Paleo Diet and Living

So if any of you keep up on facebook, you saw my post about it getting cold here in Durango, CO. When all the leaves are gone, the daylight hours get short, and it gets cold, that can only mean one thing: it’s soup season! No other food can comfort you on a cold night like big steaming bowl of chili, soup, crockpot goodness, or my personal favorite, CURRY ! Curry comes in many forms and fashions-just go to a local Indian or Thai restaurant and you will see what I mean. Luckily, it doesn’t have to be complicated for you to make, and better yet, it is completely paleo! The recipe I’m about to share is what I would call a “Fall Curry”, mainly because I used a lot of fall vegetables from the farm that I’m living on to make it. I’ve never tried this ingredients in combo before, but I must say, it was the best curry I’ve ever made. Please use this recipe as a primer to go off and create your own curries, you’ll be surprised at how easy it is. Here is how to do it:

Gather ingredients

The two things you cannot do without are coconut milk and curry paste. Make sure you buy a coconut milk that is just coconut milk. A lot of them have preservatives and thickeners that are no bueno. If your local store doesn’t have pure coconut milk, buy the one with the least amount of extra crap in it. Paste-If you are a herb and spice wizard, it it best to create your own paste. I’m not, and you probably aren’t either, so go for something like Thai Kitchen red or green curry paste. It is a little high on salt and yeah maybe it uses peanut oil, but you’re not using that much of it for the awesome flavor it provides, so don’t sweat it (unless you get some really hot stuff, then you might be sweating). I don’t have too many options where I live for curry paste, but if you are in a big city, shop around and see what you can find.

Next most important in my list is some kind of protein. Wild caught shrimp is my favorite, although I have used chicken, pork, and beef with great success too.

Lastly, you’ll need some veggies. For this Fall Curry I used onion, green and yellow bellpepper, sweet potato, delicata squash (a winter squash), beets, carrots, and brocolli. All farm fresh (man it is sweet living on an organic farm!) You might also try pumpkin or other winter squash like butternut or acorn. For non Fall curry, you can go crazy and use any kind of vegetable your heart desires. You might also try adding nuts like cashews or walnuts. This is a popular option for vegetarians in lieu of meats. I can almost guarantee that as long as you are using high quality paleo ingredients, you can’t screw a curry up. Get creative, have fun, enjoy!

Cook It

pour the coconut milk in a large pot over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Chop all your veggies to bite size while this is happening. Add a couple of spoons of curry paste. This, you will have to experiment with, but two tablespoons is a good starting point.  Add all your veggies and protein and adjust the heat so that your curry is barely simmering. Let it simmer for about 30 min, stirring occasionally. Serve hot in a bowl. Bon apetit!

Note: Most Thai and Indian curries are served over rice or with Naan (flat bread). You don’t need either, just eat it like a soup.

Tip: The longer you let you curry simmer over lower heat, the more the flavors will infuse into each other. Also, the thicker the soup will become providing for a better texture, at least in my opinion.

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