Photo courtesy of OhSheGlows.com - mine disappeared too quickly!
I have been needing some quick and easy meals to prep lately that are still full of flavour and for those reasons this one is a hit! I love curries that have a bit of a kick to them as well as hearty stews like this that pack a punch of nutrients in one bowl. This is a great meal to cook on the weekend for your week day lunches, especially with the winter weather we are having lately, or a quick meal to make in the evening after work for the family. Angela from OhSheGlows never disappoints! This dish is vegan but so delicious, so for those carnivores out there, I challenge you to give this a try (hint hint to my guy!).
I used swiss chard for this dish, which is very high is essential minerals such as magnesium, iron and potassium. It is also very high in vitamin K, A and C. Two thumbs up! Butternut squash (and other winter squash) is higher in carbohydrates than other veggies since it is a starchy vegetable, however “despite its high-carb nature, winter squash has recently been shown to help steady the release of sugar inside of our digestive tract after being eaten, and to lessen our overall glycemic response to meals.”(1) Another two thumbs up!
Without further ado, the recipe:
Ingredients:
Curry:
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 14 oz (398 mL) can coconut milk
1 14 oz (398 mL) can diced tomatoes, with juices*
2 cups chopped cauliflower florets, bite sized
2 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash, bite sized
1/2 cup uncooked red lentils
2 tbsp red curry paste
1 tsp dried flaked onion (or 1/2 diced onion cooked first)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
3/4 tsp fine sea salt, or to taste
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
Lots of freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 cups packed stemmed and finely chopped swiss chard (or kale)
Other:
Cooked basmati or jasmine rice (or no grains)
Fresh chopped cilantro leaves
Fresh lime juice
Directions:
Add all of the curry ingredients except the swiss chard to a large pot, stir, and bring to a low boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, for 25 to 35 minutes, adding the swiss chard during the last 10 minutes.
Cook until the veggies and lentils are tender. Stir the curry every 5 minutes while cooking, and reduce the heat if necessary to prevent it sticking to the pot. Adjust seasoning if needed.
Serve over rice, if desired, and garnish with cilantro and a little lime juice (not necessary if you don’t have it).
Enjoy!
In health & happiness,
Dr. Karen
(1) http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=63