 2-3 people…

Recipe

1 large head broccoli florets (or 2 medium), cut up into florets

1/2 – 3/4 pound farfalle (bow tie) pasta, tri color

1 tbsp butter

2 tbsp olive oil

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 lemon, zested

1 lemon, juiced

1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted

freshly grated parmesan cheese (a few teaspoons)

salt & pepper to taste

Method

Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil. Add the pasta and cook according to directions on the box, shorting the cooking time by 3 minutes. So, roughly 9 minutes into the cooking time, add the broccoli directly to the pot with the pasta. After 3 minutes remove all the pasta and broccoli with a large slotted spoon and add to the butter and garlic mixture in the skillet. Reserve all the pasta water.

As the pasta is cooking, toast the pine nuts in a dry saute pan for a few minutes, tossing occasionally.

While the pasta is cooking, in a large saute pan, heat the butter and oil over a medium low heat, add the garlic and lemon zest and saute for 1 minute. Turn off the heat and add the lemon juice, salt & pepper.

After you have added all the pasta and broccoli to the skillet turn the heat back on and mix together for 1 minute. Turn heat off and add the pignoli nuts and the grated parmesan. Toss to combine. If needed, add some of the pasta water to help loosen the sauce a bit more. I usually add approximately 1/2 cup of reserved pasta water.

Frittata

April 8, 2009 by Susan

A frittata is an open-faced Italian omelette traditionally filled with leftover meat and vegetables. Growing up in an Italian household, we ate alot of these. Frittatas are delicious served warm out of the oven, but also work well served at room temperature making it a good meal to serve any time of day. It could be a wonderful breakfast, a great lunch or even a light dinner perhaps served with a side salad. Extremely versatile.

There are infinite ingredient combinations for frittatas. You can throw in whatever you have leftover from previous meals. You can use various ingredients or use just one. You can make an all veggie version, keeping things on the healthy side or you can be a little sinful and add some meat like bacon or sausage.

This combination is one of my favorites and I make it repeatedly. I use broccoli, red potatoes and bacon. If I have leftover mushrooms on hand, I put those in as well.

After the frittata comes out of the oven I allow it to come to room temperature. I cut it into four large wedges and individually wrap them in saran wrap, storing in the fridge. They will last up to 3-4 days. Whenever I want to eat one I just pop it into the microwave for about one minute. Easy!

Here’s what you will need to make one 10 inch frittata…

Recipe

5 whole eggs

3 egg whites

2 tbsp ricotta cheese

2 tbsp milk

6 slices of low sodium bacon

2 cups steamed broccoli, chopped

1 cup sliced mushrooms (optional)

one medium red potato

2 tbsp parsley, chopped

1 tbsp parmesano reggiano

salt & pepper

Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cut potato in half lengthwise, put in a pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and cook until a knife inserted into the potato slides out easily, roughly 15 minutes. Remove from pot and allow to cool. Slice each potato half (widthwise) into thin half moon shapes. Steam broccoli until bright green and tender, about 10 minutes, chop.

In a large oven safe, non-stick skillet cook bacon slices until done, but not very crispy, turning occassionally. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate to drain and cool. Chop into 1 inch wide pieces. Wipe out skillet leaving just a slight residue of bacon fat on the pan. If you are using mushrooms add them to the pan now and saute until tender, 4-5 minutes. To the pan add the potato slices, chopped broccoli and bacon. Allow to cook together over a LOW flame, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes.

In a large bowl add the eggs, egg whites, ricotta, milk, parsley, cheese and salt & pepper. Whisk until combined and the ricotta is no longer in clumps. Over a LOW flame, pour the egg mixture on top of the broccoli mixture and stir slowly to combine all ingredients. You will slowly stir the mixture for about 1 minute slightly cooking the eggs. Once you notice the egg mixture is thickening stop stirring and flatten down the ingredients gently with the back of the spatula. Continue to cook over the low flame for about 5 minutes, or until you notice it firming up and the eggs are starting to pull away from the sides of the pan. The center of the frittata will still be liquidy.

Transfer the skillet to the oven and cook for about 15 minutes or until the center of the frittata is no longer liquidy. I then like to turn on the broiler and cook for about 1 minute, allowing the top to turn a light golden brown color. The frittata will puff up slightly. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. As it cools it will de-puff, don’t worry, that’s normal.

**If you don’t have an oven safe skillet (yours has a plastic handle) wrap the handle completely with aluminum foil before putting it into the oven.

Frittata

Author: Feasts And Fotos

Ingredients

5 whole eggs
3 egg whites
2 tbsp ricotta cheese
2 tbsp milk
6 slices of low sodium bacon
2 cups steamed broccoli, chopped
1 cup sliced mushrooms (optional)
one medium red potato
2 tbsp parsley, chopped
1 tbsp parmesano reggiano
salt & pepper

Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cut potato in half lengthwise, put in a pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and cook until a knife inserted into the potato slides out easily, roughly 15 minutes. Remove from pot and allow to cool. Slice each potato half (widthwise) into thin half moon shapes. Steam broccoli until bright green and tender, about 10 minutes, chop.
In a large oven safe, non-stick skillet cook bacon slices until done, but not very crispy, turning occassionally. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate to drain and cool. Chop into 1 inch wide pieces. Wipe out skillet leaving just a slight residue of bacon fat on the pan. If you are using mushrooms add them to the pan now and saute until tender, 4-5 minutes. To the pan add the potato slices, chopped broccoli and bacon. Allow to cook together over a LOW flame, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes.
In a large bowl add the eggs, egg whites, ricotta, milk, parsley, cheese and salt & pepper. Whisk until combined and the ricotta is no longer in clumps. Over a LOW flame, pour the egg mixture on top of the broccoli mixture and stir slowly to combine all ingredients. You will slowly stir the mixture for about 1 minute slightly cooking the eggs. Once you notice the egg mixture is thickening stop stirring and flatten down the ingredients gently with the back of the spatula. Continue to cook over the low flame for about 5 minutes, or until you notice it firming up and the eggs are starting to pull away from the sides of the pan. The center of the frittata will still be liquidy.
Transfer the skillet to the oven and cook for about 15 minutes or until the center of the frittata is no longer liquidy. I then like to turn on the broiler and cook for about 1 minute, allowing the top to turn a light golden brown color. The frittata will puff up slightly. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. As it cools it will de-puff, don't worry, that's normal.
**If you don't have an oven safe skillet (yours has a plastic handle) wrap the handle completely with aluminum foil before putting it into the oven.

Broccoli, Mushroom and Cheese Breakfast Strata

February 5, 2009 by Susan

I have to be honest, for a long time I wasn’t exactly sure what a ‘strata’ was. I’ve heard about it, read recipes for it, but just never delved in to find out what it was or actually try to make it, for that matter. What a mistake that was! Simply put, it’s a breakfast pie.

This vegetable strata was delicious. But the best part is….you make make the entire dish ahead of time, like the day before, then just pop it into the oven in the morning. How easy is that?! I must admit I was quite proud of myself as I pulled this baby out of the oven, it looks gorgeous! You will look like a superstar serving it.

It’s substantial and satisfying, hearty and savory. It’s somewhat healthy, filled with veggies. I decided to try a recipe from Ellie Krieger as my first foray into strata-land. I didn’t want to clog every artery I have and push my cholesterol level off the charts. I felt this version was a nice balance. This would also be delicious with an addition of bacon or sausage, I might try that version next.

Here’s what you will need to serve 4 people….

Recipe

2 teaspoons olive oil

1/2 large onion, diced (about 1 cup)

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms

Cooking spray

1/2 whole wheat baguette, crusts removed, cubed (about 2 cups)

4 eggs plus 4 additional egg whites

1 cup lowfat milk

1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 medium head of broccoli, steamed, cooled and chopped

3 tablespoons grated Parmesan

1/2 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese

7.5 oz jar sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil, drained, thinly sliced

1/2 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Method

Heat 1 teaspoon of the oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until translucent and beginning to brown, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and continue to cook for another 1 minute. Transfer the onion mixture to a medium bowl and allow to cool. Heat remaining teaspoon of oil in the skillet and saute the mushrooms until they release all of their water, about 6 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat and cool completely.

Spray an 8×8 baking dish with cooking spray. Arrange the bread cubes in a single layer in the bottom of the dish. In a large bowl, beat the eggs, egg whites, milk and mustard until incorporated. Add mushrooms, onion-garlic mixture, broccoli, Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses, sun-dried tomatoes, thyme, and salt and pepper and stir to incorporate. Pour mixture over bread, making sure liquid saturates bread. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight, or at least 8 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Remove the plastic wrap from strata and bake for 60 to 75 minutes, or until the top forms a light brown crust.

Original recipe can be found here…

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ellie-krieger/broccoli-mushroom-and-cheese-breakfast-strata-recipe/index.html