Quick Paleo Lunch - Thai Coconut Soup (Tom Kha)

By STEPHANIE GAUDREAU

Most of us don't have the luxury of eating lunch at home because we're busy with work or school. But with a little bit of advance planning, it's possible to pack a Paleo lunch that's satisfying and nutritious, with protein, veggies and healthy fats to keep you going strong.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Serves: 2

Thai Coconut Soup is one of my favorite Asian dishes. This is a common Thai soup that's really easy to make, but it has so many layers of complex flavor. The only problem is that some of the ingredients can be tough to find or you may not have them on hand.

I created this soup to mimic Tom Kha, with its rich coconut broth, and I tossed in shrimp for protein and veggies to make it a complete meal. Prep this the night before and give it a little reheat for a warm, satisfying lunch.

Ingredients

• 414 ml can full-fat coconut milk
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 454 grams shrimp or chicken breast
• 2.5 cm piece of ginger, peeled and sliced into rounds
• 60 grams mushrooms, sliced
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 teaspoon Sriracha
• Handful chopped cilantro for garnish

Method

• Prepare the shrimp by peeling and deveining. If using chicken, clean the chicken of any connective tissue and cut into small chunks.
• In a pot over medium heat, combine coconut milk, chicken stock and ginger. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer.
• Add the shrimp or chicken, mushrooms, lime juice, fish sauce and Sriracha. Simmer until the shrimp (less than five minutes) or the chicken (five to 10 minutes) is cooked through.
• Spoon out the ginger rounds and discard. Top with freshly chopped cilantro for garnish.

(Source).

Raw Chocolate, Coconut and Seed Energy Bars Recipe

These healthy energy bars are the perfect midday pick-me-up.

Makes: 12

Time to prep: 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 35g (1/2 cup) shredded coconut
• 50g (1/3 cup) raw unsalted cashew nuts
• 30g (1/4 cup) cacao powder
• 1 tablespoon sunflower seeds
• 2 tablespoons pepitas
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 50g craisins
• 70g dried figs, stem removed
• 250g fresh dates, pitted

Method

• Place coconut, cashews, cacao powder, sunflower seeds, pepitas and cinnamon in a food processor and process until all ingredients are finely chopped.
• Add the craisins and figs and process again until well combined. With the motor running, start adding the dates a few at a time, until all the dates are added and mixture starts to come together. Use clean hands to bring together completely, adding 1-2 teaspoons cold water if necessary.
• Press mixture evenly into a 19cm square (base measurement) baking tin, smoothing the surface with the back of a metal spoon. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

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Chia and Coconut Pudding

Photography by Creative Services

Indulge in a taste of tropical paradise with this mouth-watering coconuty dessert containing healthy chia seeds.

Serves: 4

Time to prep: 4.05

Ingredients

• 400g can organic lite coconut cream
• 80ml (1/3 cup) honey
• 1/3 cup Chia Seeds
• Blueberries, to serve
• Toasted coconut, to serve (optional)

Method

• Place coconut cream, honey and Chia Seeds in a bowl. Stir well to combine. Cover and store in the fridge for 4 hours or overnight to thicken.
• Divide among serving glasses. Top with berries, and coconut if desired.

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Creamy Coconut & Vegetable Laksa

Photography by Jeremy Simons

Using evaporated milk, create this flavoursome coconut and vegetable laksa recipe while minimising the fat.

Serves: 4

Time to prep: 15 minutes

Time to cook: 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 230g jar laksa paste
• 3 1/2 cups salt-reduced chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons grated palm sugar
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 375ml can light and creamy coconut evaporated milk
• 200g firm tofu, cut into 1cm cubes
• 80g snow peas, trimmed, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 250g dried rice vermicelli noodles
• 1 cup bean sprouts, trimmed
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• Fresh coriander leaves,
• Sliced long red chilli and lime wedges, to serve

Method

• Heat a wok over high heat. Add oil. Swirl to coat. Add laksa paste. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until fragrant. Add stock, palm sugar and fish sauce. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium. Add milk. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add tofu and snow peas. Cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Add lime juice. Stir to combine.
• Meanwhile, place noodles in a heatproof bowl. Cover with boiling water. Stand for 5 minutes or until tender. Drain.
• Divide noodles between bowls. Ladle coconut mixture over noodles. Serve with bean sprouts, green onion, coriander, chilli and lime wedges.

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Coconut-Poached Chicken and Mango Salad

Try this delicious dish for a beta-carotene boost

Nutritionist Lisa Guy says...

This salad contains fresh ginger and coriander, both great remedies for calming unsettled stomachs and relieving nausea. Ginger helps ease inflammation and boost immune function, and coriander helps remove heavy metals such as lead and mercury from the body. Coconut milk is a source of caprylic acid, an anti-fungal compound useful for treating and preventing candida. Mangoes are packed with beta-carotene, to help keep gums and eyes healthy.

Serves: 4 

Preparation time: 25 mins (plus cooling time and five minutes' standing time) 

Cooking: 20 mins

Ingredients: 

• 500ml (2 cups) chicken stock 
• 4cm-piece fresh ginger, peeled, 
• thinly sliced
• 6 coriander stems
• 310ml (1¼ cups) coconut milk
• 4 (about 800g) chicken breast fillets
• 2 tbs lime juice
• 1 tbs fish sauce
• 1 tbs finely grated palm sugar
• 2 fresh mangoes, peeled, thinly sliced
• 1 avocado, peeled, thinly sliced
• 1 red capsicum, thinly sliced
• 3 spring onions (shallots), thinly 
• sliced diagonally
• 1 long fresh red chilli, sliced diagonally
• 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
• 1/2 cup fresh coriander leaves
• Roasted cashews, chopped, to serve

Cooking method:

• Bring stock, ginger, coriander stems and 250ml (1 cup) coconut milk to a simmer in a deep frying pan on low heat. Add chicken. Cook for 15 minutes or until just cooked. Remove and set aside for 5 minutes. Shred when cool.
• Meanwhile, combine lime juice, fish sauce, palm sugar and remaining coconut milk in a bowl.
• Combine chicken, dressing, mango, avocado, capsicum, spring onion, chilli, half the mint and coriander leaves in a bowl. Transfer to a platter. Sprinkle cashew and remaining mint and coriander over.

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