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Thai Winter Squash Stew

Many people roll their eyes when tofu is mentioned, but it’s high in protein and low in saturated fat, so we’re often on the lookout for new (good!) ways to use it. Serve this stew over basmati or jasmine rice. To reduce salt content, garnish with unsalted peanuts.

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 medium leeks, white parts only, thinly sliced and well washed (about 2 cups)
  • 1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 serrano chiles, stemmed, seeded, and minced
  • 1 tablespoon curry powder
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 3 tablespoons light soy sauce
  • 1 ½ pounds butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (4 cups)
  • One 13.5-ounce can coconut milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • One 14-ounce package extra firm tofu, drained and cut into small cubes
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 1⁄3 cup chopped unsalted peanuts, for garnish
  • 1⁄3 cup chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

Instructions

  1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the leeks and sauté for 3 minutes. Add the ginger, garlic, and serranos. Sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the curry powder, brown sugar, and soy sauce. Add the squash, coconut milk, salt, pepper, and 1 cup of water and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer until the squash is tender, about 15 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, in a large nonstick frying pan, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat, add the tofu, and sauté until golden brown, about 12 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  3. Add the sautéed tofu and the lime juice to the squash mixture and simmer for a minute. Serve over rice, garnishing with the chopped peanuts and cilantro.

Nutritional Profile

Serving size: 1 cup 
Calories: 521
Protein: 15 g
Fiber: 7 g
Fat: 38 g
Saturated fat: 22 g
Sodium: 1,245 mg
Vitamin A: 19,249 IU
Vitamin C: 49 mg
Vitamin E: 7 IU
Zinc: 2 mg
Beta-carotene: 7,888 μg
Lutein and zeaxanthin: 1,286 μg

Credit line: Recipe from Eat Right For Your Sight: Simple Tasty Recipes That Help Reduce the Risk of Vision Loss from Macular Degeneration,  BY JENNIFER TRAINER THOMPSON AND JOHANNA M. SEDDON, MD copyright © American Macular Degeneration Foundation, 2014. Reprinted by permission of the publisher, The Experiment. Available wherever books are sold.