Makeover: Pineapple Curry of Mussels

Welcome to Thailand!

Pineapple Curry of Mussels sounds like it would be pretty healthy, right? We've got mussels instead of the higher fat meats that we've been seeing in the other recipes, and pineapples are good for you... However, this recipe is a wolf in sheep's clothing. There is SO much full-fat coconut milk and coconut cream in it, that it weighs in at 536 calories per serving and 38 grams of fat, 22 of which is saturated! Top that off with 1210 mg of sodium (about what you need in an entire day). YIKES!

Lesson learned: When you're going out to eat, you might want to avoid the dishes that are made with coconut milk - likely they are not using the light version like we are going to do.

The Makeover of the week transforms this Pineapple Curry of Mussels to a Pineapple Vegan Curry - much more healthy, and if you are a fan of pineapples like I am - wow, is it delicious.

The highlights per serving:
158 calories
4.5 g of fat (3 is saturated)
389 mg of sodium (I used a store-bought seitan. If you need to lower your sodium even more, you can use tofu or make your own seitan.)
and you still get 12.6 g of protein

Delicious and quick. Although, I did have to buy some extra ingredients to make this curry... I found them all at Whole Foods in the Asian foods section, or you can probably buy them at an Asian supermarket.

Pineapple Vegan Curry

Ingredients:

• 1 can LIGHT coconut milk
• 2 tbsp sucanat (This like a raw brown sugar with the molasses still in. It would be the equivalent of brown sugar if brown sugar wasn't just white sugar with brown food coloring.)
  
• 2 tsp tamarind concentrate mixed with 1/4 c water
• 1.5 cups finely chopped pineapple
• 1 package seitan chopped (or you can use a package of firm tofu, chopped)
• 1 bunch asparagus, cut in thirds, discarding the woody ends
• 1 yellow squash, diced

Paste:
(FYI about chilis - I'm not picky at all about chilis, probably because I don't know enough about them, but I'm happy to just pick whatever combination of spicy/medium-spice chilis are available. It seems to work for me!)

• 1 tbsp kaffir lime leaves
• 2 red fresco chilis
• 1 serrano chili
• 2.5 tbsp chopped galangal (bought it pre-minced at Whole Foods because they didn't have it fresh. If you can't find it, you can use ginger instead.)
  
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• 1 tsp cilantro, chopped
• 5 tbsp chopped lemongrass
  

Directions:

1. Put all the ingredients for the paste in a blender or food processor and mix until blended.
2. In a saucepan on the stove, heat 1/4 c of the paste and 1/4 c of the coconut milk for about 5 minutes on medium heat, stir occasionally.
3. Store the rest of the paste in the freezer for the next time you make this curry.
4. Add the sucanat and tamarind water. Heat for 1 minute.
5. Add the rest of the coconut milk, pineapple, seitan/tofu, asparagus, yellow squash. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Check occasionally and stir so it doesn't stick to the bottom.
6. Take off the cover and cook for 2 more minutes.
7. Enjoy!

PS - This isn't a very spicy curry. If you want it spicer, you can use hotter chilis, or more chilis, or more paste in the first step.