For the last couple of weeks I haven't been eating meat, not just by choice as I'm also finding it difficult to stomach! Reducing our intake of red meat in particular (pork, beef and lamb), has been proven to have a protective effect on our health. For example the National Cancer Institute conducted a study on 500,000 people and found that those who ate red meat daily were 30% more likely to die during a ten year period of any cause than those who ate the least amount of red meat. Regular consumption of processed meats like sliced ham or sausages further increased the risk.

Vegetarians generally consume fewer calories and less fat, have a lower incidence of obesity and a lower risk of heart disease than meat eaters do. Plant based diets that emphasise fruit, vegetables, grains, nuts and legumes are rich in fibre, vitamins and minerals but are naturally lower in protein. As a result I've been trying to up my intake of fish, something I have to admit I don't cook at home that often. This recipe however is super easy, quick and is packed full of flavour.

Ingredients

1tsp coconut oil
2 shallots
2 cloves of garlic
2tbsp green curry paste
1 tin of "light" coconut milk
1tsp fish sauce
Mixed vegetables of your choice (I've used tender stem broccoli, mange tout, baby sweet corn, green pepper)
100g of cooked prawns, in our out of the shell
1tsp palm sugar
1 lime
1tbsp chopped coriander to serve
1 finely sliced green chilli to serve
Plate on brown rice or wholegrain noodles

Heat the coconut oil in a large wok then add in the finely sliced shallots and minced garlic. Let that stir fry for 1-2 mins before adding in the curry paste. Heat the paste for a further minute before adding the coconut milk and fish sauce. Bring this mixture to a simmer and then add in your vegetables. Leave them to cook for a couple of minutes until soft and then add in your prawns. As they are pre-cooked you will only need to heat them through, don't over cook them as they will go rubbery, a minute or two should be fine. Taste the sauce and if it needs a little sweetening add in the palm sugar. Serve your curry on a bed of brown rice or noodles with a wedge of lime, a sprinkle of coriander and some sliced green chilli. If you wanted an extra hit of protein you could always throw some nuts on top too, cashews or peanuts would work perfectly!