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If you've ever tried the Autoimmune Protocol (or know you can't tolerate nightshades) and found yourself staring at a plate of plain chicken and steamed vegetables, wondering how long you can actually sustain this, this post is for you.
One of the biggest myths about AIP is that it has to be boring, restrictive, and time-consuming. That's simply not true – and this Golden Curry Sauce is proof. It's AIP-compliant, nightshade-free, deeply flavorful, and one of the most versatile things you can have in your freezer. I made it on my latest YouTube video alongside talking to Mickey Trescott, and let me tell you – it delivered.
But before we get to the recipe, let's talk about something important: the protocol itself has changed, and in the best possible way.
Modified AIP: The Version Most of Us Should Be Doing
AIP has been around for about 15 years. The original version – now called Core AIP – eliminates grains, legumes, eggs, nuts, seeds, and dairy. It's rigorous, and it works. But over the past two years, something significant has shifted in the AIP community: Modified AIP was introduced, and it's changing everything.
Modified AIP adds back a handful of foods that make the protocol significantly more accessible without compromising results:
- Rice (but not other grains)
- Ghee (but not other dairy)
- Legumes including lentils and chickpeas
- Seeds and pseudo-grains like quinoa and buckwheat
According to Mickey Trescott, Modified AIP yields similar results to Core AIP based on all the published medical research – but it's more affordable, easier to sustain long-term, and opens the door for people who are vegetarian or have higher carbohydrate needs. She now recommends that anyone starting AIP today begin with the modified version.
So who should do Core AIP? Mickey points to people with IBD – Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis – who are in an active flare and need to move fast. A pilot study showed 73% clinical remission in just six weeks using Core AIP. For those of us with Hashimoto's, Modified AIP tends to be the more sustainable and equally effective path.
One more important thing to know: the elimination phase is meant to last 30 to 90 days – no more, no less. If you've been on it for three months and aren't seeing improvement, that's not a signal to keep going. It's a signal to troubleshoot, look for underlying factors, and potentially work with a practitioner.
The Book That Brings It All Together
Mickey Trescott's newest book, The New Autoimmune Protocol, is exactly what it sounds like: a modern guide to AIP that reflects 15 years of community experience, clinical practice, and published medical research — including the introduction of Modified AIP. It covers both Core and Modified versions of the protocol, walks you through the reintroduction phase (something older resources barely touched), and includes an entirely new recipe library designed for real life — accessible ingredients, basic kitchen tools, and meals that are done in 20 to 30 minutes. I used Mickey's first book back in 2014 when I reversed my own Hashimoto's and celiac symptoms, and this new one is every bit as essential. It's available wherever books are sold, and internationally via Kindle.
Golden Curry Sauce (nightshade-free, AIP)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons coconut or avocado oil
- 1 onion (roughly chopped)
- 1 2-inch piece ginger, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
- 3 garlic cloves (minced)
- 1 cup bone broth (homemade or store-bought)
- 1 light-fleshed sweet potato (cut into 1-inch pieces (about 2 cups))
- 2 teaspoons tamarind paste
- 1 tablespoon ground turmeric
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1½ teaspoons sea salt
- 1 14-ounce can coconut milk (check ingredients)
- 1½ tablespoons lemon juice (about ½ lemon)
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. When the pan is hot, add the onion and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes, or until lightly browned and translucent. Add the ginger and garlic and cook, stirring, for another minute, or until fragrant.
- Add the bone broth, sweet potato, tamarind, turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, and salt to the pot and mix. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce the heat to maintain a simmer. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are soft. Add the coconut milk and lemon juice and let the mixture cool for 5 minutes.
- When cool enough, carefully pour the mixture into a blender and secure the lid tightly. Place a kitchen towel on the lid to protect your hand, then blend for 30 seconds on high speed, or until fully combined and smooth.
- Use the sauce to drizzle over meats or vegetables, or for reimagining leftovers. If not using immediately, transfer to a storage container and keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 week; it also freezes well.
Notes
- Coconut milk: Many brands contain guar gum, which is technically removed on strict AIP to rule out digestive sensitivity. Look for a guar gum-free version if you're in the elimination phase.
- Sweet potato: Light-fleshed sweet potatoes are called for, but a regular orange sweet potato works fine – the sauce all gets blended anyway.
- Freezing: Freeze in half-cup portions using Souper Cubes, silicone muffin trays, or ice cube trays. Once frozen (at least 8 hours), pop them out and store in a freezer-safe container. This is one of the best things you can have on a low-energy day.
- Making it a meal: Roast a sheet pan of broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, and boneless skinless chicken thighs at 425°F for 30 minutes. Reheat, add the sauce, and simmer together for a few minutes. That's it – a full, deeply satisfying curry with almost no active effort.
Nutrition
This Is What Healing Food Should Feel Like
Healing with autoimmune disease doesn't have to mean eating sad, flavorless food. It doesn't have to mean hours in the kitchen or a list of rules so long you give up before you start. It means finding the foods and habits that work for your body – and building a life around them that you actually want to live.
That's what Modified AIP is about. That's what Mickey's book is about. And that's what this sauce is about.
Make a big batch. Freeze half. And on the day you have zero energy and just need something nourishing on the table, you'll be so glad you did.
Watch the full video with Mickey Trescott here
Get The New Autoimmune Protocol here
Follow Mickey:
Instagram: @mickeytrescott
Website: theautoimmuneprotocol.com
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