Monday, March 31, 2014

Avocado and Pineapple Salsa

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I love this salsa.  The creamy avocado, sweet pineapple, spicy kick from the jalapenos and the zing from the lime juice all make this one of my favorite salsas of all time. We first ate it with chips to try it out.  At dinner time I grilled some chicken and topped it with the salsa again.  Now that was an amazing light and refreshing meal.  I am sure it will work just as well with pork or fish.  This is only the beginning of salsa season here.... I will buying a lot of pineapple and avocado.




Ingredients:
1 large avocado
1 cup fresh ripe pineapple (no core) finely diced
Juice of one lime (more if needed)
1 small red onion finely minced
1-3 jalapenos finely minced (see note)
salt to taste

Note: Seed jalapeno if you desire less heat


 Directions:
Mince onion, chilies and prep avocado and  pineapple.  I minced the onion and chili in a food processor then pulsed in the pineapple next.  If you want more defined pieces of pineapple, cut by hand.  Then add avocado and mash with salt and lime juice.  Mix all ingredients together and adjust to taste.  Serve chilled with chips.  This salsa also makes a great topping for grilled chicken.  Tip: To keep avocado from browning, press clear plastic wrap on top of the salsa so no air can contact the salsa.  This kept in the fridge for 3 days with no browning.



Copyright: All recipes, content, and images (unless otherwise stated) are the sole property of Curry and Comfort. Please do not use without prior written consent. Unauthorized reproduction is strictly prohibited.

Sunday, March 30, 2014

Curry and Comfort's Weekly Sunday Summary 3/24/14 thru 3/30/14

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 Hi Everyone!

 Happy Sunday!  It' raining... it's pouring... it's a perfect day for a big pot of soup.  I just finished low-carb week here at the blog and it was so much fun that you will see more low-carb recipes in the future.  I loved how filling, yet light these low-carb meals felt.  It's always nice to eat a bit healthier and not feel like you are getting the short end of the stick.

This coming week will be the beginning of April and I hope officially the end of all bad winter related weather.    Can you believe we even had 3 inches of snow and below freezing temperatures this past week?  Yes... it's like winter does not want to say goodbye to us.  Well, I want to say hello to spring and some mild beautiful days.  I hope where ever you live, you are having a beautiful day.

Now here's this week in review...


Copyright: All recipes, content, and images (unless otherwise stated) are the sole property of Curry and Comfort. Please do not use without prior written consent. Unauthorized reproduction is strictly prohibited.

Friday, March 28, 2014

Spinach and Sausage Muffin Quiches (Low-Carb)

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Today is the last day of Low-Carb week here at Curry and Comfort.   I enjoyed it so much that I am definitely going to have more low-carb dishes here in the following weeks. Today I end with a real treat... Spinach and Sausage Muffin Quiches.  I served these high protein muffin size quiche with a big green salad and it was totally satisfying.  Even my husband ate this meal for lunch and said it filled him up.  This recipe will make about 24 muffin quiches so you can have an easy breakfast, lunch or dinner anytime of the day.  They are also perfect to entertain with for a brunch or lunch.



 Ingredients:
1lb of defrosted frozen chopped spinach
1lb hot Italian sausage 
1 large onion diced
1-2 jalapeno peppers diced (seeded for less heat)
9-10 large eggs
2 cups cottage cheese (low-fat)
2 cups Cheddar Cheese (or a cheese blend of cheddar/mozzarella)
3-4 cloves of garlic minced or grated
1 Tbs grated fresh ginger
red chili flakes to taste
1/2 tsp turmeric (optional)
1 tsp dried basil
salt and black pepper to taste

Directions:
Brown sausage well. If you have more than 1 Tbs of oil from sausage, drain excess.  Then add diced onion, jalapenos, ginger and garlic and saute for 2-3 minutes.  Next add red chili flakes, turmeric powder, dried basil, salt and black peeper.

Then add frozen spinach and mix well.  Taste for salt and seasoning.  Allow mixture to cool down before proceeding with eggs.



In a large bowl, whisk eggs with some black pepper.  If you sausage and spinach mixture is well salted, no additional salt in necessary.  Next add cottage cheese and black pepper.

Add 1 1/2 cups of shredded cheese to eggs and mix well.  Then add the cooled sausage and spinach mixture to eggs.

Spray two 12 count muffin pans with cooking spray or grease well.  Then fill 2/3 of the muffin well and top with cheese.  Bake in a 375 degree oven and bake for 30-35 minutes or until eggs are set. Eat hot, warm or at room temperature. Enjoy.




Copyright: All recipes, content, and images (unless otherwise stated) are the sole property of Curry and Comfort. Please do not use without prior written consent. Unauthorized reproduction is strictly prohibited.

Thursday, March 27, 2014

Thai Lettuce Wraps

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 I remember the first time I had a lettuce wrap at an Asian restaurant;  I was happily amazed.  All that delicious filling in a simple leaf of lettuce satisfied my taste-buds and my waistline.  I have made this Thai filling several times and it's a great starter or meal at my house.  Everyone loves it, even the picky eaters.  Of course my son protests to the peanuts since he thinks that nuts are only allowed on a sundae or in a dessert.  I was the same way when I was a child, so I can't be mad at him.  Now as an adult, my palate has opened up so much that I appreciate the crunch and flavor they bring to the bold Thai filling. These wraps are low-carb and so fun to eat with a group.  We all wanted to eat the last lettuce leaf.. now how often can you say that?




 Ingredients:
Lettuce (Bib or Baby Romaine Hearts)

1lb lean ground meat (Chicken, Beef, Turkey).  I used pork. 
1 medium onion chopped
2 Tbs of grated ginger
1 Tbs of grated garlic
1 small can of water chestnuts drained and diced
2 jalapenos (seeded) chopped
scallions chopped **white part only(reserve green part for garnish)
1 large handful of fresh Thai basil leaves coarsely chopped
1 small handful of fresh mint leaves coarsely chopped



The Sauce for filling:
1 Tbs of Chili Sambal Oelek (or red pepper flakes to taste)
1 tsp of Sesame Oil
2 Tbs of Fish Sauce
2 Tbs of Soy Sauce
2 Tbs of Rice Vinegar
2 Tbs of Chinese cooking wine or dry Sherry
1/2 tsp brown sugar

Note:  Soy Sauce and Fish Sauce are used as salt in Thai and Chinese cooking.  So if you are not a fan of salt adjust your dish accordingly.

Garnishes:
 greens of scallion chopped
 roasted peanuts (unsalted)

Directions:
Brown meat really well.  If there is more than 1 Tbs of oil, drain it out of the pan. Next add onion, garlic, ginger, white part of scallions and jalapeno to pan. Saute for 2-3 minutes.



Then add chopped water chestnuts ,  Thai basil and mint leaves with prepared sauce recipe above and cook for 4-5 minutes.
Make sure all sauce is absorbed by the meat.  You don't want a watery filling. Finally wash your favorite lettuce (Bib or baby romaine hearts) and chop the unsalted roasted nuts.  Serve with nuts and green scallions as a topping.  Enjoy.

 



Copyright: All recipes, content, and images (unless otherwise stated) are the sole property of Curry and Comfort. Please do not use without prior written consent. Unauthorized reproduction is strictly prohibited.

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Thai Cabbage and Chicken Soup

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 Have you ever heard of the Cabbage Soup diet?  I tried it once and I swore I would never eat cabbage soup again.  This is NOT that cabbage soup.  This is a delicious and bold Thai inspired cabbage and chicken soup.  The protein from the chicken helps satisfy your hunger.  The soup is low-carb and I can eat two bowls of it without feeling guilty.   There is good fat from the coconut milk, lots of healthy ingredients like ginger, garlic, turmeric and of course cabbage.  Since the cabbage and the other vegetables get cooked down, I added some fresh chopped onion and some jalapenos for extra crunch.  I also added more sambal oelek to the soup bowl.  Sambal oelek is one of my favorite condiment obsessions...if you haven't tried it yet.. you should! 


Ingredients:
2 cups shredded chicken (either poach chicken or use rotisserie chicken)
8-10 cups chicken stock (either store bought or homemade)
1 small white cabbage (3-4 cups chopped)
1 large green bell pepper chopped
1 medium onion chopped
3 stalks celery chopped
3-4 cloves garlic (about 1 heaping Tbs minced)
2 Tbs grated fresh ginger
1 (15) can diced tomatoes
1 (15) can coconut milk
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp rice wine vinegar
red chili flakes to taste
Salt and black pepper to taste
3-5 Tbs fish sauce ( to taste for salt)
1 Tbs sambal oelek (Asian Chili garlic Paste)
chicken bullion powder (optional) to enhance stock

Garnishes:
sliced jalapeno
finely diced red onion
Sambal Oelek

 Directions:
 Heat 2 Tbs canola oil in large soup pot.  Add chopped onion, celery and bell pepper with some salt and saute for 2-3 minutes.  Next add ginger and garlic and saute for another 2 minutes.

Then add chopped cabbage and saute for another 2 minutes. Next add black pepper, turmeric powder and red chili flakes.

 Then add chicken stock, shredded chicken, vinegar, fish sauce, diced tomatoes and sambal oelek (this is available in most grocery stores or in Asian markets).  Simmer soup for 15-20 minutes. Finally add coconut milk and simmer soup for another 3 minutes. Taste for seasoning.  If more salt is needed add fish sauce or serve at the table.  If the soup turns out too salt, dilute with a little water. Serve hot.   Garnish as suggested above.  Enjoy.




Copyright: All recipes, content, and images (unless otherwise stated) are the sole property of Curry and Comfort. Please do not use without prior written consent. Unauthorized reproduction is strictly prohibited.

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Lettuce Tacos (Low-Carb)

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It's day two of Low-Carb week here at Curry and Comfort.  Today I bring you Lettuce Tacos.  I came across these baby romaine hearts at Costco and they make the perfect "taco" shape.  I can literally eat an entire romaine heart in one sitting.  I like to double up on the lettuce so I can really fill the center.  Now any day can be low-carb taco night.  Ole'!

 

 Ingredients:
Romaine lettuce (preferably small romaine hearts or Boston lettuce)

Taco filling:
1lb Lean ground meat (beef, chicken, turkey)
salt and black pepper to taste
1/2 garlic powder
1-2 Tbs chili (for chili con carne) powder
1 tsp ground cumin
red chili flakes to taste
1 cup salsa
1 can drained and rinsed black beans
1 can drained and rinsed corn
1/4 cup water or chicken stock

Garnishes:
shredded cheese (Mexican blend or cheddar)
sour cream

 Directions:
Brown meat really well and season with some salt and black pepper.  Then add all spices: garlic powder, chili powder, cumin powder, red chili flakes and cook for a minute.  Finally add beans, corn, salsa and water and cook until water cooks out.  Taste for seasoning.  Serve with lettuce and garnishes. Enjoy.
 



Copyright: All recipes, content, and images (unless otherwise stated) are the sole property of Curry and Comfort. Please do not use without prior written consent. Unauthorized reproduction is strictly prohibited.

Monday, March 24, 2014

Savory Cauliflower and Broccoli Pancakes (Low Carb)

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Spring is here (even though we are still registering winter temperatures this week).  I wanted to share some low-carb dishes to enjoy so we can get ready for when we shed all the coats, heavy sweaters and wear some lighter clothing.  This dish is actually a round two recipe from a dish I made during St. Patrick's week.  I made my low-carb cauliflower broccoli mash and I decided to turn them into some savory pancakes.  I actually ate these with some chicken curry like I would do a roti.  They were low-carb and filled me up wonderfully, but light enough not to weigh me down.  This will definitely me a fun recipe to revisit again.



Ingredients:
2 cups leftover cauliflower broccoli mash (see recipe here)
1/2 cup chickpea (gram) flour (available in Indian Grocery Stores)
3 large eggs
1 medium onion (chopped in food processor or finely diced)
1-2 jalapeno peppers (chopped in food processor or finely diced)
1 bunch green scallions  (chopped in food processor or finely diced)
red chili flakes to taste
1-2 tsp cumin seed
1 tsp grated fresh garlic
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
salt to taste

Directions:
Chop white onions, green onion and jalapeno peppers to a small dice (I used a food processor to do this).  Then add to eggs, red chili flakes, salt, garlic, ginger, cumin seeds and mix well.

Mix in chickpea (gram) flour (sift flour if necessary to avoid lumps) with the broccoli cauliflower mash.   Grease a nonstick frying pan or skillet with a little canola oil and ladle small pancakes on medium high heat.

Cook for a few minutes and flip over and cook other side until pancake is cooked though.  Serve with butter or curry.  Enjoy.

 
Copyright: All recipes, content, and images (unless otherwise stated) are the sole property of Curry and Comfort. Please do not use without prior written consent. Unauthorized reproduction is strictly prohibited.