Time on my hands and food on my mind

Due to COVID-19 spreading like wildfire, I have been temporarily laid off. And since I'm not one who does well sitting around and doing nothing, I have been keeping myself busy with cooking and crafting projects. I was going through old posts and found this recipe that was still just a draft. It's such a great recipe and it would be a shame not to share it. I'm the only one in my house who will eat Thai food, so I'll wait until Sunday night and make it after dropping off the boys with their dad.

Shelly's Thai Red Chicken Curry

1 Tbsp coconut oil
2 Tbsp garlic
1 1/2 tsp fresh ginger, grated
3 Tbsp red curry paste (I like it spicy!)
1/2 small onion, chopped small
1 large red bell pepper, large dice
1 can bamboo shoots, sliced
1/2 lb carrots, peeled and sliced thin
1/2 head cauliflower, chopped small, about 1/2" pieces
1/2 bag bean sprouts
2 cans coconut milk
1/4 c chicken broth
1 1/2 lbs chicken breast, sliced thin
1/2 tsp lime juice or 3-4 lime leaves, minced
1/2 c Thai basil OR 1/2 c basil and 1/2 c mint
1/4 c cilantro
Chile-garlic sauce to taste (I only added this because I ran out of curry paste.)

In a large pot, heat coconut oil over medium heat for 2 min. Add garlic and ginger, saute 1-2 min or until fragrant. Add curry paste and stir to combine. Add veggies and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes. Shake up cans of coconut milk before opening and pour into pot along with chicken broth. Bring to boil and stir in chicken. Reduce heat and simmer until chicken is cooked through, 3-4 min. Stir in lime juice or leaves and herbs. Add chile-garlic sauce, salt and pepper to taste.

I like switching up the veggies, basically just cleaning out my veggie drawer and throwing everything in the pot. This is great over cauliflower rice if you're watching your carb intake, but otherwise I serve it over jasmine rice.

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

I had been wanting some chocolate zucchini bread for a while. I tried to make Mom's recipe low carb, but it was having non of it. Turned out totally gross. I foudn this recipe on Healthy Indulgences. It is lower carb, because I used buckwheat flour. But it's very tasty. I used a little more zucchini than it calls for, because my first attempt just tasted like chocolate bread.

6 tablespoons melted butter

3 large eggs

2 large egg whites

3/4 cup erythritol or xylitol

3/4 teaspoon stevia extract

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2-1 ounce squares unsweetened chocolate

2 cups nut meal (I used almond flour)

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons gluten-free flour (buckwheat, millet, etc.)

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tablespoon flaxseed meal

1 teaspoon sea salt (I used kosher, because that's what I had)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 cups grated zucchini or grated and peeled and grated apple

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 8x5 loaf pan well. Cut parchment paper to fit in pan. (I left it longer on the sides to use as a kind of sling.) Grate zucchini or apple and press between a dishcloth or paper towels to get out moisture. Whisk melted butter, eggs, whites, vanilla, stevia, and erythritol or xylitol. Beat until sweetener is dissolved. Melt chocolate in 30 second intervals in microwave. Scrape into batter and beat well. Sift together dry ingredients. Add zucchini. Beat well for 2 - 3 minutes. Scrape into pan. Bake for 1 hour, until top springs back when touched. Cool for 10 minutes in the pan. Remove from pan and cool on wire rack for 1 hour. It freezes well.

I couldn't wait an hour for it to cool completely. I wanted a warm piece of chocolate zucchini bread with some butter. It did turn out great. I don't think I use the same size loaf pan this girl does, so mine didn't get very tall. I would recommend beating the whites and folding them into the batter, if you want more lift.

Happy eating!