By Jade Robins, ND
Paleo, Ketogenic, Whole30, Plant Based, oh my!! With so many different ideas on what a healthy diet looks like it is hard to know where to start. The truth is, no “diet” is right for everyone! This serves as a great time to re-frame the language surrounding this. If we are seeking a great “diet”, we may be missing the mark entirely. Hippocrates stated “Let food be thy medicine, and medicine be thy food”. Our goal should be a tailored lifestyle shift, geared towards reaching optimal health. When done right, food proves time and time again to hold unparalleled power in this regard. With that being said, it is best to consult with your physician and/or a well-versed nutritionist to find the best fit for you based upon your specific health goals.
However, as a general rule when undertaking any worthwhile healthy eating endeavor, there should be a common thread, lots of veggies! Dr. Terry Wahls Autoimmune Paleo Protocol for instance calls for 9 cups of fruits and veggies per day (which is further broken down to 3 cups of green leafy veggies, 3 cups of cruciferous veggies, and 3 cups of colorful, antioxidant rich fruits and veggies). To many, this seems insurmountable, but with recipes like this, you will be well on your way to meeting your health promoting, disease fighting, daily antioxidant quota.
Ingredients:
- 1 Tbs coconut oil
- ¼ cup chopped onion
- 2 cloves of minced garlic
- ¼ cup diced celery
- ½ cup sliced sweet baby peppers (Red, yellow, orange)
- 1 cup broccoli
- ½ large Sweet Potato
- ½ cup sliced mushrooms
- ½ small head of red cabbage sliced thinly
For the sauce:
- 1 can of full fat coconut milk
- 2-3 Tablespoons almond butter
- 1 ½ – 2 tsps curry powder or curry paste
- 1 tsp turmeric
- ½ tsp minced or grated ginger
- 2 Tbs coconut aminos
- ¼ cup fresh chopped basil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Lime wedges
**Note** Feel free to add more curry powder, cayenne powder or crushed red pepper to taste if you like a little kick!
Directions:
Sauté garlic, onion and celery in coconut oil until it is translucent. Add broccoli, sweet potato, mushroom, sweet baby peppers and red cabbage. Cover and cook on low heat until soft.
In a separate saucepan, add coconut milk and almond butter and stir gently until almond butter is dissolved. Add curry powder, turmeric, ginger and coconut aminos. Add salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste. Cook on low until evenly heated. Stir in basil at the end.
Serve with lime wedges and enjoy!
**Note**
You can easily add your meat of choice for an extra protein punch. This is also delicious served over a bed of cauliflower “rice” or topped with pumpkin seeds (rich in zinc and healthy omega’s). This recipe simply serves as a base. The possibilities are endless!
