Sonia's Stir-Fry

Up next: My sister-in-law Sonia. I learned a lot about food and yeast when she was doing the Candida diet this past year - and a lot about perseverance! We share a love of cooking and I'm excited to try this - the combination of coconut milk and red curry sounds great.

Don’t be alarmed that one would follow a recipe for a meal as simple as a stir-fry. When I was on the Candida cleanse diet (for 7 long months) we all got really tired of rice, veggies, and meat “for meat” each night. But you might be surprised at all of the different ways to approach a stir-fry. I was inspired by Food and Wine’s May 2009 issue that presented a variety ways to cook veggies and meat in a fry pan prior to tossing it onto a plate full of white or brown rice. The following is a great stir-fry recipe that compliments a Candida cleanse diet (God forbid any of Bec’s foodie readers ever have to do that) and it proves that you do not have to have sugar or gluten or yeast or broth or mushrooms to enjoy a tasty stir-fry.

Thai Chicken, Zucchini and Tomato Curry Stir-Fry 4 servings

3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 ¼ pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts sliced ½ inch thick
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1 onion sliced ¼ inch thick
2 zucchini cut into 2 by ½ inch sticks
1 ½ cups of cherry tomatoes
1 tablespoon Thai red curry paste
½ cup unsweetened coconut milk (I ended up using about 1 tablespoon more, and the real stuff is better than the LIGHT)
2 tablespoon water
Finely grated zest of 1 lime
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
½ cup chopped cilantro
rice for serving
optional garnish: cashew pieces

1. In large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil. Add the chicken. Season with salt and pepper and cook over high heat until just white throughout, about 2-3 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate.

2. Add the remaining oil to the skillet. Add the onion and stir-fry over moderately high heat for 2 minutes. Add the zucchini and cherry tomatoes and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Stir in the curry paste, coconut milk, water, lime zest and lime juice and bring to a simmer. Add the chicken and stir for another minute or two. Sir in the cilantro. Transfer to bowls and serve with rice.
WINE: Strawberry-scented rose: 2008 Domaine du Bagnol. Or in our household, a chilled glass of white Charles Shaw does the job.

Don’t be scared off by the curry either… it is mild enough for those who can’t handle spicy food (however, I make it spicier). I like to add cashew pieces for garnish (they also sweeten it a little). And because you don’t use soy sauce, this recipe is also low in sodium. My husband douses his with table salt (I try not to be offended).