Recipe #17: Paleo/ Low Carb English Muffins

 Before

After microwaving 

 Split using a fork

Toasted to perfection & slathered with butter!

A friend recently went low carb, and her 11 year old son enthusiastically joined in.  Great!  But for sack lunches, he still preferred sandwiches.  I shared with my friend a couple of solutions, like making wraps with low carb tortillas or low carb, homemade crepes or making rolls, pitas, or bread loaves from Simple Mills brand Artisan Bread mix.  
http://www.simplemills.com/products/almond-flour-focaccia-sandwich-bread-mix
But here is another QUICK, make-ahead option that can be used at lunchtime or breakfast: English muffins!  Shhh - a personal weakness of mine.  ;-)  I started with an online inspiration recipe: 
http://beautyandthefoodie.com/quick-paleo-english-muffins/ 
And this is what I came up with.  Enjoy!!!  Next I'm going to try a cinnamon raisin version! Yum.

Ingredients:

• 1 Egg
• 1 Tbsp Milk or Coconut Milk
• 1 Tbsp Coconut Flour
• 1 Tbsp Ground Flaxseed
• ½ Tbsp Salted Butter or Coconut Oil + sprinkle of Salt
• ½ tsp Baking Powder
• A pinch of Date Sugar

1. Melt the butter in a small, round, glass ramekin by microwaving for 30-40 seconds
2. In a separate bowl, beat the egg
3. Add the rest of the ingredients to the egg except for the melted butter, being careful to scrape & stir until lump free
4. After achieving a more uniform mixture, add the melted butter (this butter will have had a chance to cool off without resolidifying so as not to prematurely cook the eggs; also, the traces of butter left in the ramekin allow the English muffin to release easily later)
5. Pour the mixture back into the buttered ramekin
6. Microwave for 1 ½ minutes, until middle is firm
7. Allow the muffin to cool until it is comfortable to handle
8. To unmold, simply turn the ramekin over to allow the muffin to fall into your hand - voila!
9. Split the muffin by piercing it with a fork all around its circumference or by cutting with a serrated knife (personally, I prefer the fork method because you get a bumpy surface with nooks & crannies where butter can pool - oh, yeah!)
10. Toast in toaster oven or a wide-slot toaster
11. Butter liberally! :-D

*** One note of caution: this English muffin, my faux cornbread,  and many other low carb bread recipes are egg-based and may spoil if left at room temperature for long.  To be safe, I would pack my sack lunches with an icepack in an insulated bag and then eat them before too long - do NOT leave them to be eaten at the end of a long day!!! Also, store your faux bread in the frig inside an airtight container to prevent drying out. ***

Recipe #16 - Hot Dog IN Bun in honor of July 4th

You are FREE to Name It: Hot Dog IN Bun...Pig in a Blanket...Toad in the Hole

In honor of the Fourth of July, I present this recipe idea: Hot Dog IN Bun.  Or you could call it a 'pig in a blanket' (one of my childhood, school cafeteria favorites) or a 'toad in the hole' for you Brits.  Using Simple Mills (R) Artisan Bread almond flour mix, the 'dinner rolls' option - one of our new favorite low carb/ paleo/ primal products (see link below) - we poured the bread mixture into 4 well-buttered, 6"x6", glass molds lined with two hot dogs each.  We prefer organic, no nitrates/nitrites brands.  Bake for 25 minutes at 350degF or until a toothpick comes out cleanly from the middle of the molds.  The hot dogs in buns come out easily if you loosen up the edges with a knife prior to unmolding and cooling on cookie cooling racks.  Cut each set of twins in two to serve.  Then you will never again have the problem of too many buns for your pack of hot dogs!  ;-)  The net carbs per dog: 13.5g.  Not bad at all!  Load it up with any condiments you like: mustard, ketchup, relish, chili & cheese with chopped onions.

http://www.simplemills.com/products/almond-flour-focaccia-sandwich-bread-mix 

Recipe #15: Paleo/ Low Carb Brownies

Who doesn't like brownies?  

Lately, my husband renewed his efforts to live the low carb lifestyle after dabbling with intermittent fasting combined with a more conventional American diet.  Although his waistline stayed the course, his lipid profile went totally off course.  So, now I'm making new efforts to add variety to the family nutrition program, and, hopefully, get the kids a bit more on board this time around.

Hence, BROWNIES!  Taste & texture are really key.  Using this inspiration recipe: 

http://alldayidreamaboutfood.com/2012/08/peanut-butter-swirl-brownies-low-carb-and-gluten-free.html

I concocted my own tasty, chocolatey goodness.  The only thing that could make them better is some walnuts or no sugar added chocolate chunks!

For the requisite dark chocolate, I used a combination of Ghirardelli 100% cacao unsweetened baking chocolate (4 oz) & Simply Balanced (Target brand) 85% cacao dark chocolate (3 oz).  

And instead of erythritol or an artificial sweetener, I used a combination of date sugar (which is simply ground dates!!! totally paleo-compliant) & monk fruit.  Date sugar is a particularly good choice because it's got fiber, vitamins, minerals, & antioxidants, in addition to a more complex flavor that works well with chocolate.

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter (LOW CARB) or coconut oil (PALEO)
• 7 oz very dark chocolate (85 to 90% cacao)
• 1/2 cup date sugar
• 4 packets of monk fruit sweetener
• 5 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup almond flour
• 1/4 cup ground flaxseed
• 1/2 tsp non-aluminum baking powder

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 deg F and butter an 8x8 inch baking pan.
2. In a saucepan over low heat, melt the butter and chocolate while stirring until smooth.
3. Add the date sugar & monk fruit sweetener and stir until well combined.
4. Let cool 10 minutes.
5. Whisk the eggs & vanilla in a separate bowl.  Then temper (add a little bit with continual mixing) the eggs with the cooled chocolate mixture until all the chocolate is mixed into the eggs.
6. In another bowl, whisk the dry ingredients together to break up lumps.  Then stir the dry ingredients into the chocolate & egg mixture until the batter is smooth.
7. Spread batter in prepared baking pan. 
8. Bake 18 to 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
9. Cool, then cut into squares.  ENJOY! :-)

Recipe #14: Banana Pancakes

Banana Pancakes - before & after

Sometimes, a girl's just gotta have pancakes with lots of syrup!  There are some awesome low carb pancake recipes out there.  This is my version.  I wrote it for my friend who gave me a giant bunch of bananas left over from fresh fruit Friday at school.  :-)  

The addition of ground flaxseed gives these pancakes an omega-3 fatty acid punch which has a myriad of health benefits.  And if you use omega-3 enriched eggs, even better!  Unlike omega-6 fatty acids, which are so easy to come by in the typical American diet, omega-3s are sometimes neglected, especially if one does not like seafood or cannot eat walnuts.  These fatty acids are termed 'essential' because our bodies cannot manufacture them; they must be absorbed from our diet.  Omega-3s reduce inflammation, benefit heart health as well as joint health, and even contribute to proper blood clotting and brain function.  http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/omega-3/  So, eat up!

2 frozen bananas, defrosted
3 jumbo eggs or 4 large eggs
2 tbsp ground flaxseed
dash of cinnamon

Squeeze out the banana from its skin into a large bowl, being careful to get the 'tail' out, which is hard & unappetizing.  :-P  The bananas are so mushy at this point that you don't have to do any work of mashing them.  They slip right out of the skin, and you only have to use your whisk to break them up while mixing in all the remaining ingredients.  It's that easy.  Cook the batter as you would normal pancakes.  I use a cast iron skillet with olive oil. Instead of forming bubbles when the pancakes are ready to flip, this pancake will get slightly dry and browned at the edges.  Makes ~8 pancakes.  Enjoy with your favorite low carb syrup or with a dusting of xylitol powder.  I like to use a touch of agave nectar.

Inspiration recipe: http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/originals/06/20/ec/0620ec30a89e904eae2ce55ac080ab25.jpg

Recipe #13: Cranberry Cherry Almond Muffins

Cranberry Cherry Almond Muffins - before & after

It's been a while since my last posting.  In the interim, we went through an unrelated cancer surgery & treatment with my mom and a series of shoulder surgeries & treatments for my husband...three deaths in the family, one of which was related to diabetes.  Then a friend's news of health challenges.  All this together woke me up again.  Or rather, it all restoked the fire of looking after my own health.

I'll get back on the wagon with this recipe for cranberry cherry almond muffins.  Cranberries are well known anecdotally to benefit your bladder & kidneys.  Additionally, they have a two-fold benefit in fighting cancer.  Cranberries have been shown to decrease DNA damage to start with, which is the defect that can lead to the formation of cancer cells of all types.  Then once cancer is started, substances in cranberries can help decrease cancer proliferation while supporting healthy cell function.  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/nalini-chilkov/cranberries-health_b_2308526.html   Cherries similarly fight cancer cell proliferation while decreasing inflammation and supporting healthy cell function.  http://www.aicr.org/foods-that-fight-cancer/tab-content/cherries-research.html

Readers of my blog may notice that this recipe includes coconut sugar rather than an artificial sweetener.  I've been personally moving away from artificial non-caloric sweeteners and trying out natural alternatives that are either no calorie or low glycemic.  You could very easily, though, sub in Splenda for the coconut sugar and reduce the stevia & monkfruit packets to 3 each.

Don't have cranberries or cherries?  Toss in a cup of frozen blueberries!   These tiny, brightly colored fruits are now famous for their many health benefits.  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23387969

Dry:

2   cups almond flour

¼ cup ground flaxseed

1/3 cup coconut sugar

4 packets monkfruit

4 packets stevia

2 tsp baking powder

Wet:

1/3  cup water

1/4 cup dried chopped cranberries reconstituted in the water

2/3 cup chopped frozen cherries

3 jumbo eggs or 4 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp almond extract

1 stick salted butter melted and cooled slightly

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line 1-12 muffin pan with paper liners or grease an 8"x8" square pan with butter. 

In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients.  Use a spoon to pulverize any baking powder clumps.  Add the wet ingredients save for the butter.  Mix until combined.  Then drizzle the melted butter into the batter while stirring to prevent the hot butter from cooking the raw eggs.

Pour batter into the muffin tin/pan.  Bake for 16 minutes until golden brown and an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 15-20 minutes.  Have them as is or serve with more butter or Melt organic buttery spread if you like!  :-D

Recipe #12 - Holiday Cookies

Holiday Cookies - Before & After

My friend was in a quandry.  She started a low carb nutrition regimen right as the holidays began.  A smart move, in my opinion, to avoid holiday waist inflation!  ;-)  But her usual holiday MO was to make copious quantities of baked goods to give away.  And in the process, much cookie dough was also consumed.  What to do?  This one is for you, friend!


Ingredients for the cookie base (vanilla shortbread)

• 2 cups almond flour
• 1/2 cup Splenda
• 7 packets stevia powder
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) room temperature salted butter
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For almond cookies:  add 2 teaspoons almond extract

For pecan sandies: add 3/4 cup chopped pecans & roll dough balls in powdered xylitol (Ideal Confectionary Sweetener) before baking & do not press cookies

For chocolate cookies:  add 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

For snickerdoodles:  add 1 teaspoon almond extract + 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

For chocolate chip cookies:  add 3/4 cup sugar-free chocolate chips or 3/4 cup raw cocao nibs

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Line a muffin tin with paper liners (makes ~20 cookies).  Combine all ingredients using a fork. Form dough into balls using two teaspoons (form 'quenelles' for you chef wannabes). Bake for 7 minutes. Press the dough balls down lightly with the back of a spoon to fill the bottom of the muffin cup (makes a nice round cookie).  Continue baking for another 17 minutes or until just browned on the edges.

Inspiration recipe: http://www.lowcarbluxury.com/recipes/recipe-cookie02.html

Recipe #11 - Spaghetti Squash



Spaghetti Squash - before & after


I have my dear college roommate from junior & senior years to thank for this recipe.  She introduced me to this unusual vegetable.  It looks like any old squash on the outside but cooks up into a crispy noodle facsimile which you pull out from the shell.  Amazing!  I typically serve it with bolognese sauce, but spaghetti squash noodles would work with almost any sauce, even including a chow mein/ lo mein preparation.  The recipe to prepare the noodles is this simple:

1) wash the outside of the squash
2) slice the squash in half across the shorter diameter
3) use a spoon to scrape out the seeds & stringy gunk from the middle
4) place the squash cut side down in a microwave-safe dish, then fill the dish with water 1 cm deep (that's 1/4 of an inch, y'all)
5) microwave 4-7 minutes (depending on size of the squash) on full power
6) carefully remove the squash from the dish (it's so cool - the water gets 'sucked up' into the squash cavity while cooking, & the dish will look dry when you take it out; but when you pick the squash up, the hot water gushes back out of the squash into the pan)
7) use a fork to scrape out the spaghetti squash strands, fluffing any chunks to separate the 'noodles'

Carb-Face & Gout

Carb-face: before carbs & after!!!

It happened to me!  I can still hardly believe it!  I got a raging case of carb-face on Thanksgiving day after waking up from my post carbalicious luncheon nap.  The corner of my left eye swelled up like a tiny water balloon because I had been lying on my left side, which ironically is supposed to be better for circulation & blood return to the heart - a habit I picked up during my pregnancies (see links below for more info on SOS - sleeping on side).  Evidently, my face inflated due to post-carb binging water retention, which then pooled into the dependent  (ie hanging down) portion of my face during my snooze!  http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/10/25/the-benefits-of-left-side-sleeping/  http://www.babyzone.com/askanexpert/sleeping-positions-pregnancy


What is carb-face?  It is the bane of all Hollywood starlets as well as many regular folk.  http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1168651/Could-Hollywoods-beauty-gurus-turn-Anna-Richardson-starlet-just-weeks.html  Carb-face is a catchy way to describe bloating that shows up, especially in the face, after consuming a large amount of simple carbohydrates (sugar, white rice, pie, cornbread stuffing, etc!!!).  Some doubt that it is real but now I am a believer!

Why does carb-face happen?  We expect bloating after having a lot of salty foods or sports drinks but not so much with sugary or starchy foods.  In a nutshell, insulin acts on the kidneys to retain sodium while dumping potassium.  This link to a research abstract describes this in technical lingo: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2676669

In fact, the following review article abstract explains something that I had also observed during my low carb sojourn: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9377725  The effect of insulin on the kidneys is such that uric acid is not cleared as effectively from the blood. http://ajpendo.physiology.org/content/268/1/E1.abstract  Increased uric acid concentrations can lead to gout (joint pain due to uric acid crystal formation in the synovial fluid). http://arthritis.about.com/od/gout/a/gettoknowgout_2.htm   I used to suffer with joint pain in my hands, which weakened my grip & things constantly slipped out of my hands, and in my bunions, which felt like an icepick stabbing into my feet.  When I went low carb, absolutely unexpectedly, my chronic joint pain disappeared.  I had been to the point of consulting my doctor who then referred me to a rheumatologist.  But before I made the appointment with the specialist, I noted the disappearance of the pain.  It does come back after cheating with high carb treats but it resolves again when I eat clean.  This link is to a blog by a DO (osteopathic doctor; they go through a slightly different medical school program than MDs but go through the same internship & residency programs to practice medicine & gain specializations) who explains the phenomenon in a more understandable way than the more technical papers & abstracts: http://www.nemechekconsultativemedicine.com/?page_id=1364

This uric acid retention also tends to promote kidney stone formation: http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/539022  Kidney stones are supposed to be exquisitely painful, something I hope never to experience myself!

Some may think that one is vanity driven to be concerned about carb-face.  But carb-face may be a surface indication of more insidious, health-damaging processes occurring inside your body - arthritis & joint disfigurement and kidney stone formation.  It's not vanity to want to protect your mobility and renal function!  Check out the Lance Armstrong Foundation website for info on how to beat carb-face: http://www.livestrong.com/article/251123-how-to-burn-facial-fat/

Recipe #10 - Cheesecake



Cheesecake - before & after

The holidays are upon us, so this is the perfect time to share a dessert recipe to get you through the minefield of sweets that will stretch through Valentine's Day!!!  This cheesecake is not just a nice dessert/ teatime snack; I often have a slice for breakfast when I'm too rushed to whip up eggs.  I eat it plain or with some fresh berries or with a dollop of sugar-free preserves.  It's a fairly simple recipe aside from the laborious mixing & the long baking time.  I've included a variation for CHOCOLATE flavor, too!

Ingredients:

Crust:

·         1 ½ cups almond meal

·         1 heaping Tablespoon wheat bran

·         1 heaping Tablespoon ground flaxseed

·         3 Tablespoons butter

·         2 Tablespoons Splenda

Filling:

·         3 packages (1 ½ lbs) full fat cream cheese (room temperature)

·         4 eggs (room temperature)

·         2 Tablespoons vanilla

·         1 teaspoon almond extract

·         1 ½ teaspoons ( ½ Tablespoon) lemon juice

·         1 1/3 cups Splenda (or 3/4 cup Splenda + 7 packets stevia)

·         1/4 cup full fat sour cream

Preheat the oven to 400F.  Melt the butter in a 8"x8" baking dish.  Add the remaining crust ingredients & mix to evenly disperse the melted butter.  Then smooth out the crumbly mixture over the bottom & lower sides of the dish to form the crust.  Bake for ~7 minutes, until the crust is golden NOT brown.

While the crust is baking, mix all the ingredients for the filling, save for the cream cheese, in a large mixing bowl until well-combined.  I use a whisk for a little biceps workout!  But you wimps (lucky dogs!!!) with stand mixers can use those instead.  ;-)  Next, whip in the cream cheese, one packet at a time, so that the final cheesecake will be airy & smooth rather than dense & lumpy.  ROOM TEMPERATURE cream cheese & eggs are key here!  Top the baked crust with the filling mixture then return to the oven.  Immediately lower the oven temperature to 250F.  Then bake for 1 hour or more until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.  My cheesecake always cracks, which I hear is a no-no.  But I don't mind - it doesn't affect the flavor.  Chill then enjoy!

For chocolate cheesecake:

Crust: Use ground hazelnuts instead of almond flour + 2 Tablespoons cocoa

Filling: use 1 Tablespoon cocoa + almond extract + vanilla – lemon juice

Inspiration recipe: http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/desserts/r/lcarbcheesecake.htm

Recipe #9 - Moussaka



Moussaka - before & after

 Moussaka is a labor of love.  It is a solid two hours+ of cooking.  I kid you not.  This is not a recipe for a quick dinner.  If you've never had it, moussaka is a yummy heartiness that you will CRAVE after you taste it for the first time.  When I make this, my husband tells me not to invite anyone over for lunch so that there will be more left over for him at dinnertime! 

I've adjusted a traditional recipe according to my cupboard: tarragon replaces herbes fines; tomato basil pasta sauce subs in for plain tomato sauce; long Japanese eggplants replace regular eggplants which tend to have large, hard seeds; and the egg is left out of the meat layer (one less step which seemed superfluous anyway).

Moussaka has a bechamel sauce on the top layer.  Bechamel starts with a roux, which is butter-fried FLOUR!  Not low carb by a long shot.  So my version uses soy flour and my sauce secret weapon - cornstarch.  Corn can be a friend; a tiny amount of cornstarch can thicken sauces like a pile of flour, and baby corn is a high-fiber yet tender veggie which is not yet loaded with carbs like the mature corn on the cob.

Ingredients:

• 4 large, long Japanese eggplants, cut lengthwise into 1/2 inch thick slices
• salt
• canola oil for frying
•  
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• salt to taste
• ground black pepper to taste
• 2 onions, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon tarragon
• 2 tablespoons dried parsley
• 1/2 (25 ounce) jar tomato basil pasta sauce
• 1/2 cup red cooking wine (or whatever red you have available)
•  
• 4 cups Mootopia (hi protein reduced carb) milk
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) salted butter
• 6 tbsp soy flour
• 1 heaping tsp cornstarch dissolved in a splash of cold milk
• 1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano/Pecorino Romano cheese divided into 1/3 cup portions
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
ground white pepper, to taste

Directions:

1.     Lay the slices of eggplant on paper towels; sprinkle lightly with salt then set aside to draw out excess water while preparing the meat layer.

2.     In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter.  Then add the ground beef, salt and pepper to taste, onions, and garlic. After the beef is browned, add the cinnamon, nutmeg, tarragon, parsley, pasta sauce, and wine.  Mix well. Simmer for a few minutes to evaporate the alcohol from the wine. Remove from heat.  (I don't salt my beef because the cheese, butter, cooking wine, & eggplant already have plenty of salt)

3.    In another skillet, heat the canola oil on medium. Fry the eggplant until browned & softened. Set aside on paper towels to drain. When adding more oil to the pan, pour oil in on the side of the pan closest to you, then tip the pan away from you to spread the oil throughout the pan.  This avoids splatters in your face!!!
4.     To make the bechamel sauce, begin by warming the milk in the microwave (use your Pyrex measuring cup to save washing up too many vessels). Melt the stick of butter in the eggplant skillet over medium heat (bits of caramelized eggplant flavor will enhance the béchamel). Whisk in soy flour until smooth. Lower heat; gradually pour in the warm milk, the dissolved cornstarch, & 1/3 cup of grated cheese.  Whisk constantly until it thickens.  Season with white pepper. 
5.     Preheat oven to 350F.  Meanwhile, arrange a layer of eggplant in a buttered 9x13 inch baking dish. Cover eggplant with all of the meat sauce.  Sprinkle 1/3 cup of cheese over the meat. Cover with remaining eggplant, and sprinkle another 1/3 cup of cheese on top. Pour the bechamel sauce over the top, and sprinkle with the nutmeg.
6.    Bake for 45 minutes - 1 hour at 350F.

Original recipe: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/moussaka/detail.aspx

Recipe #8 - Chicken Curry in a Hurry

Chicken Curry in a Hurry - before & after

I love to start my recipes with a 'before & after' photo.  Just as it can be inspiring to see personal transformations, cooking transformations may inspire you to try something new!

I don't like to cook very spicy so that the kids can also partake.  If you want some fire though, add 1 tsp red chili powder when you add the ginger or 1 whole fresh jalapeno when you add the tomato or spice it up to your own taste.

One technique that I mentioned previously (see Recipe #7 - Indonesian-Inspired Chicken with Snow Peas & Baby Corn) is marinating the protein with cornstarch.  This is an oriental technique that you don't find in authentic South Asian cooking.  But it lends itself to a speedy preparation.  Real Indian curry is simmered for-EVER to produce that awesome flavor.  You know when your curry is done because the oil separates from the sauce (a trick I learned from my in-laws).  To speed things up, I use the cornstarch to tenderize the meat and thicken the sauce.

Indian curry is usually served with rice or flat bread - a refined carb of some kind.  Serve yours with a cucumber & tomato salad or in a lettuce cup for a reduced carb, refreshing taste that won't bulk you up.  Or scoop it up with a reduced carb tortilla.  Cucumber salad is super easy to make: slice up your cukes & tomatoes however you like; then splash with lemon/lime juice & sprinkle on some salt to your taste plus a dollop of Greek yogurt too to cool off the palate.  Done!

Ingredients:
2 tbsp coconut oil
½  white onion, finely minced
2 tsp garlic, minced
2 tbsp ginger, minced
1 cup tomato, diced (I prefer grape tomatoes)
1 ½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 tbsp (yellow) curry powder
½ tbsp. corn starch
Drizzle of canola oil (~1 tsp)
1 ½ tsp sea salt (or to taste)
1 tsp Splenda
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

Marinate chicken with corn starch, curry powder, & canola oil.  Preheat a skillet over medium high heat.  Add the coconut oil and sauté the onion until translucent; add garlic, salt, & ginger and continue to cook until caramelized (slightly brown).  Add the chicken and cook until the chicken is browned on all sides.  Add the tomato, salt, Splenda, and coconut milk.  Reduce heat to medium low and simmer until the chicken is cooked through & sauce thickens.  Remove from heat and stir in the cilantro. 

Original recipe: http://www.eclecticcook.com/quick-chicken-curry/