super green summer curry with zucchini noodles
Life lately (and always) is movement. I rise early every morning to walk along the river, and am reminded of how grounding the movement can be. Things are shifting all around me, change is unnervingly inherent, and yet the movement of the water calibrates my focus; away from the fear of change, and instead towards the full embrace of new beginnings, and a happiness that can only come with an open heart, leaps of faith, and feet that never stop moving.
This recipe is another example of summer perfection on a plate, making me feel vibrant and grateful and alive. Loaded with so much green farmer’s market goodness, it makes use of the (over) abundance of zucchini in Minnesota markets this time of year. It provides the nutrients I need to ground myself and combat stress, with has just enough zing to fully awaken my senses. Serve it with leftover chicken or a simple piece of steamed fish for a complete meal.
• 1 head broccoli, chopped into small florets
• 2–3 large cloves garlic, finely minced
• 2–3 tbsp. coconut oil
• 4 medium-large zucchini, made into noodles with a spiralizer (see NOTE)
• 1 small bunch curly green kale, torn into small pieces to make about 5 cups
• 2 medium shallots, thinly sliced
• 1 medium avocado, cubed
• 4 tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice, plus more for squeezing
• 2 heaping tsp. honey
• 3 tbsp. Thai green curry paste
• ½ cup cilantro, finely chopped, plus more for garnish
• 2–4 tbsp. chicken stock (or water)
• Toasted coconut flakes and salted, roasted cashews, for garnish
Preheat oven to 425° F. Toss broccoli with 1-2 tbsp. coconut oil, garlic, salt, pepper, and a generous squeeze of lime juice on a large roasting pan. Roast just until bright green and crispy, 10–15 minutes, tossing with a spatula halfway through.
Meanwhile, make the green curry sauce. Using a regular or immersion blender, combine avocado, 4 tbsp. lime juice, honey, curry paste, and cilantro until smooth. Add chicken stock or water, a little at a time, and continue blending until thinned slightly. Sauce should still be fairly thick, about the consistency of regular yogurt. Set sauce aside while you cook the rest of the veggies.
In a large skillet, melt remaining 1 tbsp. coconut oil over medium-high heat. Add shallots, and cook until lightly browned and starting to soften, 2-3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Add zucchini noodles, kale, and a good amount of salt to the pan, and continue to cook just until noodles are beginning to soften and kale has wilted slightly. Remove cooked vegetables from the heat and stir in half of the green curry sauce, or until the vegetables are sauced to your liking. Top with roasted broccoli, coconut flakes, cashews, cilantro, and more sauce if you desire. This makes a heap, but I have no problem with leftovers.
NOTE: Zucchini can also be thinly sliced into matchsticks if you do not have a spiralizer. To prevent final dish from becoming too watery, place the spiraled zucchini in a colander set over the sink, toss with a few pinches of salt, and allow to sit for 5-10 minutes. Squeeze the zucchini gently with your hands, squeezing out the excess water, then cook away.
