Baked Ham & Swiss Sliders - Aldi Meal

These baked ham and swiss sliders are so easy and delicious! They are more than just slapping some cheese and meat in between some bread. The browned onion, Worchestershire sauce, and butter make this a simple but savory dish great for parties or just a dinner at home.

Ingredients:

1 TBSP olive oil

1 large yellow onion, sliced into rings

1 package Hawaiian rolls

1 package thinly sliced deli ham (I like the Never Any! Black Forest Ham at Aldi)

3 deli slices of Swiss cheese, sliced into quarters.

3/4 to 1 cup dijon mustard 

1.5 TBSP butter

2-3 TBSP Worchestershire sauce

Directions:

1.) Preheat over to 350F. Lightly brown sliced onion in olive oil. Set aside to cool slightly.

2.) Separate Hawaiian rolls from each other. Tuck bottom halves into a 9x9 pan (or slightly larger if needed). Set top halves aside.

3.) Slice ham into quarters. Slice Swiss cheese slices into quarters.

4.) Place 2-3 quarter slices of ham on each bottom half of the rolls. Place 1 quarter slice on the top of the the ham. Add onion.

5.) Lightly spread dijon mustard on the top halves of the Hawaiian rolls, then place on top of the onion.

6.) Stir melted butter and Worchestershire sauce in a small bowl, then brush mixture on top of the sliders.

7.) Cover with foil, then bake until cheese is melted, about 15 minutes.

Tip: You can make this a day ahead of time, but save the baking part until right before the meal.

Vegan Creamy Mushroom Pasta Sauce

 To see the video for this recipe, click this link:
https://youtu.be/2icglRWfzms






Ingredients:

Olive oil (approximately 1 TBSP divided, to cook mushrooms in 2-3 batches, and to brown garlic)

8-10 oz mushrooms, sliced

2-3 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped

1/4-1/2 cup white wine

3/4 - 1 cup milk of choice (I use almond milk or oatmilk. May need corn starch if milk is very thin.)

1/2 cup nutritional yeast (or parmesan cheese if not making vegan)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Thyme or parsley (optional)

Directions:

1. Heat 1/2 TBSP olive oil in pan, and brown sliced mushrooms. Depending on your pan size, you may need to do this in batches to allow some space between the mushrooms. The more spaced out the mushrooms, the better they will be able to brown. You can cook the mushrooms all at once, however they will likely steam, changing the flavor. *Taking your time and allowing the mushrooms in brown in the pan is worth the savory flavor!*

2. Add garlic to the pan and allow to slightly brown.

3. Add white wine to deglaze the pan.

4. Slowly add milk of choice. If your milk is a bit thin (like almond milk and oatmilk usually are), you may need to add cornstarch to thicken the sauce. Don't add corn starch directly to the pan, as it may form lumps and become harder to dissolve. Instead, add corn starch to a separate small bowl, add a bit of milk and stir to dissolve, THEN add to the pan.

5. Add nutritional yeast (or parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and thyme or parsley. Allow to simmer for a few minutes.

6. Enjoy over pasta of choice. This sauce works well with linguine, fettucine, and spaghetti!

love + light,

Clara

7 ALDI DINNER IDEAS!

Join me for a run through of 7 dinner ideas, all made with Aldi products!
Video: https://youtu.be/otT6Krmuh0E

Simple Adobo Chicken Recipe

Chicken adobo is a very common food of the Philippines, and one that is usually well received among non-Filipinos! There are several varieties on how to make it, but I like things as simple as possible! Thank you to my mom for teaching me this recipe so long ago.

Ingredients:

1/2 head garlic, crushed

1/2 cup Heinz apple cider vinegar

3/4 cup La Choy soy sauce 

1 lb chicken legs (may also use thighs, breasts, etc.)

Freshly cracked black pepper

Directions:

1. In a bowl, mix crushed garlic, vinegar, soy sauce, and pepper.

2. Mix with chicken in a nonstick pan

3. Boil, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked thoroughly.

4. Serve with jasmine rice.

How do you like to make your chicken adobo? I've heard of people baking or frying the chicken beforehand. It's interesting to see how adobo is made amongst different cooks and families!

love + light,

Clara

NEW Videos! March 2021

Oh Dollar Tree, how I've missed you! First Dollar Tree Haul in a super long time! Let me know what goodies you've found! Click here for video: https://youtu.be/Hs9AmQjj5n4

Aldi Easter Candles 2021 First Impressions (pre-lighting) - NEW VIDEO!

Click here: https://youtu.be/ifpQ9Y4zoaI

Aldi Haul and Meal Plan 3-11-21 Video - Click here: https://youtu.be/1t1fPI9Us3c

Another March Dollar Tree Haul! See video here: https://youtu.be/LiiSRshygqw

Clara's Chat: COVID 1 Year Later - What have you learned about yourself?
See video here: https://youtu.be/arm8-3956bE

Aldi Haul & Meal Plan - A few Easter things and new tries. 
See video here: https://youtu.be/esWgx4mAxuA

Aldi Taste Testing for Bremer Bistro Soups - French Onion Soup & Broccoli Cheddar Soup

See video here: https://youtu.be/NnWD8IHhoV8

Aldi Haul & Meal Plan - finally trying the brioche buns!

https://youtu.be/ncgfbMHrM6w

Clara's Cooking | Hawaiian Meatballs

In addition to meatballs, this sauce is a great compliment to any baked chicken or fish. 

If you follow my blog, this is my basic meatball recipe that I use for all meatballs. It's great for all types of dishes, whether sweet, savory, or spicy. It can be used in multiple cuisines (Swedish, Italian, Thai, etc.). Although I have published the recipe before, I included it below for the sake of completion. Enjoy!

I like to prepare the meatballs first, so that while they are baking in the oven, I can prepare the sauce.

Clara's Meatballs Recipe Ingredients:

1lb ground lean beef
1lb ground lean turkey
3/4 cup onions, finely diced
2 large eggs
3 tsp Coconut Aminos (optional, can also use soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce)
1/2 to 1 TBSP garlic powder (based on preference)
Olive oil
Salt & black pepper
Optional: 3/4 to 1 cup chopped vegetables such as carrots or sweet potato to bulk up your meatballs.

Clara's Meatballs Recipe Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Heat olive oil on medium heat in pan, and cook onions until silvery. Cook additional (optional) vegetables such as carrots.
3. Set pan aside to cool. 
4. Add beef, turkey, eggs, Coconut Aminos, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper to bowl (and other seasonings your wish). Mix well. Add veggie/onion mixture. Mix again.
5. Form meatballs that are of a diameter of 1.5 to 1.75 inches, forming somewhere between 25-28 meatballs (I just use my hands, but you can use a large ice cream scoop or spoon if you wish).  Place on ungreased cookie sheet. 
7. Bake meatballs for 20-23 minutes.

Clara's Hawaiian Sauce Recipe Ingredients:

1 can (12-15oz) mango slices (don't have to drain)
1 cup pineapple chunks (don't have to drain)
1/2 cup finely diced onion
1 tsp red curry paste
1 tsp ginger powder (more or less to taste)
1/4 cup lime juice (more or less to taste)
3/4 to 1 cup chopped cilantro (save a bit for garnish)
1/2 TBSP crushed red pepper (more or less to taste)
Olive oil
Salt & pepper

Clara's Hawaiian Sauce Recipe Directions:

1. Place mango and pineapple in food processor and blend well.
2. Cook onions in olive oil until silvery.
3. Add mango and pineapple mixture to pan. Add curry paste and stir.
4. Add ginger, lime, salt, pepper, and cilantro.
5. Stir mixture and taste. If you prefer more heat, add crushed red pepper to taste.
6. Simmer on low to medium low for 20 minutes, depending on how thick you wish the sauce to be.
7. When meatballs are finished baking, top with sauce and cilantro garnish. Enjoy with a side of rice and broccoli if you wish!



love + light,
Clara

Clara's Cooking | Shrimp & Zucchini in Almond Sauce

Shrimp & Zucchini in Almond Sauce

YOUTUBE VIDEO HERE: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJ_QXqVtmwM

Ingredients:

3 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise then chopped

1/4 onion, sliced

1/2 cup almond butter 

(I use Trader Joe’s brand)

1/3 cup milk (I use coconut milk or skim, depending on how creamy I would like the sauce)

1 TBSP lime juice

1/2-1 TBSP fresh ginger, 

peeled and minced

1 TBSP minced garlic

30-40 medium cooked shrimp, defrosted

Olive oil (1-2 TBSP)

Crushed red pepper (optional)

Salt & pepper

Directions:

1. Defrost cooked shrimp if needed.

2. Heat olive oil in pan, cook zucchini and onion.

3. While vegetables are cooking, use a fork to mix almond butter, milk, lime/lemon juice, ginger, and garlic. Use fork to mash the almond butter, and when the consistency is more fine, use a whisk to further mix the sauce.

4. Taste sauce, add salt and pepper as desired. Mix well.

5. Add shrimp and sauce to pan and mix with vegetables. Taste sauce again and add crushed red pepper if desired.

6. Allow to cook for about 10-15 minutes, stirring every few minutes so sauce won't burn. Enjoy alone or with 

Tips:

If you dislike ginger, consider using soy sauce and/or onion powder instead.

If you don't have lime juice, may substitute lemon or calamondin juice.

To make Whole30 compliant, replace the milk with water or a compliant coconut milk or almond milk. Also, make sure your almond butter is compliant and doesn't have any peanut oil!

Consider adding water if sauce seems too thick, in 1/4 cup increments until you achieved your desired consistency.

Enjoy!

love + light,

Clara

Clara's Cooking | Fried Tofu

I admit that it took me a few tries to get this right. I've learned that to be successful, I must have the following:

1. DRY tofu (absorb as much of the water as possible before cooking)
2. FIRM tofu (otherwise it falls apart)
3. PATIENCE 

Wait, why do I need patience? Because in cooking I feel the need to stir food every few minutes. But - NOPE! Don't do that when frying tofu! Just like with pan frying chicken, it'll get the best brown color if you leave it UNDISTURBED for at least 5-7 minutes. Trust me! 

FRIED TOFU RECIPE:

Ingredients:

1lb tofu (extra firm)
2-3 TBSP olive oil
Garlic powder (at least 1 tsp)
Onion powder (at least 1 tsp)
Salt & black pepper

Directions:

1. Drain the tofu and gently squeeze it with paper towels. 
2. With a sharp knife, cut into 1/2 slices. Gently pat again to soak away any remaining water.
3. Season both sides of tofu with garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
4. In a pan (I like the ceramic lined pans from Aldi), heat olive oil on medium-high.
5. Place tofu gently in pan, and space at least 1/3 inch apart (each slice needs sufficient airflow to evenly and to prevent from sticking to each other).
6. Let tofu cook, UNTOUCHED, for at least 5-7 minutes. You'll know it's time to flip them when you see a brown crust appear along the bottom edges.
7. Flip the tofu to cook the other side, leave untouched 4-6 minutes. The second side will take about 1-2 minutes less than it took the first side to cook. Enjoy!

Tips:

- Enjoy these in any kind of stir fry, or even in just a quick snack on their own! I sometimes like to eat these with a spicy chili sauce or coconut amigos (like soy sauce).

- Don't be afraid to experiment with spices! You could try curry powder, turmeric, nutmeg, etc.! Just go EASY on the spices at first, as tofu itself typically has a mild taste.


Enjoy!

love + light,
Clara

Clara's Cooking | Whole30 Chili

I think a nice thing about a lot of soups and chilis is that you can have flexibility with the vegetables. You can change them up depending on the sales in your grocery store, you can add several varieties or just a few. For me, it seems like as long as the general flavors and spices are added, a "chili" is still a "chili", and a "minestrone" is still a "minestrone."

WHOLE30 'CHILI'

Ingredients:

1lb ground beef, turkey, or chicken
1 bell pepper, diced
1/2 yellow onion, finely diced
1 large can (29oz) crushed tomatoes
2-3 zucchini, cut into half rounds or quarter rounds, depending on size
2 carrots, finely diced
1/2 TBSP crushed red pepper
1/2 TBSP chili powder
1/2 TBSP cumin
1 tsp cinnamon
Garlic powder (to taste)
Salt & pepper
Olive oil


Directions:

Tips:
- Top with avocado slices or cilantro for a nice presentation!
- If too thick, add water in 1/2 cup increments until you achieve desired consistency.
- These are Whole30 friendly, but if you wish to add some non-Whole30 ingredients, consider adding kidney beans for more bulk, plus it adds protein and fiber. You could also add corn.

Enjoy!

love + light,
Clara

Clara's Cooking | Coconut Chicken Vegetable Soup

This is a great recipe for any time of the year! I have modified this recipe to include items I ordinarily have in the pantry, but you can also add lime leaves, ginger, and lemongrass to deepen the flavor further!

Coconut Chicken Vegetable Soup

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts, boiled and cubed
1/4 onion, finely diced
1 carrot, finely diced
1 broccoli head, with stalk finely diced and floret separated into small florets
1 cup sliced white button mushrooms
1 can (approx 12-14oz) coconut milk
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1 tsp red curry paste
1 TBSP lime juice
1 TBSP lemon juice
4 TBSP fish sauce
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Olive oil
Salt and black pepper
1-2 cups water


Directions:

1. In a medium soup pot, heat olive oil on medium heat. Cook onion until silvery.
2. Add carrot and broccoli and cook until slightly softened. Add mushrooms and cook for 5-10 minutes.
3. Add chicken, coconut milk, cilantro, red curry paste, lime juice, lemon juice, and fish sauce. Stir.
4. Add garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. Stir. 
5. Reduce heat slightly, and add 1 cup of water or more to achieve desired soup consistency.
6. Simmer for 15-20 minutes.

Tips:
- Save 1-2 TBSP cilantro for when you serve the soup; it looks great as a little topper.
- Add chopped serranos (or your favorite spicy pepper) to make more spicy.
- As stated above, add lime leaves, ginger, and lemongrass to deepen the flavor further!


Enjoy!

love + light,
Clara

Clara's Cooking | Cauliflower Rice (Whole30)

This is a great side dish, especially to chicken. Much simpler than it may seem. To be honest, I was unable to use a food processor (my Cuisinart blade was recalled and I'm STILL waiting on a replacement grrrr), so I just finely chopped the cauliflower by hand. A bit messy, but totally doable.

Cauliflower Rice

Ingredients:

1 large head cauliflower, finely chopped
1/2 yellow onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can coconut milk (12oz)
1/2-3/4 cup chopped cilantro (or may substitute parsley, but I LOVE cilantro with coconut!)
Dash of lime juice
Olive oil, coconut oil, or ghee
Salt, black pepper

Directions:

1. Heat large pan to medium. Saute garlic and onion in olive oil until slightly browned.
2. Add cauliflower and mix well. 
3. After about 5 minutes, add coconut milk, salt, and pepper. Cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until cauliflower is cooked.
4. Gently mix in lime juice and half of cilantro. Top with remainder of cilantro when ready to serve.

Tips:
 - To reduce fat, replace 1/2 of coconut milk with water. The dish will be less decadent, but still tasty.
 - To switch things up, substitute other citrus for lime, such as lemon, orange, or calamondin juice.
- To make the cauliflower less soft, squeeze excess water out of the cauliflower in a cheesecloth after blending (before cooking).

Enjoy!

love + light,
Clara

Clara's Cooking | Meatballs (Whole30, Paleo)

Clara's Meatballs (Whole30, Paleo)

Ingredients:

1lb ground lean beef
1lb ground lean turkey
3/4 cup onions, finely diced
2 large eggs
3 tsp Coconut Aminos (optional, alternatives listed below)
1/2 to 1 TBSP garlic powder (based on preference)
Olive oil
Salt & black pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Heat olive oil on medium heat in pan, and cook onions until silvery.
3. Set pan aside to cool. Beat eggs in large bowl.
4. Add beef and turkey to bowl. Mix well.
5. Add Coconut Aminos, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper to bowl. Mix well.
6. Form meatballs that are of a diameter of 1.5 to 1.75 inches, forming somewhere between 25-28 meatballs (I just use my hands, but you can use a large ice cream scoop or spoon if you wish).  Place on ungreased cookie sheet. 
7. Bake meatballs for 20-23 minutes.


Tips:

- Mix with marinara or your other preferred favorite tomato sauce! While the meatballs are baking, I like cooking a mixture of sliced bell peppers, zucchini, onions, crushed red pepper, and Aldi's Simply Nature Organic Marinara Sauce. When the meatballs are done a slightly cooled, I add them to the mixture. Delicious!

- If you're not following the Whole30 nutrition plan, instead of Coconut Aminos you can use Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce. You can also leave it out altogether and the meatballs would still taste great; really the onion is the dominant flavor of the meatballs!

Enjoy!

Clara Slate

Cozy Broccoli Soup (Vegan, Whole30)

When I first started this recipe, I was afraid that the lack of cream or milk (even coconut milk) would make this soup less soothing. I was wrong!

Ingredients:

2 large heads of broccoli, chopped
1 small onion, diced
1 cup sliced white button mushrooms
1 large yellow potato, finely diced
4 cups of water (or Whole30 compliant vegetable broth)
0.5-1 TBSP garlic salt
Ground black pepper, to taste (freshly ground if possible)
1 TBSP olive oil

Directions:

1. Heat water in soup pot to boiling. Add broccoli and boil until very soft.
2. While broccoli is cooking, heat 1/2 TBSP olive oil in separate pan to medium. Saute potato, then remove from pan and set aside in a separate dish.
3. Heat another 1/2 TBSP olive oil to the same pan, and saute onion and mushrooms. Add additional olive oil if needed.
4. Once broccoli is cooked, put into a blender in increments and blend until smooth. Add small amounts of water if needed to blend broccoli.
5. Put blended broccoli back into soup pot, leaving about 1-2 cups of the blended broccoli in the blender. 
6. Add the cooked onion, mushrooms, and 3/4 of the potato to the blender (set aside 1/4 of the cooked potato to be added later). Blend until smooth.
7. Add blender contents, garlic salt, and black pepper to soup pot. Add diced potato you had set aside. Stir and simmer for 20 minutes.

Tips: 
- If you prefer a chunkier soup, don't blend all the broccoli. Instead, set aside 1/4 of the broccoli to mash with a potato masher, then add to the soup. (THIS IS WHAT I DO :) )

- Add water as needed to reach preferred soup consistency.

- Add 1-2 cups of coconut milk if you prefer a creamier consistency.


Enjoy! This is especially nice on a cold Winter's day!


love + light,
Clara

Clara's Cooking | DIY Taco Seasoning (Whole30)

Until I followed the Whole30 in 2016, I never knew how simple it was to make your own taco seasoning! Even at just 50 cents a packet, this makes for some great savings!


Ingredients:

1 TBSP chili powder

1 1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

1/4 tsp dried oregano

1/2 to 1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp black pepper

Directions:

1. Mix well, store in airtight container. 

2. Use about 3 TBSP per 1 lb of meat. Adjust accordingly to taste.

Tip: Increase crushed red pepper by 1/4 tsp at a time to increase heat.

If you are following the WHOLE30, make sure your spices are WHOLE30 compliant, as some spices contain sugar! (Which is one reason why I make my own taco seasoning in the first place.)

Note r/t Whole30: I used a mix of brands from McCormick, Stonewall Essentials (Aldi), and Dollar Tree to make this taco seasoning. If you're following the Whole30, ALWAYS check your spices to make sure they are compliant, even if you've been purchasing the same brand for years, as sometimes ingredients may change!

Enjoy!

love + light,

Clara

Clara's Cooking | Cinnamon Citrus Chicken

A lovely dinner, especially in the Fall! 

Cinnamon Citrus Chicken

Ingredients:

1 lb chicken breast, sliced into thin fillets

For the marinade:

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 oranges, juice & pulp

1 TBSP light agave nectar (I use the one from Aldi’s Simply Nature brand) or you can use 1 TBSP honey instead

2 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp cloves

Salt & pepper

1-2 TBSP olive oil

Directions:

1. Add garlic, oranges with juice, agave nectar, cinnamon, cloves, salt, and pepper into a gallon size Ziplock bag.

2. Add chicken and seal bag tightly. Toss chicken in bag, massaging spices into the meat.

3. For best results, allow to marinade at least overnight (I let the meat soak for 24 hours).

4. Heat oil to medium high in skillet. Brown chicken on both sides, about 4-5 minutes per side. Watch the heat level to make sure your chicken doesn’t burn.

5. Serve with anything!!! We like it paired with acorn squash - yum!

Tips:

It is totally worth it to marinade a day in advance! The flavors really get absorbed well into the chicken this way.

Enjoy!

love + light,

Clara Slate

Grow Bean Sprouts at Home using Dollar Tree Items!

I love bean sprouts! They are a great food in salads, omelets, stir fry dishes, sandwiches, and so much more. Unfortunately, the grocery stores where I typically shop do not sell them. So, I decided to grow them at home!

After a bit of research, mung beans seemed to be the safest to use. These are sold at nearly every Asian market I could find, so perhaps someday soon grocery stores chains will start to sell them in their "International" or "Asian" section.

I have seen people grow bean sprouts at home using strainers or a "pressure" method, but basically the common necessities to grow sprouts included 3 things:

1. Keep the beans damp but not soaked
2. Keep the beans rinsed (to prevent growth of mold, etc.)
3. Keep the beans in a dark place

I found two simple items at the Dollar Tree to help me in this indoor gardening adventure; their cheesecloth and large mason jar!

Step 1: After removing the center part of the mason jar lid, cut a small square of cheesecloth that is large enough to cover the opening.

Step 2: Measure about 1/2 cup of beans, or enough beans to fill 1/5 to 1/6 of the jar. Rinse beans well and remove any that appear dry or discolored.

Step 3: Soak the beans in water about 8-10 hours.

Step 4: Drain the beans and store in a dark space with some airflow, like a pantry.

Step 5: Rinse, swirl, and drain the beans twice a day. You should start to see growth in about 3 days.

MUNG BEAN SPROUTS DAY 3

Step 6: Harvest between 7-14 days.

MUNG BEAN SPROUTS DAY 14
( waited a bit too long, but still yummy )

Ways to enjoy bean sprouts:

Omelets
Stir Fry dishes
Salads
Soups (e.g. Tom Yum)
Egg Foo Young
Noodle dishes (e.g. Pad Thai)
Sandwiches & Wraps
...and MORE!!!





How do you like to enjoy bean sprouts?

love + light,
Clara Slate

Clara's Cooking | Chicken Piccata with Capers & Artichokes

Chicken Piccata with Capers & Artichokes

Hubby LOVES this recipe! One of his favorites!

Ingredients:

1 lb chicken breasts, sliced into thin fillets

1/2 cup almond flour/meal

3 TBSP capers, drained

1 can artichoke hearts (14 oz)

1 tsp lemon zest

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp paprika

1-2 TBSP olive oil

1/2 cup white wine (I used pinot grigio, but chardonnay should work well too)

Juice of a small lemon (about 1/4 cup)

1/2 cup chicken broth

Salt & black pepper

Directions:

1. Add chicken breasts, almond flour/meal, lemon zest, garlic powder, paprika, to plastic zip top bag. Add enough salt and pepper to season the chicken breasts (I used a few pinches). Toss chicken in seasoning.

2. Heat oil on medium high. Shaking off excess seasoning, add chicken to oil. Cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side.

3. Add white wine, lemon juice, and chicken broth. Simmer 6-10 minutes, allowing sauce to thicken.

4. Add capers and artichoke hearts and simmer for 2 minutes. Serve with brown rice or pasta.

TIP: Use 3/4 to 1 cup of water instead of the wine and broth to make this Whole30 compliant (unless you find a Whole30 compliant chicken broth or make your own). To stay within the Whole30, serve with potatoes instead of pasta or rice.

Enjoy!

love + light,

Clara Slate

Clara's Cooking | Vegetarian (Vegan) Korma

Vegetarian (Vegan) Korma

Ingredients:

1/2 yellow onion, diced

4-5 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp ginger, minced

3 carrots, cut at angle

2 medium potatoes, cubed

1 red pepper, diced

1 jalapeno or serrano pepper, seeded & diced

1 cup green peas (I use frozen)

1/2 cup tomato sauce

1 cup coconut milk (I use Whole30 compliant coconut milk)

3/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

3 tsp salt

1 1/2 TBSP curry powder (this is for medium spicy)

1 cup whole cashews (raw or salted is okay)

1-2 TBSP vegetable oil (I use olive oil with everything, but vegetable oil will results in a more traditional taste. Use olive oil to make this Whole30 compliant)

Directions:

1. In a nonstick soup pot or large saucepan, heat oil on medium heat. Add onions and cook until silvery.

2. Add garlic and ginger, allowing to brown slightly.

3. Add potatoes and carrots. Cook until slightly tender.

4. Add red pepper, jalapeño (or serrano) pepper, tomato sauce, salt, and curry powder. Continue cooking until potatoes and carrots are tender.

5. Add green peas, coconut milk, and 1/4 cup of the cilantro. Set remainder of cilantro to the side for later.

6. Simmer & stir vegetables for 10-15 minutes to allow it to slightly thicken. Add cashews in the last 5 minutes to allow them to slightly soften.

7. Serve with rice and top with cilantro. Enjoy!

Tips:

- Cook rice in an automatic rice cooker before beginning this recipe. It should be done by the time the recipe is ready!

- For a creamier, more traditional (and I’ll admit, TASTIER) version, use 1 cup of heavy cream instead of coconut milk.

- Add curry 1/2 TBSP at a time if you are wary of too much spice.

- For added protein, chopped chicken breast goes great with this dish! Add it in after the onion, garlic, and ginger.

- Eliminate the rice to make Whole30 compliant.

Enjoy!

love + light,

Clara Slate