Vermont Acupuncture

Category: Main courses

  • Coconut Curry with Chicken Tofu and Vegetables

    Through the years many people have asked me for this recipe. I like to spruce up the basic curry with lots of veggies to make it super delicious, but keeping it simple works well. Curry is very flexible, so see what’s in your fridge and use any protein and veggies that you have available. If you have a can of coconut milk, curry paste, chicken or tofu and a few vegetables you’ve got enough to make a curry.

    Foundational Ingredients:

    • 1 can full fat unsweetened coconut milk
    • 2-3 Tablespoon curry paste (red or panang)
    • 1 onion, chopped
    • Chicken and/or tofu – about a pound – chopped into 1 inch cubes
    • 1 teaspoon salt

    Optional ingredients:

    • 1 red pepper, chopped
    • 1 carrot, sliced thinly on the diagonal
    • 1-2 cups mushrooms – white, shiitake or any variety, sliced or quartered
    • 2 cloves garlic, minced
    • 1-2 Tablespoon lemongrass, minced
    • 1 kaffir lime leaf, julienned
    • 1 Tablespoon curry powder
    • 1 Tablespoon coconut or palm sugar
    • 1-2 cups green beans or broccoli, pre-steamed
    • 1-2 cups kale, cabbage or spinach, chopped
    • 1 teaspoon fish sauce
    • 1-2 cups of broth

    Optional Garnishes:

    • Lime
    • Thai basil
    • Cilantro
    • Toasted peanuts or other nuts, chopped
    1. Start steaming any veggies that need it and get some rice going.
    2. Heat 2 Tablespoon of the thick cream from the top of the canned coconut milk and/or 2 Tablespoon coconut oil and curry paste.
    3. Sauté onions in coconut cream until translucent, then add pepper, carrots, mushrooms, garlic, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaf. Mix and let cook a few minutes then add half a can of coconut milk.
    4. Spread chicken and/or tofu evenly over the top of the veg mix, sprinkle with curry powder if desired, sugar, and salt right on the chicken. Let cook for 5 or more minutes, then turn over.
    5. Add the rest the of coconut milk, the rest of the vegetables, fish sauce if using and/or salt to taste. Add water or broth if you want to make it soupier. Cook until the chicken is no longer pink and vegetables are cooked.
    6. Serve over rice or have as a soup. Garnish with lime, fresh herbs or nuts.

  • Okra and Onions sauteed with Spices and Tomato

    Masala Bhindi

    I cannot think of anything I would rather do with okra than make this. If I get eggplant from my CSA, look out! Kelly is making Indian food all weekend. I posted this receipt over 10 years ago and it’s still true.

    Get the spices measured out and ready, then

    Heat:

    2 T ghee or coconut oil

    Saute:

    1 large onion, finely chopped

    1 pound okra, trimmed & sliced length-wise on a slight diagonal

    After 5-8 minutes, add:

    2 T garlic, minced (more…)

  • Japanese Beef and White Sweet Potato Stew

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    Simple and delicious. The base is bone broth, tamari, ginger with sweet Japanese cooking wine – slow cooked stew beef with Japanese white sweet potatoes. Yum. A hit with the kids.

    Ingredients

    2 pounds local stew beef (boneless chuck 1 – 1 ½ in chunks)

    3 cups bone stock or broth (chicken, turkey, beef)

    ¼ cup tamari or soy sauce

    10 slices of ginger, peeled

    Black pepper

    Sea salt

    1 lemon (Zest goes in with the potatoes. Juice at the end)E95E380D-ABC0-4796-BCD6-DBC75E5FBD30_1_105_c

    2 pounds Japanese white sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-1 ½ in chunks. Alternatively use regular sweet potatoes or butternut squash.

    Scallions (optional)

     

    Salt and pepper the meat. Turn oven on to 350 F.

    In large Dutch oven heat 1 T bacon fat, ghee, butter, coconut oil or olive oil.

    Sear half of the meat, turning once about 5 minutes per side. Put aside. Sear the other half and put aside.

    (more…)

  • Trifecta Meatballs (Whole30 compliant)

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    These meatballs are sooo much better than the turkey meatballs I made last week, which I over-cooked because I was following a recipe that said to use a meat thermometer to check the inside temperature, but it didn’t work and I cooked them too long. I suggest when you think they might be done, take one out and cut it in half to see if it is done on the inside.

    I created this recipe because I wanted a meatball recipe that would be Whole 30 compliant and super tasty, and it is! It’s also super easy. (more…)

  • Soup Basics: How to Make Soup in 6 Easy Steps

    chicken soupIf you know the basics of soup making, you don’t need to follow the recipe word for word, but instead can glean inspiration from recipes and use what you have on hand. With a nice sharp chef knife, a cutting board and a Dutch oven there are endless possibilities. See equipment below.

    Step 1: Soup base –  Mirepoix

    The base of the soup usually starts with sautéing some vegetables, which flavors the oil or fat. Choose a fat that can handle the temperature. Read more about FATS here.

    • Ghee, clarified butter
    • Coconut Oil
    • Lard
    • Bacon Fat
    • Tallow (beef fat)
    • Butter – keep heat fairly low
    • Olive oil – also not recommended to sautéed at high heat

    Warm the oil/fat on medium heat in a thick-bottomed deep soup pan, such as a Dutch oven, and sauté:

    1-2 finely chopped onion, shallot or leek

    then 1-2 carrots, and if I have it, celery, both chopped finely, or medium-fine, about a half inch chunks.

    Sprinkle with sea salt (maybe a ½ teaspoon or so, I dunno exactly, I don’t measure, I add a little as I go along and usually end up needing to add more at the end.)

    Chefs call the classic mixture “mirepoix”, otherwise known as the “holy trinity” in the cooking world.

    Step 2: More vegetables

    If you want to add more vegetables, you can add them to the mirepoix about 5-10 minutes after the carrots and onions.

    What do you have in the fridge? Here are some vegetable ideas:

    • Sweet potatoes, parsnips, celerac, butternut squash
    • Mushrooms – crimini, shiitake
    • Bell peppers – green, red, yellow
    • Kale, any variety (more…)

  • Salmon Burgers

    Our new family favorite – decidedly kid-friendly.

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    Two 6 ounce wild salmon fillets (or 1- 14 ¾ ounce can of wild salmon or 2 small cans)

    1 T mustard (Dijon or stone brown)

    1 T mayonnaise

    1 T lemon juice

    ½ t grated lemon zest

    2 scallions, chopped

    ½ t sea salt

    1 egg

    ½ cup bread crumbs, panko, or ground spelt crackers (cooked quinoa or ground dry oats may also work here)

    Sprouts, arugula or baby lettuce

    Tartar sauce:

    3 T mayonnaise

    1 T relish (more…)

  • Rutabaga & Sweet Potato Gratin

    IMG_6689This is a great alternative to dairy-laden gratins. I use stock instead of the usual cream for the liquid. I like to use a little aged cheese, such as Gruyere or Parmesan, but this recipe is also great without. It was a huge hit with my family!

    • 2 cups onions, sliced
    • 2 sweet potatoes, peeled, sliced thinly (1/4 inch)
    • 1 rutabaga, peeled and sliced thinly  (1/4 inch)
    • 2 cloves garlic, minced, plus one for seasoning
    • 1 T thyme, crushed
    • ½ cup white wine
    • 2 cups Beef Bone Broth (or other stock), hot
    • salt and pepper to taste
    • 1 T olive oil
    • 1 cup grated Gruyere or Parmesan cheese (optional)

    Heat oven to 400 degrees.

    (more…)

  • Roasted Brussels Sprouts & Chicken

    IMG_6714You gotta love the one pan dinner recipes. This is not only quick and healthy, but I think these are the best Brussel sprouts ever! The lemon and the crispiness bring it home.

    • 1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
    • 4 small shallots, quartered
    • 1 lemon, sliced
    • 3 tablespoons olive oil
    • ¾ teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon ground pepper
    • 2 cloves garlic
    • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
    • 4 large or 8 small chicken thighs

    Preheat oven to 450 degrees; place rack in lower third.

    (more…)

  • Roasted Chicken Legs

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    • Chicken legs or thighs
    • Olive oil
    • Sea salt

    Preheat oven to 425 degrees (high temperature ensures optimal crispiness).
    Lightly brush chicken legs with olive oil.
    Sprinkle with sea salt.
    Bake at 425 for 45 minutes (whole leg) or 35 minutes (thigh only).
    When cooking is complete, meat thermometer should read 160-170.

     

     

  • Latkes, Not Like Bubbe Used to Make

    Serves 4-6IMG_2636

    These are a favorite around my house and neighborhood.
    I hope you like them, too!

    4 large or 6 medium potatoes
    1 large sweet potato
    1 medium beet

    1 large onion, thinly sliced

    4-6 eggs
    ½ – ¾ cup all purpose flour (buckwheat if gluten-free)
    2 t sea salt
    light vegetable oil (sunflower is my favorite) for fryingIMG_6924

    Peel and coarsely grate the potatoes, sweet potatoes and beets. The key to this recipe is the coarse grind – I use a mandolin with the coarsest setting and I try to get most of the slices pretty long (1 ½ – 2 inches). Soak all of the grated potatoes and beets in water for 10 or more minutes to draw out the starch. Then lift the potatoes out of the water and put them in a colander to drain. Some people wrap the potatoes in cheesecloth and squeeze out the water or at least dry the potatoes with a clean dish cloth. I don’t always do this but water will accumulate in the bottom of the bowl once everything is mixed together. I just keep banking the latke batter up on the side of the bowl and use the drier parts.

    Combine the potatoes with the sliced onion, flour, eggs and salt. Mix it all up. I usually start with the smaller amount of eggs and flour but if the potatoes don’t look well coated or if the latkes fall apart in the pan, add more eggs and/or flour. Depending upon the size of the potatoes that you use, you might need even more than this recipe calls for. (more…)