Paleo Vegetable Beef Curry

Paleo Vegetable Beef Curry
Adapted from Quick & Easy Paleo Comfort Foods

1 tbsp coconut oil
1 pound steak, diced
1 cup onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 tbsp green curry paste
2 cups broccoli florets, fresh/raw
¼ cup basil, diced
1 cup beef broth
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1 tbsp fish sauce
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
3 cups cauliflower rice (cauliflower shredded through processor)
¼ cup water

Heat oil over medium heat in a large pan. When oil begins to smoke, add meat and brown on all sides, 3 minutes. Add onions, peppers and curry paste; saute for 3 minutes. Add broccoli and basil; saute for 2 minutes. Add broth, milk, fish sauce, and red pepper flakes; bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes covered; stir; cook 10 more minutes uncovered. When curry is almost done, add cauliflower rice and water in a large microwave safe bowl. Cover with a paper towel and microwave on high for 2 minutes to steam. Plate rice and serve curry over top. Add red pepper flakes and salt to taste.

Review: We really enjoyed the flavors, but had to add a lot of red pepper flakes to give it some kick, so I added this to the recipe. Also, it was more soupy than we like, so I reduced the beef broth a bit and think that will make it even better next time. It was more like a soup than a curry to me and very thin, so know that going in! All in all, we did really enjoy this and I loved how packed it was with  yummy veggies.

Paleo Chicken and Broccoli Casserole

Paleo Chicken and Broccoli Casserole
Recipe adapted from Quick & Easy Paleo Comfort Foods

2 tbsp olive oil
1 pound chicken breasts, skinless boneless diced
1 pound chicken thighs, skinless boneless diced
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 tbsp minced garlic, jarred
6 cups broccoli florets, fresh
5 cups cauliflower florets, fresh
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1 cup organic chicken broth
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tsp paprika

Preheat oven to 425. Heat oil in a large skillet. Brown and cook chicken for 5 minutes until no longer pink. drain and add to a rectangular baking dish. In same skillet, add onions and garlic; cook 5 minutes. Add broccoli and 1/2 inch water. Cook broccoli 5 minutes until tender. Meanwhile, in a large pan, add cauliflower, coconut milk and broth. Bring to boil, then reduce to medium and cover for 10 minutes until fork tender. Add drained broccoli mixture to dish with chicken. Transfer cauliflower mixture in batches to food processor; add spices to processor and pulse until no lumps remain. Pour over chicken and broccoli in batches. Top with paprika and bake for 10 minutes or until slightly browned and bubbling.

Review: So creamy and fabulous! Tasted like a Thanksgiving creamy "bad" casserole. The curry spices definitely made the cauliflower taste especially like mashed potatoes. Next time I'm going to consider adding mushrooms - I believe the author of the recipe suggested spinach, too, but I don't love spinach so I probably won't try this. I haven't freezed it, but this is the recommendation for freezing: do not bake; instead, layer plastic over top then foil. Place in refrigerator to cool then move to freezer. When ready, thaw in refrigerator for 2 days, then bake at 425 for 20-30 minutes until heated through.

Paleo Cauliflower Mashed “Potatoes”

Cauliflower Mashed “Potatoes”
Adapted from Quick & Easy Paleo Comfort Foods

without curry powder , which makes it yellow!

5 cups cauliflower florets
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1 cup organic chicken broth
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp curry powder* (remove for a different non curried flavor)
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper to taste

In a large pan, add cauliflower, coconut milk and broth. Bring to boil, then reduce to medium and cover for 10 minutes until fork tender. Transfer cauliflower mixture in batches to food processor; add spices to processor and pulse until no lumps remain.

Review: I just love this. I make a batch almost every week and serve it alongside drumsticks, steak, etc. It's a great addition and really makes me feel like I'm having potatoes! I often double it to make sure I always have it on hand. Sometimes I'll do a version of 'regular/garlic' and then the one with 'curry' - they taste very different!

Paleo Coconut Curry Chicken

Paleo Coconut Curry Chicken
Recipe adapted from Cosmopolitan Girl
Makes 4 Servings

1 ½ pounds chicken thighs(still in tact), skin on
1 cauliflower (to make the rice)
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 cup onion, finely shopped
5 tsp minced garlic
1 red chili pepper – seeds removed, chopped
1 can light coconut milk
2 tbsp curry powder

In a large skillet, heat coconut oil to a med-high heat. Put chicken pieces into the skillet and cook until each side golden-browned (about 3 min per side). Remove chicken and set aside.Add onion, garlic and chili – saute for about 3 min or until soft. Add the coconut milk and curry powder – mix together thoroughly. Add back chicken and simmer at medium heat covered for about 15-20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. (The coconut milk the chicken is simmering in should cover about 1/2 of the chicken; if it doesn’t add chicken stock.) For the cauliflower rice, use your food processor to chop the cauliflower to a rice consistency. Cook, covered, in microwave for 3-5 minutes (no need to add water).

Nutritional Information: 379 calories, 18 fat grams, 18 carbs and 40 protein grams.

Review: We love this one! Next time, I will probably use full-fat coconut milk, but other than that it was great and super creamy. The minced garlic added a lot, as did the chili pepper. If you can't find the chili pepper, use red pepper flakes and/or hot sauce for some kick. Great paleo recipe!

Paleo Slowcooker Curry Beef Soup

Paleo Slowcooker Curry Beef Soup
Makes 6 Servings
Recipe found on Everyday Paleo

1 tbsp of Thai red curry paste
2 cans coconut milk (not light!)
1 cup chicken broth
2 pounds cubed stew meat
1 cup baby carrots
½ bag shredded cabbage
16 oz. sweet potatoes, sliced or diced
Optional: red pepper flakes to taste

Mix all ingredients in a crock pot and cook on low 8 hours or until sweet potatoes and carrots are soft and stew meat falls apart.

Nutritional Information: 521 calories, 22 carbs, 33 fat grams and 29 protein grams.

Review: Thee difference between full vs. light coconut milk  is amazing - this was SO tasty and brothy - lots of good fat, and lots of protein, too, from the meat. And of course, the sweet potatoes helped beef it up, too. If you're worried about calories being too high, sub in 1 can of light coconut milk. I'm realizing with Paleo that calories just don't matter - it's low-carb, higher-fat and higher-protein which is so hard to get used to. However, recipes like this remind me why - it's so much more satisfying and filling to eat this way, and this is a great recipe that supports this Paleo-style eating!

Slowcooker Chicken, Chickpea & Potato Curry

Slowcooker Chicken, Chickpea & Potato Curry
Adapted from allrecipes.com
Makes 6 Servings

22 oz. chicken (frozen or raw)
1 tbsp canola oil
2 cups carrots, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 onion, sliced
1 tbsp minced garlic
2 tbsp curry powder
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 can diced tomatoes (not drained)
4-5 red potatoes, quartered (24 oz.)
2 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 cups vegetable stock
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup light coconut milk

Spray slowcooker with cooking spray. Add chicken. Heat oil in a pan over medium. Add garlic. Stir constantly for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add carrots and onion; sauté 3-4 minutes. Add spices and tomatoes to the pan. Continue to cook for an additional 2 minutes or until the spices become fragrant. Remove from heat and pour into slow cooker. Add potatoes, chickepeas, vegetable stock and a bay leaf. Set slow cooker on high for 3 hours. Add milk and continue to cook for 15 minutes. Remove bay leaf before serving.

Nutritional Information: 409 calories, 51 carbs, 7 fat grams and 33 protein grams.

Review: So hearty! This is a great, filling recipe that reheats very well. I loved the use of potatoes - I don't use them enough! And the shredded chicken tasted wonderful. For more spice, simply add red pepper flakes - it had enough for me as is, but Austin added a bit to his!  For the carrots, I used pre-cut match sticks - less work! Everything else was pretty much ready to go - just add to the slowcooker and walk away. I also liked that it made 6 servings - and the nutritionals were right in line with my goals for meals.

Slow Cooker Coconut Chicken Curry

Slow Cooker Coconut Chicken Curry
Makes 4 Servings
Adapted from Salt & Paprika

½ cup onion
1 small green bell pepper, seeded & quartered
½ tbsp minced garlic
1 small can tomato paste
1 can light coconut milk
1 ½ tsp salt
1 tbsp curry powder
1 tbsp Garam Masala
1 pounds chicken breasts, cut into big chunks
Salt & pepper
1 tbsp water
3/4 tbsp cornstarch
4 servings jasmine rice, cooked per package instructions

Place onion and bell pepper into a food processor. Process until finely chopped. Add in garlic cloves, tomato paste, coconut milk, salt, curry powder and garam masala, then process until smooth. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Combine with sauce and cook in a crockpot on low for 4 hours. After 4 hours, stir water and cornstarch together then add into the crockpot. Keep the lid cracked and cook on high for 10-15 minutes. Serve over a bed of rice.

Nutritional Information: 419 calories, 49 carbs, 9 fat grams and 31 protein grams.

Review: Okay, this is officially the best curry I've ever made. And probably one of the easiest too. Austin is a fan of thick curry, but that's still has a lot of sauce. A lot of curries are thick, but not saucy, or are saucy but thin. This one is PERFECT. And it has so much flavor - the garam masala with the curry powder adds a lot, and it's not too spicy (although you could make it spicier by slow cooking it with some dried red chiles.) It also had a nice creamy consistency; it tasted like it was cooked with whipping cream even though it wasn't. Next time I plan to double the recipe and freeze half of it - I have no doubt it will reheat fabulousness. If you want to try an Inidian recipe or a slow cooker one I strongly suggest this one - and yes, it's too bad it's not prettier in photos! :( **Edited to add: we froze half in a plastic container and a week later, just made rice and defrosted it - awesome!

Coconut Curry Soup

Coconut Curry Soup
Recipe adapted by Mel’s Kitchen Café
Makes 4 Servings

1 tbsp olive oil
1 pound chicken breasts, diced
Salt and pepper for seasoning
1/2 cup yellow onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, finely diced
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 14-oz. can light coconut milk
1 tbsp fish sauce
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper or more to taste
1 tsp light brown sugar
½ tbsp curry powder
1 tbsp lime juice
¼ cup fresh cilantro
1 cup basmati rice (dry), cooked

In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add chicken and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Let chicken cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add onions and red pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes until onions and peppers are slightly softened. (The chicken and vegetables don’t have to be fully cooked as they will simmer and cook further in the next step.) Add chicken broth, coconut milk, fish sauce, cayenne pepper, brown sugar and curry powder. Stir to combine. Bring soup to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Stir in the lime juice and cilantro. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve a ladle or two of the soup over a scoop of rice and garnish with more cilantro, if desired.

Nutritional Information: 417 calories, 43 carbs, 12 fat grams and 31 protein grams.

Review: This one was a major win for us! I loved the flavor, loved the basmati rice and am a huge fan of anything with coconut milk and curry powder - yum! The cilantro was great too and I liked how much color this dish had with the red pepper. It was a nice consistency - almost like a soupier curry with a pretty this sauce, but the rice helped thicken it up. We will definitely make this again - no changes!

a spoonful from the bottom - yummy basmati rice!

Red Curry Chicken

Red Curry Chicken

Makes 4 Servings

160g tomato chopped
100g bell pepper chopped
16 oz. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup Trader Joe’s curry simmer sauce
1/2 cup Trader Joe’s light coconut milk

Defrost Chicken in microwave. While it’s defrosting, spray a medium-hot pan with fat-free PAM. Add the tomato and bell pepper to the pan and saute. Add a few spoonfuls of water to the pan. Add in the curry simmer sauce and coconut milk. Turn the heat to medium-low, add as much salt and crushed red pepper as you prefer (I used a lot!) and simmer. Chop up chicken; put 1.5 cups rice in microwave and start cooking. Drop in chicken and simmer until rice is done (7 minutes). The sauce should be concentrate. Pour the chicken and sauce over a plate of rice. Enjoy!

Nutritional Information: 418 calories, 62 carbs and 4 fat grams – not bad for Thai curry and white rice – yay!

Review: Great, easy recipe for yummy Thai food. It's more on the soupy side and the veggies help add flavor, crunch and color. I also like being able to adjust my spiciness level with red pepper flakes!

Garlic Chicken in Coconut Milk, Tomatoes and Cilantro

Adapted from Gina's Weight Watchers Kitchen

Garlic Chicken in Coconut Milk, Tomatoes and Cilantro
Makes 4 Servings

1 pound chicken, defrosted
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 red bell pepper, finely diced
4 scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts separated
1/2 cup cilantro, diced
3 tsp minced garlic, jarred
sea salt
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (to taste)
14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
14 oz can light coconut milk
2 tsp lime juice

In a medium pot, heat oil on low. Add red peppers and sauté until soft (about 3 minutes). Add scallion whites, 1/4 cup cilantro, red pepper flakes and garlic. Cook 1 minute. Add tomatoes, coconut milk and salt to taste, cover and simmer on low about 10 minutes to let the flavors blend together and to thicken the sauce. Add chicken, put lid back on, and cook 10 minutes. Shred chicken into medium-size chunks. Add lime juice. To serve, divide equally among 4 bowls and top with scallions and cilantro. Serve over rice. (I used basmati rice – 1 1/3 cup rice; 2 2/3 cups water).

Nutritional Information: 432 calories, 8 fat grams, 56 carbs and 31 protein grams.

Review: It was REALLY good you guys! Very soupy and “restaurant-like” per Austin! It tasted like a panang curry sauce, we added extra red pepper flakes and a little salt before eating! Definitely a keeper, although I feel like it could have done without the green onion? (just to simplify it?) and I felt like I could easily add more chicken and make this SIX servings as it was pretty soupy. Austin LOVES his soupy - i'm on the fence - but that's definitely an idea to make it less caloric.

Cashew Chicken Curry

Adapted from Kitchen Parade

Cashew Chicken Curry

Makes 2 Servings

1 small onion, diced
1/2 tbsp minced garlic
1/2 tbsp ground ginger
1 tbsp curry powder
½ teaspoon cumin
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
½ pound chicken breasts
10 ounces canned diced tomato
4 ounces sliced mushrooms
1/2 tbsp dried cilantro
1/2 cup nonfat yogurt
1/4 cup light coconut milk

1 1/2 cups white rice

Heat a pan on medium high. Add onion, garlic and ginger and cook until soft. Stir in the curry powder, cumin, cayenne pepper and kosher salt. Add chicken and cook it through. Add tomato, mushroom and cilantro. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium and cook for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in yogurt and coconut milk and heat through for 5 minutes (do not boil). Serve over white rice. It makes 2 servings, and then I put it over two servings of ¾ cup white rice.

Nutritional Information (including rice): 492 calories, 4 fat grams and 75 carbs.

Review: This is a great curry - super hearty and filling. It's very thick, like a chili. You could easily take down the counts by dividing it over 6 servings or using less rice. This one's a keeper. Only downside is the simmer time - have another recipe to make on the side!