Yum, who wants some delicious vegan, gluten free Thai curry?  Bursting in flavor, this sauce is very versatile and so easy to make!  I have eaten it with quinoa and with noodles. Of course, you can also go the traditional route and eat it with rice.  This makes quite a bit of sauce, so it is enough for several servings.  And as long as you know how to chop and stir, you should be able to make this dish!  Be careful, because once you start eating it, you might find it hard to stop!  This recipe is made without curry powder or paste, since I don’t have any on hand and am reluctant to go buy something that can only be used for one type of dish.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium red onion, 1/2 thinly chopped and 1/2 thickly chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup raw creamy almond butter
• 2 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 cup water
• 1 can full fat coconut milk
• 3 tbsp lime juice and their zest (about 1 1/2 tsp)
• 1 tbsp maple syrup (optional)
• crushed red peppers, to your taste
• 1 package tempeh
• 3 medium carrots, sliced into 1/4″ thin strips
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced into 3/4″ long thin strips
• 1 potato, largely chopped (optional)

1. Heat oil in large skillet or wok over medium-low heat and add thinly chopped onion, ginger, and garlic, cooking until tender (about 10 minutes).
   
2. Add almond butter, turmeric, and cumin and stir for a few minutes.
3. Whisk in water, coconut milk, lime juice and zest, maple syrup, and red peppers, and bring to simmer.  Season with salt.
   
4. Add thickly chopped onion, carrots, and bell pepper, simmering over medium-low heat and stirring occasionally until carrots are tender, about half an hour.  Season with salt.  If you are adding potatoes, you may want to add a little more water so that there is enough curry to coat all the vegetables.
   

And there you have it!  I served mine with quinoa – delicious!

Arm Balances

Arm balances look intimidating.  They feel intimidating.  But they’re fun, trust me!  Crow pose is what I like to call the gateway arm balance pose.  Once you figure your way out of crow pose, you understand arm balances much better, and the more advance arm balances become easier to work your way around.  The reason crow pose is the best way to start getting into arm balances is because the distribution of your weight is condensed into a small, compact area, so it makes it easier to determine your balance.  So here are a few tips:

1. Understand that it’s not so much a matter of arm strength or balance, but of learning how to distribute your weight.
2. The closer your get your knees to your arm pits, the easier it’ll be.  Positioning your knees outside your arms and pushing into your arms while keeping your arms engaged will help you maintain stability.
3. Getting into this pose doesn’t involve lifting up, but leaning forward into your hands until your feet lift off.  Then tuck your feet in if you can.
4. Most people look down at the floor – try to look more forward.  Looking at the floor is a good way to find yourself there.
5. Engage your pelvic muscles for more stability.
6. BREATHE!

And that’s it!  Hopefully these tips will help you get into this fun and simple pose!

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