Dinner – Kim Topp

Cosmic Cashew Kale and Chickpeas with Quinoa

2/3 cup creamy peanut butter
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce — divided
1 tablespoon fish sauce
3 tablespoons red curry paste
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
4 teaspoons red pepper flakes — divided
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil — divided
2 tablespoons minced garlic — about 6 cloves
1 medium onion — thinly sliced
12 ounces boneless skinless chicken breast — (about 2 breasts), cut into 1/2-inch
28 ounces frozen mixed vegetables — of choice, thawed (or substitute fresh)
10 ounces fresh mushrooms, — sliced (or substitute any fresh or frozen, thawed vegetable)
1/2 cup unsalted dry roasted peanuts, — chopped, plus additional for serving
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro — plus additional for serving
Prepared brown rice, — quinoa, or whole wheat spaghetti, for serving

In a medium bowl, whisk together peanut butter, water, brown sugar, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, fish sauce, curry paste, rice vinegar, ginger, and 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes until smooth. Set aside.
In a large wok or deep skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium high heat. Add onion and cook until fragrant and beginning to soften, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add chicken sauté, stirring occasionally, until the middles are no longer pink and juices run clear, about 5 minutes. Remove chicken from pan and set aside.
Add remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil to pan. Add vegetables and mushrooms and saute until crisp-tender, about 6-8 minutes, depending on the veggies selected.
Return chicken to pan. Add reserved peanut sauce and remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce and 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes. Toss to coat evenly and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Stir in peanuts and cilantro.
Serve stir fry with prepared brown rice, quinoa, or whole wheat spaghetti. Garnish with additional chopped peanuts and cilantro, as desired.

Mix all the sauce ingredients in a bowl and set aside. You can also add them directly to the pan at step 5.
Heat oil over medium high heat in a large skillet. Add garlic and cook for 2 minutes or until translucent.
Add the peppers and mix in. Cover and cook for 2 minutes.
Add the broccoli and mix in. Cover and cook for 1 minute.
Add the chickpeas, sauce ingredients, a generous dash of salt, black pepper and cayenne. Reduce heat to medium. Cover and cook for 10 minutes.
Taste the sauce carefully and adjust to preference. Add more sour, sugar or salt.
Mix cornstarch in room temperature water and add the mixture to the pan. Mix in. Cover and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the sauce thickens.
Garnish with sesame seeds, red pepper flakes and scallions and serve with cooked rice or grains of choice.

1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 small yellow onion — diced (about 1 cup)
4 cloves minced garlic — about 4 teaspoons
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 1/2 tablespoons curry powder
2 teaspoons garam masala
1 teaspoon chili powder
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Splash of water or low sodium chicken broth
1 28-ounce can tomato sauce
1 small cauliflower — or 1/2 large head, cut into florets (about 4 1/2 cups)
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 tablespoons unsalted butter — cut into small pieces (use coconut oil to make dairy free)
1/2 cup half-and-half — or full-fat coconut milk, do not use light coconut milk, as it will water down the sauce
1/2 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt — or non-dairy yogurt to make dairy-free
Prepared brown rice — quinoa, or naan, for serving
Chopped fresh cilantro — for serving

Add the coconut oil to the Instant Pot and set to SAUTE. Once hot, add the onion and cook until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the ginger, garlic, curry, garam masala, chili powder, and salt. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Turn the Instant Pot to OFF. Add a splash or water or chicken broth and stir, using a sturdy plastic or wooden spoon to scrape loose any browned bits that have stuck. Make sure you remove all of the stuck on bits so that you don’t trigger a burn warning.
Add the tomato sauce and cauliflower florets and stir to combine. Lay the chicken breasts on top, then scatter the butter pieces over the top.
Close and seal Instant Pot. Cook on Manual (HIGH) pressure for 12 minutes. Once the time is up, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then vent to immediately release any remaining pressure.
Carefully open the lid and transfer the chicken to a cutting board. Cut into bite-sized pieces, then return to the sauce. Stir in the half and half or coconut milk. Let cool a few minutes, then stir in the Greek yogurt (do not stir it in immediately or it will curdle). Serve with rice and a sprinkle of fresh cilantro.