No Chicken Needed For This Curry

  

Looking for a light, vegetable-based curry, that packs quite the flavor? Nicki Sizemore, who wrote the new cookbook Fresh Flavors for the Slow Cooker came by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about her recipe for this amazing dish, which is based on red curry paste, onion, garlic and ginger. Nicki says she also uses coconut milk and peanut butter to give it a creamier texture. She uses cauliflower, but Nicki says you can use most other vegetables create this curry, which is nutritious and delicious.

Ingredients

Aromatics

• 1 tablespoon virgin coconut oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon minced ginger
• 2 tablespoons red curry paste

Slow cooker

• 2 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce (preferably Red Boat brand)
• 1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
• 1 large head cauliflower (2 1/2 pounds), cut into 2-inch florets
• 1 pound red potatoes (about 3 medium potatoes), cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup canned coconut milk, well stirred
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 2 cups frozen cut green beans
• 1/3 cup roasted, unsalted peanuts
• 1 tablespoon sriracha
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For serving

• Cooked rice or quinoa
• Coarsely chopped peanuts
• Chopped cilantro
• Sriracha

A Curry For The Fall

 

Looking for a light, vegetable-based curry, that packs quite the flavor? Nicki Sizemore, who wrote the new cookbook Fresh Flavors for the Slow Cooker came by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about her recipe for this amazing dish, which is based on red curry paste, onion, garlic and ginger. Nicki says she also uses coconut milk and peanut butter to give it a creamier texture. She uses cauliflower, but Nicki says you can use most other vegetables create this curry, which is nutritious and delicious.

Ingredients

Aromatics

• 1 tablespoon virgin coconut oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon minced ginger
• 2 tablespoons red curry paste

Slow cooker

• 2 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce (preferably Red Boat brand)
• 1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
• 1 large head cauliflower (2 1/2 pounds), cut into 2-inch florets
• 1 pound red potatoes (about 3 medium potatoes), cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup canned coconut milk, well stirred
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 2 cups frozen cut green beans
• 1/3 cup roasted, unsalted peanuts
• 1 tablespoon sriracha
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For serving

• Cooked rice or quinoa
• Coarsely chopped peanuts
• Chopped cilantro
• Sriracha

Heal Your Gut, Save Your Brain

 

That's the name of a new cookbook from Dr. Partha Nandi. As the title of the book says, this is about fixing your body and making it healthier. But you need not give up delicious dishes to do so. Dr. Nandi told Tonia a lot of what you eat can either help prevent, or reverse, the effects of illness like Parkinson's or Alzheimer's. And this recipe for Coconut Curry Chicken is actually his favorite. He says it's flavorful, rich in nutrients, and simple to make! 

• 4 Chicken breasts, boneless skinless

Produce

• 1 cup Golden raisins

Canned Goods

• 1 1/2 cups Chicken broth, low sodium

Pasta & Grains

• 2 cups Jasmine rice, prepared

Baking & Spices

• 2 tbsp Curry powder

• 1 Salt

Nuts & Seeds

• 1 cup Peanuts or cashews, unsalted

• Combine above ingredients in a crockpot, turn on medium heat and cook for roughly 2 hours.
• When cooked, pour chicken over jasmine rice.  
• Add salt to taste.

Light, But Heavy on Flavor

 

Looking for a light, vegetable-based curry, that packs quite the flavor? Nicki Sizemore, who wrote the new cookbook Fresh Flavors for the Slow Cooker came by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about her recipe for this amazing dish, which is based on red curry paste, onion, garlic and ginger. Nicki says she also uses coconut milk and peanut butter to give it a creamier texture. She uses cauliflower, but Nicki says you can use most other vegetables create this curry, which is nutritious and delicious.

Ingredients

Aromatics

• 1 tablespoon virgin coconut oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon minced ginger
• 2 tablespoons red curry paste

Slow cooker

• 2 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce (preferably Red Boat brand)
• 1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
• 1 large head cauliflower (2 1/2 pounds), cut into 2-inch florets
• 1 pound red potatoes (about 3 medium potatoes), cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup canned coconut milk, well stirred
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 2 cups frozen cut green beans
• 1/3 cup roasted, unsalted peanuts
• 1 tablespoon sriracha
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For serving

• Cooked rice or quinoa
• Coarsely chopped peanuts
• Chopped cilantro
• Sriracha

Want Authentic Thai? Travel to New England...

...or follow the recipe from Yankee Magazine. Senior Food Editor Amy Traverso stopped by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about a recipe from someone who settled in New Hampshire, but is originally from Thailand. They own Chaing Tai Cafe and offer their customers a delicious Thai Pumpkin Red Curry. Some of the ingredients are a little on the exotic side, but offer, as Amy says, layers of flavor. Once you get everything in order, making this one pot dish is easy!

Yield:

6 to 8 servings

Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
2 cups coconut milk
½ medium peeled and seeded kabocha squash, sugar pumpkin, or butternut squash, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 1 pound)
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 kaffir lime leaves, torn
2 tablespoons fish sauce, plus more to taste
3 tablespoons brown sugar, plus more to taste
½ teaspoon kosher salt
Cooked jasmine rice, for serving
1 sliced serrano, jalapeno, or other chili pepper (optional)
½ cup chopped Thai basil or sweet Italian basil

Instructions

Warm the oil in a 4- or 5-quart Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the red curry paste, stir, and let it cook for a minute, then whisk in the coconut milk.

Add the squash, chicken, kaffir lime leaves, fish sauce, brown sugar, and salt and cook until the squash is tender and chicken is cooked through, 20 to 30 minutes.

Serve the curry over cooked rice and sprinkle with chili (if using) and basil. Serve hot.

Don't Waste Away in Margaritaville

   

"taste"away there with your dinner table! Chef Carlo Sernaglia came by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about his new cookbook, appropriately named Margaritaville to talk about how you can bring paradise to your kitchen. Chef Carlo told Tonia one featured dish is the Crab and Quinoa Cakes with Curry Kale Slaw. These crab cakes are just barely bound with quinoa and chickpeas, which allow us to forgo the usual brad crumbs and eggs. This mixture makes the crab cakes much healthier and more interesting. The vibrant Curry Kale Slaw, which perfectly complements the crab’s sweetness, also really sets these apart. You can serve these with extra dressing from the slaw or even a bit of Mustard Sauce. You can also serve them as sandwiches or even throw in a little bacon for an elevated crab cake BLT! Try it out, and don't waste away...eat away in Margaritaville.

¼ cup minced ren onion
¼ cup minced red bell pepper
¼ minced yellow bell pepper
1 cup cooked quinoa
1 ¼ cups canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon yellow curry powder
6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 pound fresh or pasteurized jumbo lump crabmeat
2 tablespoons neutral oil (canola or vegetable), for frying
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, for frying
2 cups Curry Kale Slaw, for serving
1 lemon cut into wedges, for serving

Place the onion, peppers, quinoa, chickpeas, cilantro, salt, pepper, curry powder, lemon juice, olive oil and mustard in a food processor and pulse until well combined, about six pulses Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and add the crab. Using clean hands, mix everything well just to combine (done overmix and break the crab apart too much). Divide the mixture into 8 equal portions and shape each on e into a small patty. Places the crab cakes on the prepared baking sheet and cove r with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours before cooking. Place 1 tablespoon of the neutral oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large nonstick skillet set over medium high heat. Once the fat is hot, add half the crab cakes in a single layer and cook until the bottoms are browned, about 2 minutes. Carefully flip the crab cakes and cook until well browned on the second side, about 2 minutes more. Transfer the crab cakes to a serving platter and repeat with the remaining oil, butter, and crab cakes. Serve the crab cakes warm, with the Curry Kale Slaw alongside and lemon wedges for squeezing over.