Sweet Potato Pineapple Curry
Serves: 4-6
Difficulty:  Easy
Prep time:  10 minutes
Cook time:  20 minutes

Sweet and savory, this hearty curry will be a new favorite. Feel free to adjust to your liking!

1 teaspoon oil
1/4 cup red curry paste
2 (13.5 ounce) cans coconut milk
1-2 tablespoons soy sauce (optional)
~2-3 sweet potatoes, diced
1/4 cup white sugar
1 1/2 cups sliced bamboo shoots, drained
1/2 red bell pepper, julienned
1/2 green bell pepper, julienned
1/2 small onion, chopped
1 cup pineapple chunks, drained

Heat about a teaspoon of oil in a wok over medium heat. Add the curry paste and cook briefly.  Mix in the coconut milk, sweet potatoes, soy sauce (optional), sugar, and bamboo shoots. Bring to a boil, and cook 8-10 minutes, until sweet potatoes are just tender. Mix the bell peppers and onion into the wok. Continue cooking 5-8 minutes, until peppers are tender. Remove from heat, and stir in pineapple.

Notes
Serve this over rice.
Substitute water chestnuts for bamboo shoots if you’d like.
Using less coconut milk will make this thicker. For even thicker sauce, add 1-2 tablespoons mixed with an equal amount of cold water and add it during the last few minutes of cooking.
You can use pineapple juice instead of sugar as a sweetener.
More or less curry paste can be added depending on your preference. You can try green curry paste or even some curry powder if you are in a pinch.
Add other vegetables like sugar snap peas and carrots for more color and flavor

Ginger Carrots
Serves: 8
Difficulty:  Easy
Prep time:  20 minutes
Ready in:  5 minutes

Enhance your candied carrots with a little spice.

2 pounds baby carrots or 2 pounds peeled and sliced carrots
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup vegan margarine
3 tbs brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground ginger or 1 tsp grated fresh ginger

Steam carrots until just tender. Drain and sprinkle with salt. In a skillet, melt the margarine and stir in brown sugar and ginger. Add carrots and cook over medium heat, stirring gently until lightly glazed and tender.

Notes
I boiled my carrots, but steaming retains more nutrients.

Thai Rice Salad
Serves: 8
Difficulty:  Easy
Prep time:  20 minutes
Ready in:  20 minutes

This is a nice cool side for a those hot summer days.

1/2 cup seasoned rice vinegar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 lime, juiced
1/2 teaspoon hot chili oil (optional)
4 cups cooked, chilled rice
1 medium cucumber, seeded and sliced
2 green onions, sliced
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1/3 cup chopped mint
1/3 cup chopped basil
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, oil, soy sauce, brown sugar, lime juice and if desired, hot chili oil. Add remaining ingredients to a large bowl. Pour dressing over and stir to combine.

Notes
Rice may be cooked 2-3 days in advance.
Any rice may be used.
Peanut oil would work nicely if you have it.
Try chopping up some jalapeno or other peppers to add an extra kick if you don’t have any hot chili oil.

Greek Potatoes
Serves: 6
Difficulty:  Easy
Prep time:  20 minutes
Cook time:  35 minutes

Those who don’t like kalamata olives may change their minds after trying them in this flavorful recipe.

2 1/2 pounds potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup whole, pitted kalamata olives
1 1/3 cups chopped tomatoes
1 teaspoon dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste

In a large saute pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the potatoes and stir. Add the garlic. Mix in the olives and cook for about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, and oregano. Reduce heat, cover and simmer on medium for 30 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Notes
Freezes well!
Use more or less olive oil depending on your tastes.
A 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes would work nicely instead of fresh.
I don’t recommend using regular black olives since they may not give the exact flavor, but they might still make for a tasty meal if that’s what you have on hand or all you can find.
Leaving the skin on the potatoes will increase the nutritional content of the dish.