After a month of relaxing at home, being thrown back into the craziness of a new semester was not exactly the kind of thing I had in mind upon my return to school. New classes, new teachers, and the work is already piling on. This week, however, brought me a new dilemma and taught me the importance of reaching out to my family and friends and not stressing, even when you think this may be the biggest issue in the world. I promise you, it’s not.
This semester I have an internship with a local organization, The Cookbook Project, which I’m beyond excited about. Before I got back, I thought I could be superwoman and balance classes and stacks of reading each night, this 60 hour internship, and a job. After this first week, I quickly realized that this was not the case—I would have to choose only two in order to keep my grades up. Naturally, the job would have to go because the internship is a graduation requirement. The realization of this quickly caused me to panic. I love working and making my own money and I didn’t want to feel like a slacker by not doing so. On the other hand, I didn’t want my GPA to suffer because I’m here at college to learn and to get good grades. It sounds silly, and now I realize it was, but I could not stop stressing about the situation and what decision I should make. What was a girl to do?
Without hesitation, I contacted the three most important people in my life. I talked with each of them, their genuinely kind words promising me that I could trust their opinions and have faith in my own decision. I knew that I had to quit my job and that it was not the end of the world. School comes first and I should not be so anxious about leaving my job. Money isn’t everything and there’s always an opportunity to work.
So why am I telling you all this? Simply because it took a stupid situation like this to teach me a couple of things. First off, remember that you always have people in your life that love and care about you. Reach out to them, ask for advice, and thank them for what they have to say. These people are here for you, no matter what. Secondly, it’s important to get a perspective on what you should or shouldn’t be stressing about. Clearly, I overreacted, when I should have sat down, taken some deep breaths, and thought it out. Jumping to anxiety should never be the first impulse. Instead, take a minute, breathe, and focus on your thoughts. If all else fails, reach out to those important people in your life!
Now enough about my week. Below is the delicious curry that I made tonight and I’m here to share it with you all. This is perfect if you’re craving some warm, spicy, coconut goodness and it makes some killer leftovers.
Coconut Curry (adapted from Half Baked Harvest)
Ingredients
- 1 can of coconut milk
- 1 tbs coconut oil
- 2 cups broccoli (fresh or frozen, I used frozen)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp ginger powder, or fresh ginger if you have it
- 3 tbs red curry paste
- 1/2 tbs cornstarch dissolved in 2 tbs water
- 1 cup of quinoa
- 2 cups of water
Directions
- Add coconut oil to pan over medium heat
- Saute the garlic and broccoli for about 3 mins
- Add in the coconut milk and let it simmer for 5-8 minutes, until the broccoli is soft, yet still crispy
- Add in the ginger powder and curry paste
- Bring to a boil, add in the cornstarch, and continue boiling for about a minute
- Reduce heat and let it cool slightly
- The cornstarch will thicken it as it cools
- In a saucepan, combine the quinoa with water
- Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and let simmer for about 15-20 minutes, or until all of the water is absorbed.
- Top the quinoa with the curry and eat it all. Nom nom.
Note: Meat is optional with this dish. I chose to sauté an individual portion of chicken in a pan and added it afterwards. You can cook the meat and add it to the entire vat of curry if that works too. You can also the substitute the quinoa for brown rice or white rice. Your choice!