Vegalicious

Last week Hubby took me out to Portland and we visited Veggie Grill. Let me tell you–the best tasting vegan food I ever tasted outside of my own kitchen! Hands down! While not all of their offerings are healthy, they have a lot of great, heart healthy options.  I ended up enjoying their Butternut Squash Velvet soup and Bombay Bowl–a combination of many delicious veggies in a curry sauce.  While the food was delicious it was also super spicy. I am not a spicy food lover.

Fast forward a couple of days. I am in a pinch to make dinner. I am cooking for five. It has to be delicious. And, I already had precooked brown basmati rice.  So, I decided on curry, but quickly learned that I did not have coconut milk, which turned out a good thing after all. Did you know that even low fat coconut milk has about 14 grams of fat? None of that for us, especially with my Mother’s recent stroke.

I still wanted curry, but now I was going to figure out how to make it without coconut milk, which also meant that it was going to be much lower in fat (only about 3 grams of fat in a cup of almond milk).

20 minutes later I had perfect coconut sauce for my delicious rice.  In fact it was so good that I have to share it with you!

Make it, enjoy it–eat your way to health!

Share this recipe with others, and let me know how you liked it.

Low Fat Veggie Curry Recipe

yields 5 full servings, or double that as sauce over grain of your choice

if cooking for one, cut this recipe by at least a half!

Ingredients

• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 tbsp curry powder (or more, if you like it spicier)
• 2 tsp honey or maple syrup
• 1.5 tsp sea salt or to taste
• 5 springs of basil
• a handful of cilantro (see in the image below)

• 1/2 head large cauliflower
• 1 yellow onion
• 2 bell peppers of your choice (I had some mini peppers, so it took more)

• 2 cups mushrooms of your choice
• 4 medium carrots

• 6 cups almond milk (I used Whole Foods unsweetened milk)
•  1/2 cup whole wheat flour for thickening (for GF option you can use starch of your choice, but the amount might need to be adjusted)

• a huge handful of spinach

• 3-4 stalks of celery

Preparation

• peel and either mince garlic, or use a garlic press to press it

• chop mushrooms into smaller chunks

• cut onion

• place garlic, onion and mushrooms into a large skillet (I used an 11” Platinum skillet…but with the amount I was making, I ran out of room and later used a larger pot)
• add 1/8 cup filtered water
• place on medium heat
  
• either by hand, or using a mandolin, cut carrots
• add to the skillet, stir it in

• chop celery
• add to the skillet, stir it in

• take seeds out of bell peppers and cube them

• add the skillet

• cut cauliflower into bite size florets
• add to the skillet
• add curry, salt, and honey (or maple syrup); stir
• add 5.5 cups of almond milk
• stir; bring to light simmer and cover with a lid
• reduce heat to medium-low or low, if you have good cookware

(Platinum skillets, have an amazing gadget on the lid–a thermometer, which helps you watch the heat inside, so you do not overcook your vegetables)

• while curry is cooking, place flour into a bowl; slowly pour in 1/2 cup of almond milk, while whisking, so no clumps are formed

• slowly pour flour mixture into the pot, while stirring
• cover and cook for 5-7 minutes (I love my veggie crunchy, if you like yours softer, cook a little longer)
• chop herbs
• add spinach, basil and cilantro; cover the skillet
• cook for additional 2-3 minutes

• this curry can be enjoyed all by itself

• or over any of your favorite grains

 If served over rice, the dish is very filling, and wonderful during any time of the year, but especially in the winter. It is warming, comforting and makes you want to cuddle on a big soft couch.

Happy cooking!