Easy coconut curry sauce

Every once in a while I like to cut way back on carbs and sugar to reset my routine and reduce my cravings. Last year I read the book Always Hungry by David Ludwig and I was inspired to try his meal plan for a few weeks as a reset. If I remember correctly, Ludwig's general philosophy is that there's no one-size-fits-all approach to eating grains and sugar--some people can tolerate more than others without gaining weight. He also believes that in order to lose weight you need a lot of fat at first so your body doesn't cling to it. He starts off his three-phase meal plan with a high fat, low carb, zero grain and zero sugar (except for a few daily pieces of very dark chocolate) diet and after a couple of weeks he has you slowly introduce grains and sugar back in while monitoring your weight and cravings to see how much you can tolerate.

The meal plan and cooking schedule Ludwig wants you to follow was a little too intense for me, but a few recipes stood out. Last night I made one of my favorites, a super easy coconut curry that you can put on any protein. I sautéed a package of extra-firm tofu with a cup of chickpeas, then threw in two diced carrots, a chopped red pepper and the curry sauce. I brought it to a boil, covered it and let it simmer for 5-7 minutes. I topped it with some cilantro and served it on a bed of spinach, but rice, grated carrots or cauliflower rice are all good too.

David Ludwig's Coconut Curry Sauce
Makes about 2 1/2 cups (approximately 4 servings if you use my tofu method above)

3/4 cup raw cashes
3/4 cup water
1 1/4 cups canned coconut milk
1-inch piece of fresh ground ginger, peeled and chopped
1 small garlic clove
2 tablespoons curry powder
Red pepper flakes (optional)
1 teaspoon salt

Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. The sauce will keep for 1-2 weeks in the fridge.