Our first week of the diet is officially behind us, and despite a few minor cravings and setbacks (like my daily confessional of eating forboden nectarines-I know, such a rebel, right?) it went by splendidly. I think my favorite part of last week was the refreshing joy and appreciation we had at meal times. We each took a day to make dinner, and it was a challenge, and a whole heck of alot of fun to try and modify some of our usual dishes to fit this new mold. I found myself appreciating meal time more, and also the people who cooked that day, because I know they put time and effort into it! My favorite culinary attempt this week was Coconut Curry Chicken with veggies and Egg Drop Soup. Even without my beloved, fragrant Jasmine rice, it was a winner! The egg drop soup was a first time attempted, but came out smashingly. I did fudge our diet just a tad by using cornstarch to thicken the soup, but hey, there is no legalism here!
Coconut Curry Chicken and Veggies
serves 4 (with some leftovers for lunch the next day)
2 lbs boneless chicken breast, cut into 1.5 in chunks (organic is best, but can get pricey. Trader Joe’s is my lifesaver in this department-their store brand of chicken is always vegetarian, grass fed-no hormones added. It’s not completely organic, but a good place to start)
1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
1 small onion, thinly sliced
2-4 summer squash, cut into half circles (or add as much or little as you want, depending on your tastes. I used the zucchini and yellow squash from our CSA box. Experiment with veggies you have on hand!)
1 can of coconut milk (I perfer Thai Kitchen)
2 tbsp curry powder (spices without sugar and preservatives are best-check the label as you purchase)
1 tbsp bottled minced ginger (earthbound organic has a good one)
2 cloves of garlic (crushed)
1 1/2 tbsp coconut oil
Directions.
1.) Heat coconut oil in large skillet over medium-high heat for two minutes. Add onion and garlic, ginger and curry powder. Cook for 1 minute. Add chicken, tossing lightly to coat with curry mixture. Cook for 7-1o minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink and juices are clear.
2.) Add peppers and summer squash and cook for 3 minutes, or until tender.
3.) Pour can of coconut milk into mixture, including cream. Stir to combine. Let simmer for about 15 minutes, making sure chicken is completely cooked through.
Sea Salt and pepper to taste. Thai fish sauce and soy sauce are optional condiments if you need a little umph.
Normally, I would pile this goodness on a heaping plate of Jasmine rice. I found that it was just as great all by itself! And we got to drink the coconut milk from our bowls 
.
Egg Drop Soup
makes a large pot, great leftovers for the week
8 cups of chicken stock (ideally homemade, but let’s be honest, who has time for that? Store bought will do. Organic is best as it usually cuts down on the sodium and preservatives)
3 green onions, chopped.
1 tsp crushed ginger (same as above)
6 eggs, beaten (free range, cage free is best. we use eggs from our farm and it’s great. more on that later!)
3 tbsp cornstarch (for thickening)
Directions
1. In medium-large soup pot, bring 7 cups of chicken broth, onion, and ginger to a rolling boil. reserve one cup of broth and set aside.
2. In small bowl, whisk together reserved broth and 3 tbsp corn starch until smooth. Add to soup pot and stir.
3. In a large measuring cup, beat together six eggs. Turn off heat to boiling broth and immediately pour eggs in at a slow steady stream. Gently stir eggs in clockwise direction to make ribbons form.
4. garnish with extra chopped green onion, black pepper, soy sauce or sesame oil to taste.
