Coconut Curry Noodle Bowls

Over the years, many animals have come to make their home with us. I’ve jokingly referred to our property as the McCoy Petting Zoo because we’ve had a litany of baby lambs, cows, chickens, dogs, cats and even a a couple turkeys take up residence with us.

We’ve witnessed baby cows born in our pasture and chased naughty wild sheep through our front yard. My son rescued a very sick but unbelievably sweet German shepherd puppy out of the neighboring orchard and that same son brought home a feral kitten he found in an apple tree. We’ve made habitats on our back patio for blue tailed skinks and kept goldfish alive for years in the cow’s water tank.

My husband, thinking he was pulling off the best surprise, brought home five darling little jet black chicks. He thought he was buying Araucanas, which are black feathered chickens that lay blue eggs. Unbeknownst to us, a few baby turkeys got mixed in with the baby chicks at the farm store and that is the story of how we ended up with five very loud and not very cute turkeys.

We’ve had some heartbreaks over the years. Caring for animals is never easy and always comes with challenges. Our kids have had to say goodbye to a few animals under really tough circumstances. They’ve also had to clean up messes, chase down animals that escaped their structures, help repair fences and sprinkler heads, fill water tanks and help in dozens of other ways; usually at the spur of the moment and less than ideal timing.

But the most surprising addition to our petting zoo is an orange kitten named Lloyd. I’ve mentioned for years I want an orange cat and my husband always gave me the side eye as he’s not much of a cat person. But lo and behold, his coworker had a litter of kittens and suddenly all my dreams were coming true. His only request was to name the cat Lloyd. Why? I have no idea, but the name stuck and ironically fits his endearing and quirky little personality. Lloyd only sleeps on one specific couch cushion, loves hunting mice and having his chin scratched. He begs for food constantly getting underfoot in the kitchen, often comes when his name is called and he loves my husband the most, which is equal parts adorable and a little jealousy inducing.

With spring just around the corner, I’m sure we’ll have a new batch of animal babies to tend to; exactly what kind of babies, well that’s the surprise of it, we never quite know what’s to be. And speaking of spring, I just couldn’t go one more day without a light and bright recipe to share with you.

It’s a tough time of year as the warm comforting meals that got us through winter start to lose their luster but the fresh produce we’re craving is still months away. This sweet and spicy coconut curry bowl is the perfect middle ground bridging the gap between comfort food and something fresh and light for spring. Bright colorful veggies dot this easy noodle dish and an over the top delicious coconut curry sauce is exactly what we need for these early spring days.

I topped these bowls with toasted chickpeas for an easy hit of protein and fiber but cooked ground turkey or grilled chicken or salmon would all be lovely additions to this recipe. As we get a little farther into spring, don’t forget to toss in some asparagus with the veggies.

Coconut Curry Noodle Bowls

• 2 tablespoons sesame oil

• 1/2 medium white onion

• 1 tablespoon fresh minced ginger

• 2 tablespoons red curry paste

• 1 14-ounce can coconut milk

• 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken stock

• 3 tablespoons sugar

• 1 tablespoon garlic chili paste (sambal oelek)

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce

• 4 ounces rice noodles

• 1 red or orange bell pepper sliced

• 1 cup chopped broccoli florets

• 1 cup shredded carrots

• 1-2 cups shredded green and purple cabbage (coleslaw mix is a great and fast option)

• Curried roasted chickpeas

Sesame seeds for garnish

Fresh cilantro and lime wedges for serving

Curried roasted chickpeas

• 1 14-ounce can drained and rinsed garbanzo beans

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 teaspoon curry powder

• 1/2 teaspoon Chinese five spice

• Dash of cayenne pepper

• Dash of turmeric

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

Soak the rice noodles in a bowl of cold water for about 20 minutes or until they are soft. Drain and rinse the noodles before setting aside.

Heat one tablespoon sesame oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion and ginger and cook over medium heat for about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the curry paste, stirring constantly for an additional minute. Add the coconut milk, sugar, chili paste, soy sauce and chicken broth. Reduce the heat to simmer and allow to cook for 15 minutes while you prepare the rest of the dish. Stir occasionally allowing the sauce to thicken slightly.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Drain and rinse a can of garbanzo beans. Spread the beans on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Drizzle with oil and the spices and kosher salt. Gently shake the tray to evenly coat the beans with the spices. Bake in the oven, stirring at least once, for 20 minutes or until the beans are golden brown and crispy. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

In a large skillet, heat the remaining tablespoon of sesame oil over high heat. Add the carrots, broccoli and shredded cabbage to the pan, stir frying for about 5 minutes. Reserve a little bit of the shredded cabbage for garnish.

Add the noodles and toss around in the pan with the vegetables. Turn the heat off to the pan and add the sauce stir until the noodles and vegetables are well-coated. You don’t want to overcook the noodles or they will get a bit sticky.

To serve, scoop the rice noodles and vegetables into bowls. Garnish with the remaining cabbage, a scoop of the toasted chickpeas, cilantro leaves, sesame seeds and a lime wedge.