Have a great day - eat something healthy.

Sunday, March 6, 2011

Curried Chickpeas (Adapted from Joan's on Third)

Here’s another instant success! I whipped this up and both Mark and I were amazed at how quickly it came together. And it's so rich and delicious; I think it would be great on a bed of leafy greens but if you don’t have time to toss up a salad, trust me, it stands on its own.

Curried Chickpeas (Adapted from Joan's on Third)

1/2 C diced onions
4 t best-quality olive oil
1/2 t turmeric
1/2 t cumin
1/2 t dried coriander
1/4 t cayenne pepper
2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained
2 T chopped fresh cilantro
1 T lemon juice, or to taste
Salt

In a large sauté pan heated over medium-high heat, sauté the onion in the olive oil until deep golden and crispy, about 6 to 8 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add the turmeric, cumin, coriander and cayenne pepper and cook, stirring constantly, until aromatic and lightly toasted, about 3 minutes.

Add the chickpeas, cilantro and lemon juice and continue to stir to develop the flavors, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and season with one-fourth teaspoon salt, or to taste.

Cool the salad, then transfer it to a container, cover and refrigerate until chilled before serving, at least 30 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning and lemon juice as desired. This makes just over 3 cups salad.

Nutrition per serving: 238 calories; 9 grams protein; 37 grams carbohydrates; 8 grams fiber; 6 grams fat; 1 grams saturated fat; 0 mg. cholesterol; 2 grams sugar; 276 mg. sodium. Makes 4 servings.

From LATimes.com

Cauliflower and Potato Tarkari (Potatoes and Cauliflower Curried with Tomatoes)

This is another thumbs-up dish from the my-husband-is-an-ominvore-but-will-eat-anything-that-tastes-really-good category. Savory, rich and satisfying, this dish instantly became a favorite we'll return to time and again. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Cauliflower and Potato Tarkari (Potatoes and Cauliflower Curried with Tomatoes)

2 C potatoes, diced
4 C cauliflower florets
1 C green peas
1 C onion, chopped
2 C tomatoes, diced
3 dried red chilies
1 bay leaf
1/2 t cumin seeds
1 t turmeric
1 T curry powder
1 t garlic, minced
1 t ginger, minced
1 t chili powder
2 C vegetable broth or water
4 T cooking oil
Salt and Pepper
2 T chopped cilantro (for garnish)

In a non-stick sauce pan, heat oil and fry dry red chilies, bay leaf and cumin seeds until dark. Add onion, turmeric, garlic, ginger, curry powder and chili powder and fry until brown. Add potatoes, salt and black pepper and fry on low heat for ten minutes or so until potatoes are lightly browned and cooked half way.

To the potatoes, add cauliflower and stir-fry for 10-15 minutes, gradually adding broth. When potatoes and cauliflower are almost done, add diced tomatoes and green peas and cook for five more minutes or so until all the liquid is completely absorbed. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve hot with rice or roti (flat bread).

From explorenepal.com

Curried Lentils

I just made this recipe for the first time and it was quick, easy and super tasty! This is another dish Mark and I will keep on the short list of go-to recipes. Just note that while prep time is short (think 10 minutes, max), the cooking time might go longer than the recipe calls for – I cooked my batch of lentils for an extra 25 minutes to get them to the consistency I like. But even so, if you can make this one ahead of time, just reheat it, make some basmati or brown rice, and toss up a leafy green salad. It’s a quick, healthy dinner in just a few minutes!

Curried Lentils

1 C brown or green lentils (I used brown)
2-3 T grapeseed or olive oil (I used 2T olive)
1 onion, chopped (I used a sweet yellow onion)
1 T chopped fresh ginger or 1 t powdered ginger (I used powdered)
1 or 2 carrots, peeled and finely diced (I used 2)
2 T chopped parsley or cilantro (I used cilantro)
1 T curry powder (I used ½ T hot curry powder and ½ T sweet curry powder)
2 C water or vegetable broth (I used vegetable broth)
1 t salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Pick over the lentils, removing any stones or debris. Rinse the lentils under cold running water, place in a colander, drain and set aside.

Heat the oil in a heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring well. Reduce the heat and stir in the onion, garlic, ginger, carrot and the parsley or cilantro. Sauté the vegetables for 3 or 4 minutes or until soft, stirring often (I let them cook for about 8 or 9 minutes to get the carrots nice and soft).

Add the curry powder and cook 1 minute or so longer, still stirring. Raise the heat a bit and stir in the water or vegetable broth, the salt, black pepper and the lentils. Bring the pot to a boil and then quickly reduce the heat to low.

Cover the pot and cook the lentils over low heat for about 25 minutes, or until the lentils are tender but not mushy, stirring a couple of times (be sure to just check them regularly - it took my batch about 45 minutes to get to a nice firm/soft consistency). Serve the lentils over cooked rice, couscous or macaroni.

Nutrition Per Serving: Calories – 243; Carbohydrates – 33g; Protein – 13g; Fat – 8g; Saturated fat – 1g; Cholesterol – 0mg; Sodium – 610mg; Calcium – 50mg; Dietary Fiber – 9g

From the Minneapolis StarTribune – Startribune.com