March 9, 2020 DinnerLeave a Comment

Vegan Thai Yellow Coconut Curry

Vibrant yellow Thai vegetable curry is food for the soul. Aromatic herbs and coconut milk make this dish healthy and nourishing. 

Unlike most curry recipes, this dish is sugar free and checks all the boxes for a clean eating. Enjoy this dish paired with jasmine or brown basmati rice, fresh cilantro, and added greens like chard for additional nourishment. 

MAKING YELLOW CURRY HEALTHY

When I make curry dishes, I never add sugar. In traditional Thai cooking, you often enjoy a sweet sauce. This is from added sugar. As a health supportive chef, I work creatively to prepare my clients food without any added sugars. 

For this dish, I am using the Hana sweet potato to naturally provide the sweetness you may be familiar to. This sweet potato has a white, yellow skin and flesh and you’ll find it in any market that sells a variety of sweet potatoes.

The potato cooks quickly, blends well with the sauce and naturally adds the sugar your pallet is looking for. 

MAKING THIS FOR MEAL PREP

I developed this dish for my Vegetarian clients. I prepare their custom meal prep every week and I know their preferred foods. They like extra vegetables, heavy on leafy greens, light on starches. 

Each week I prepare 5 meal prep entrees with sides. We build the menu as follows.  

1. One Soup or curry dish with fresh garnishes
2. Two beautiful hearty salads that can be enjoyed for lunch or dinner
3. Two savory seasonal dishes that can be warmed for lunch or dinner

With that in mind, this dish stores well for meal prep. Feel free to make your rice in advance, along with washing and storing your cilantro and sliced red bell pepper for garnish. 

This dish freezes and reheats well. 

HOW TO STORE CILANTRO

As a chef and culinary school graduate, I’ve seen, heard and tried many ways to store fresh herbs. I regularly store my cilantro the Martha Stewart way. 

• For storing, you’ll simply want to wrap your cilantro tightly in a paper towel. I use 3-4 sheets stuck together. 
• Roll the cilantro tightly, and place in an airtight back. You can use a Ziplock bag or the produce bag from the market. Looking to decrease your plastic use? Try a linen bag.
• Either way, wrap tightly in the bag and remove any excess air. Store in the fridge for up to 1 week. 

BENEFITS OF CILANTRO 

For the record, I am a huge cilantro fan. I over garnish my plate with this herb as it is a natural detoxifier. My body and my palate just love it. 

It is great of helping your body flush heavy metals. We collect and store heavy metals that get into our system from the air we breathe, the pans we cook our food in, and the water we bath in. 

It’s impossible to avoid heavy metals, so its great to be mindful of the foods we can eat to help our bodies naturally detox and stay balance. 

DIETARY RESTRICTIONS

This dish is Vegan, Vegetarian, Gluten Free and Paleo. If you would like to make it Lectin Free simply remove the zucchini or peel it.

CHEF TIP

You can add all sorts of vegetables to suit your preferences. If you are avoiding nightshades, remove the zucchini.

Either way, feel free to add any of these vegetables to make this dish your own. 

• Baby bok choy or traditional bok choy, chopped into 1-inch pieces
• Leafy greens such as spinach or kale, chopped into 1-inch pieces
• Traditional potato or orange sweet potato (yam), peeled and medium diced
• Green beans
• Firm tofu, cubed 
• Red, yellow, green or orange bell pepper, sliced into 1-inch cubes
• Cauliflower florets

IF YOU LIKE THIS RECIPE, TRY THE FOLLOWING

• Curried Cauliflower Couscous Salad
• Coconut Kale Bowl with Anti-Inflammatory Turmeric Rice
• Sunshine Infused Coconut Ginger Chickpea Curry
• Bright & Healthy Lemon Coriander Soup
• Roasted Curry Cauliflower Salad

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