A Curry For One

Photo by my 13 year old daughter

A busy day at our house today: weekly grocery shopping, Christmas card pictures (no small feat with a rambunctious toddler and moody 13 year old), rock climbing for the oldest girl, and busy boy-cousin birthday at local pizza parlor. Of course, nothing on the menu is on my "can enjoy" list, so I am now home-tired and hungry. What to eat...no easy leftovers that fit into my rotation day...I definitely want something tasty after smelling yummy pizza all evening...hmmm. Luckily, I have all the ingredients for a quick "can enjoy" sort-of curry soup. Yay!

Keep in mind, with no garlic, soy, coriander, or lime allowed-this does not measure up to my favorite Thai Curry Soup. I will have to post that original recipe for you, because it is a definite top ten fave! Until that one is back in my repertoire, this one will do.

Mix the following seasonings together:
pinch of ground fennel
1/2 tsp finely chopped dried lemongrass (a spice mill or coffee grinder works well for this job)
1/4 tsp paprika dash cayenne 1/4 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp ghee or favorite oil
1 tsp ginger, minced or grated
3 scallions, sliced (white and green parts)
1 cup broth (vegetable, chicken or fish)
3/4 cup coconut milk
1/2 small zucchini, sliced in rounds and quartered
1/2 cup shrimp
1/2 cup scallops
1-2 tsp lemon juice, to taste (a light vinegar will do if citrus is not tolerated)

• Heat ghee in a medium sauce pan and add white parts of scallions
• Stir in seasoning mixture and ginger
• Add coconut milk and broth
• Once heated, add seafood and zucchini and cook for 5 minutes (until shrimp are opaque)
• Remove from heat, add lemon juice to taste, sprinkle with green scallions and enjoy! 

Variation: Use chicken in place of or in combination with seafood. Replace meat with extra vegetables (yellow and green squash, slivered snow peas, slivered bok choy). If you can eat it, sprinkle soup with cilantro and a squeeze of lime. San J Wheat-Free Tamari sauce is also a tasty addition if not allergic.

Macadamia and Coconut Crusted Sweet Potato Casserole

Only served at Thanksgiving in my childhood home, sweet potatoes were never a fave of mine-not even smothered with brown sugar and marshmallows. But since pumpkin is currently on my “can’t enjoy” list, I have a new-found delight in the beautifully orange tuber. I love them in pies, as French fries, in muffins, cheesecakes, and in this delicious casserole I made yesterday. This is a perfect pairing for Thanksgiving turkey, plump smoked ham baked with pineapple, or a juicy pork roast stuffed with cranberries and figs. Or you can eat it all by itself, as I did yesterday for lunch!

Filling: 
2 large, cooked sweet potatoes or yams (2 ½-3 cups roughly mashed-leave some nice chunks)
1 cup coconut milk (light or regular)
2 tbls date sugar (or 3-4 chopped fresh dates or brown sugar)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp dried ginger or ½ tsp fresh grated ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp lemon juice

• I peeled and thickly sliced the potatoes into rounds, placed in a shallow baking dish and baked at 350 until fork tender
• Roughly mash potato slices, leaving chunks
• In a smaller bowl, mix coconut milk with remaining filling ingredients
• Stir into mashed potato mix
• Spread into the bottom of a smaller casserole dish (mine was an 11x7) 

Topping: 
1/3 cup raw Macadamia nuts, chopped somewhat finely (pecans would be tasty too)
1/4 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut
1/3 cup date sugar (or brown sugar)
1/4 cup coconut flour (or other flour tolerated)
3 tbls Spectrum Organic Shortening, melted (or butter)

• I find it easiest to process the hazelnuts in my mini food processor
• Add all the other ingredients in and pulse until blended
• Sprinkle the topping mix evenly on top of sweet potato mixture
• Bake uncovered until golden brown, about 15 minutes

These are the gound hazelnuts

Variation: Try replacing coconut milk with pineapple juice for a more tropical flavor, omit lemon juice