Thai Coconut Curry & Peanut Orange Veggie Stir-fry

Here is a couple of easy Asian style recipes.  Michelle Gray shared the Thai one with me. She got it from a missionary who served in Thailand. She found a block of curry paste.  I could only find a huge tub of yellow and I only add a couple of teaspoons else it is too hot for us.

Thai Coconut Curry

1 1/2 -2 lbs. meat of choice (I use chicken)
Brown meat then add:
2 cups milk 
1 can coconut milk
Bring almost to a boil and add:
1 pkg yellow curry paste (shaved off in slices)
1 Tbsp. peanut butter
1 Tbsp. fish sauce or soy sauce
1 heaping Tbsp. sugar
Simmer until thick and add desired veggies. (Can just use a frozen Asian veggie pack to make it real easy)
Remove from heat and add fruit if desired -pineapple or mandarin oranges

Serve over rice or other grain.

Peanut Orange Veggie Stir-Fry

by Stacy Middleton
Serves 4

Peanut Sauce

4 Tbsp. reduced-fat chunky peanut butter
3 Tbsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 Tbsp. honey
1 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp ginger juice
zest of 1/2 orange
sprinkling of chopped peanuts

 Veggie Selection

12 oz. bag pre-cut Broccoli Wokly
12 oz. bag Broccoli Slaw
or veggies of choice
Add the sauce ingredients to a saute pan and turn it to low heat until the peanut butter melts.  Dump the veggies into the sauce, stir and cover and cook for approximately 5 minutes. The sauce becomes more liquid, the longer it cooks. 
offer the dish with a number of different grain choices: couscous, bulgur, quinoa or basmati rice.

Orange-scented Green Beans with Toasted Almonds

     I like to have 2-3 vegetables at the dinner table but I have to admit that I am a boring vegetable cook.  I usually just steam them and let everyone add their own butter and salt since I don't like to eat the butter and Bryan doesn't like the salt.  For Father's Day I thought I ought to do something a little fancier.  Here is another recipe from eatingwell.com that was good and easy.

Orange-Scented Green Beans with Toasted Almonds
Ingredients

• 1 pound green beans, trimmed                                        
• 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted (see Tip)

Preparation

1. Place a steamer basket in a large saucepan, add 1 inch of water and bring to a boil. Put green beans in the basket and steam until tender, about 6 minutes. Toss the green beans in a large bowl with oil, orange zest, salt, pepper and almonds.

• Tip: To toast sliced almonds, place in a small dry skillet and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant and lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes.

Nutrition

Per serving: 84 calories; 4 g fat ( 0 g sat , 3 g mono ); 0 mg cholesterol; 10 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 3 g protein; 4 g fiber; 147 mg sodium; 206 mg potassium