Braised Coconut Spinach & Chickpeas with Lemon

 

Ingredients
  • 2 teaspoons oil or ghee
  • 1 small yellow onion
  • 4 large cloves garlic, peeled and minced
  • 1 tablespoon grated ginger, from a 3-inch piece
  • 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 large lemon, zested and juiced (about 2 tablespoons juice)
  • 1 dried hot red pepper or dash of red pepper flakes (optional)
  • 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained
  • 1 pound baby spinach
  • 15-ounce can coconut milk
  • 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
 
Directions
 
Whole roasted sweet potatoes
Cilantro leaves, to garnish 
Toasted unsweetened coconut, to garnish
 
Heat the oil or ghee in a large, deep Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the onion is beginning to brown. Add the garlic, ginger, sun-dried tomatoes, lemon zest and red pepper, if using. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
 
Add the chickpeas and cook over high heat for a few minutes or until the chickpeas are beginning to turn golden and they are coated with the onion and garlic mixture.
 
Toss in the spinach, one handful at a time. This will take about 5 minutes; stir in a handful or two and wait for it to wilt down and make room in the pot before adding the next handful. When all the spinach has been stirred in, pour in the coconut milk and stir in the salt, ground ginger, and lemon juice. Bring to a simmer then turn down the heat and cook for 10 minutes or until the chickpeas are warm through. Taste and add more salt and lemon juice, if necessary.
 
Serve hot over roasted sweet potatoes, with cilantro leaves and toasted unsweetened coconut to garnish.
 
Serving note: This is thick enough to eat on its own with a fork; it's not terribly soupy. But it's saucy enough to eat over pasta, rice, brown rice, quinoa, or another grain.
 
serves 4 as a main dish or 6 as a side
 

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Chili

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium red onion, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 large sweet potato, cubed
Zest and juice of 1 lime
2 796mL cans diced tomatoes
1 398mL can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 398mL can adzuki beans, rinsed and drained
1 hot banana pepper, seeded and chopped
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 cup chopped cilantro leaves, washed and dried

Directions

  1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat and add the onion, cook until soft.
  2. Add red pepper, saute until slightly soft.
  3. Add the sweet potato and lime zest, and cook 10 to 15 minutes more, continuing to stir occasionally.
  4. Add the garlic, tomatoes, beans, hot pepper, lime juice, cumin, and chili powder, bring to a simmer, cover, and cook until the sweet potato is soft.

    Serves 6.

 

Red Lentil & Vegetable Soup with Turmeric & Coconut Milk

Ingredients

  • 4 Tsp sunflower seed oil
  • 1 cup finely diced onion
  • 1 celery stalk, diced
  • 1 cup diced carrots
  • 1 cup finely diced winter squash, sweet potato, or zucchini (or some of each)
  • 1 small red bell pepper, finely diced
  • 3 tbs. cilantro stems, minced (lots is good)
  • 1 ½ tsp salt
  • 1 ½ tsp turmeric
  • ½ tsp ground cumin
  • 1 cup red lentils, rinsed well
  • 1 can light coconut milk
  • 4 cups vegatable stock
  • juice of 1-2 limes, or to taste (don't forget the zest)
  • freshly ground pepper

Preparation

  • Over medium heat, heat the oil in a wide soup pot. Add the veggies and cilantro stems and cook, stirring occasionally for 3 to 4 minutes.
  • Add 1 ½ teaspoons salt, turmeric and cumin, and cook for another 3 or 4 minutes before adding the rinsed lentils and 4 cups of vegatable stock.
  • Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, partially covered, until the lentils have broken down and are sufficiently tender, about 20 minutes.
  • Puree about half of them in a blender and return them to the soup.  Stir in the coconut milk (yum!) and return the soup to a boil.
  • Taste for salt and add several grindings of pepper and season to taste with lime juice.

 

Roast Red Pepper Sauce and Baby Spinach and Bowtie Pasta

Ingredients

  • 4 x red peppers, seeded and chopped
  • 1 x large onion, chopped
  • 1 x head garlic, peeled, whole cloves
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp fennel seeds
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 lb. farfalle or rotini pasta, cooked and drained

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. Place peppers, onion and garlic cloves into a 9" x 13" baking pan.
  3. Drizzle with olive oil, add fennel seed, salt and pepper and toss well.
  4. Put in oven and roast for about 45 minutes, or until very soft and caramelized.
  5. Pour vegetables into a medium saucepan and puree with an immersion blender, adding a splash of water to help it along.
  6. Check for seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste.
  7. Add hot, cooked pasta and toss well. Adjust seasoning.

Spanish Paella

Ingredients

2 x onions, peeled and chopped

3 x whole cloves garlic, peeled

28 oz can whole tomatoes

2 cups Arborio rice (or other)

3 cups vegetable stock

1 cup of your favourite red or white wine

3 x bay leaves

1 sprig fresh rosemary

1 x red pepper, seeds removed and chopped, brocolli, carrots

1 x 3/4 lb. shrimp, shelled and deveined (medium 500ml container)*

*Use firm tofu instead of shrimp if vegan result is desired.

Directions

Heat a large flat stock pot, add a splash of oil and begin to brown onions, sauté until golden.

Add the garlic and stir for a few moments.

Add tomatoes, breaking them up with a wooden spoon.

Add rice, stock, wine, bay leaves, rosemary, vegetables, the shrimp and scallops.

Bring to a simmer and cook over medium heat until the liquid has absorbed and the rice is tender, about thirty minutes.