Cashew Coconut Curry

Day 1 of Meatless Week is complete, and I feel great! I must confess that the real reason I signed up to be a vegetarian for a week isn't because I can't get enough meat (not that big of a fan). Really, it's because I've been on a mission to become more conscious of what (and how much) I put into my body. Vegetarianism is just one of many perspectives that I can use to accomplish that goal, and so far it's working well. I have vegetarian tendencies already; I'd say about half of my days I don't eat any meat products. So I'm just stretching those tendencies from part-time to full.



I sat down today with my favorite vegetarian recipe resources (books and blogs) and planned our meals for the week. I came home from the grocery store with a ridiculous amount of produce; more than I've ever bought at one time, I'm sure of it. I know that vegetarianism isn't all about the veggies, but the time of year and my enthusiasm for this project led me in that direction.


Fruits & veggies for the week. Not pictured: 2 pounds of broccoli and a giant pineapple!

First up, my take on Cashew Coconut Curry, an adaptation of a recipe from a classic vegetarian food blog, Heidi Swanson's 101 Cookbooks. This was really simple to throw together on a weeknight, easily adaptable to seasonal vegetables, and quite tasty as well. The tofu could have been more flavorful, next time I'll marinate it beforehand for an extra kick. I didn't use the cilantro, obviously (ick!), but if that's what you fancy, I'm not going to stop you!

Cashew Coconut Curry
Adapted from 101 Cookbooks
Makes 3-4 servings
Printable Recipe

1 cup whole coconut milk
1 - 2 tablespoons curry powder
scant 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1/2 large red onion, chopped
1 medium garlic clove, chopped
1/3 cup water
8 ounces firm tofu, cut into small cubes (optional)
1 cup green beans, cut into 1-inch segments
1 1/2 cups cauliflower, cut into tiny florets
1/3 cup cashews, toasted
1/4 cup golden raisins
a handful of cilantro, loosely chopped (optional)

1. Bring half of the coconut milk to a simmer in a large skillet or pot over medium-high heat. Whisk in the curry powder and salt, working out any clumps.

2. Stir in the onion and garlic and cook for a minute. Stir in the remaining coconut milk and the water, and then the tofu. Cook down the liquid for a couple minutes before adding the green beans and cauliflower.

3. Cover and simmer for 4-5 minutes, until the vegetables are cooked to your desired doneness. Remove the pot from heat and stir in the cashews and raisins. Taste and adjust the seasoning (salt & curry powder) if needed. Serve with a bit of cilantro topping each bowl if desired.