Easy, delicious curry

This dish is not only delicious, a great whole foods option, and super easy! And it is so versatile. I'll tell you what I put in it, but you can do this with really any protein and veggie combination you want.

Keep in mind that I cook for 8 or 9 people so if your family is smaller you might want to half the recipe. Unless you want leftovers, which you will.

2 cans coconut milk
2 Tbsp red curry paste (I use the Thai Kitchen brand, you can find it in the Asian food section)
3 - 4 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
2 zucchini, cut into one inch pieces
1 large onion, cut into one inch pieces
1 yellow pepper, cut into one inch pieces
1 green pepper, cut into one inch pieces
2 cans pineapple tidbits or chunks

Whisk together the coconut milk and curry paste in large skillet. Bring to a boil then let it simmer for a few minutes. Add all your ingredients and stir well so everything is coated. Heat through (I usually let it come to a boil and let it simmer for about 4 minutes so the veggies are more tender) and eat! Sometimes I will serve this over curried cauliflower rice but today we just ate it as is.

Easy and yummy!!! My hubby also really likes a combo of steak, asparagus, and onion in a curry. Really the sky is the limit with this one! Just choose your favorite protein and veggies. You can even use yellow or green curry paste, I just like red the most.

Enjoy!

Sometimes, life is hard

I promised a friend of mine that I wouldn't make my blog just a highlight reel. That I would be "real." I want to inspire. And I know that I am inspired when others share what is hard too. This isn't super hard, but it's not a sunshine and roses post either.

I've wanted to be a lot of things in my life. But my passion was, and still is, photography. I owned a studio for 7 years. I did a bit of weddings, some family work, but my favorite was newborns and young kids. I couldn't get enough of it. I worked hard. I sacrificed time with my family. And last year I made the very difficult decision to shut down my studio.

Why is it that even when you know something is the right decision, it can still hurt?

I'm sitting here in my office, in my loft, outside my old studio staring at my pictures on the wall. I know I need to take them down. I'm not having clients in my home anymore and I turned my studio into a bedroom for my 13 year old daughter; I have no need of random photos of other people's children on my walls. But my pictures are still up. I have this fear that if I take them down I am somehow admitting defeat; failure even. If there are no pictures then maybe that part of my life didn't really happen.

But on the flip side if I leave them up on the wall it's like they're mocking me. Cute smiling faces and sleepy newborns staring at me, reminding me that I "quit."

So basically if I leave them up, I fail. If I take them down, I fail.

See what I mean? Definitely not all sunshine and roses today.

I am trying hard to tell myself it's OK. I did it. I chased my passion and for 7 years I was immersed in something which I love. I photographed dozens of weddings, many families, and literally hundreds of newborns. I didn't fail. It was a chapter of my life and now I need to close it. Because this is true.

Now ask me if I'm going to take the pictures down right now?

I'll think about it.......

"Thai" Almond Chicken

This chicken dish is not only delicious but it's super easy! AND it's a Crockpot meal. Anybody else love those for busy days? Oh, and it's Whole30 or Paleo compliant. If eating were bowling this meal would be a turkey :)

To give credit where credit is due, I adapted this from a recipe I found here.

Thai Almond Chicken
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or 8 b/s chicken thighs (or whatever you need to feed your family)
1 C salsa (I made my own but I'm sure you could open up jar of your favorite chunky salsa if you're not cutting sugar right now).
1/2 C Almond butter
2 T lime juice
1 T coconut aminos (or soy sauce. Or rice vinegar. Or leave it out)
1 - 2 tsp fresh grated ginger root
Cashews, green onions, and cilantro for garnish

1. Put the chicken in the crock pot
2. Mix everything else together (except the garnish) and pour over the chicken
3. Turn on the crock pot (no, seriously. I have forgotten to do this before....haha)
4. Cook on low for 7 - 8 hours

When you're ready to serve take out the chicken. Scrape the sauce off the top and back into the crock pot so you can mix it all together for a thicker sauce.

I loved this served over cauliflower rice but if you're eating grains I think it would be really good over rice made with coconut milk, or even curried rice.

Enjoy! If you make this, let me know what you think :)