Zucchini Garlic Soup

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Yesterday morning, I was on Daytime Ottawa to make zucchini garlic soup with hosts Derick Fage and Julie Beun. I love showcasing foods that are both seasonal and local, and this soup definitely fit the bill. Plus, it's very easy to make, requires very few ingredients and very little kitchen equipment. 

On the show, I spoke with Derick and Julie about the my role as holistic nutritionist, about teaching cooking lessons to kids, and working as a chef for yoga retreats. We also spoke at length about the many health benefits associated with both zucchini and garlic. 

First and foremost, did you know that zucchini is actually a fruit? In the culinary world, it's generally treated as a vegetable, but from a botanical standpoint, it's considered a fruit.  Also, were you aware that, like carrots, zucchini can be beneficial for eyesight?  Thanks to high contents of the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin, zucchini may help protect against age-related macular degeneration (in the retina) and cataracts.  Zucchini contains a nice compliment of B-complex vitamins, including folate, B6, B1, B2, B3, and choline, which helps support blood sugar regulation. It also offers vitamin C, magnesium, and Omega-3 fatty acids (found in the seeds) making zucchini a great anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory food.   

Garlic has been highly researched and its health properties are well documented. Garlic is great for heart health, may support iron metabolism and it's also antibacterial and antiviral. Garlic is also incredibly anti-inflammatory and may help protect against cancer.  Besides being a true super food, garlic also adds taste, aroma, and complexity of flavour to whatever you're making. 

Being on Daytime Ottawa was a really good learning experience for me and it definitely took me out of my comfort zone. I've done many cooking lessons and demonstrations in the past, but never on live television.  Even though I had a bit of stage fright, I felt at ease quickly and I really enjoyed chatting with Derick and Julie.  In fact, we got so carried away talking, that we weren't even able to finish cooking. Luckily, I came prepared with a batch of readymade soup and both hosts were able to give it a try. They were impressed by how rich, creamy and flavourful it was.  

You can find the full recipe below.  If you plan on making this soup, please don't peel your zucchini as most of the anti-oxidant properties are found in the skin. I hope you'll give it a try and let me know what you think.  

ZUCCHINI GARLIC SOUP

Even without dairy, this soup is incredibly rich and creamy.

Even without dairy, this soup is incredibly rich and creamy.

Makes 8 to 10 servings. 

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons, extra virgin olive oil 
1 yellow onion, sliced
8 to 9, large cloves garlic, sliced thinly
1 tablespoon, fresh ginger, finely minced or grated
4 medium zucchini, chopped into small pieces
4 cups, organic vegetable broth
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Handful of chives, chopped, for garnish

Directions:

Warm the olive olive in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic, with a big pinch of sea salt, and cook on medium-low heat for about 10 minutes. Keep the heat low as you want to sweat, not brown or caramelize, the onions and garlic.

Once the onions have softened and become translucent, add the zucchini and ginger. Increase the heat just a bit, cook with the lid on but slightly ajar, stirring every few minutes. After about 10 minutes or once the zucchinis have softened and released a lot of liquid, add the broth and bring to a simmer. Simmer at a low heat for about 45 minutes to bring out the flavours.

Either blend your soup with an immersion blender until it’s smooth and creamy, or transfer to a high powered blender. If you’re using a blender, you may want to transfer in batches. Fill the blender half full, and hold the lid down tightly with a towel, and blend until you’ve reached a smooth consistency.

Taste and season your soup with salt and pepper. Serve immediately and garnish with chives. 

This soup was inspired by Faith Durand’s recipe featured on The Kitchn. 

Daytime Ottawa hosts, Derick and Julie, and I showing off a colourful array of zucchinis from Roots Down Organic Farm.

Daytime Ottawa hosts, Derick and Julie, and I showing off a colourful array of zucchinis from Roots Down Organic Farm.

Simple Strawberry Basil Granita

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I'm a complete urbanite. I love living downtown and I love being in the heart of the city. That said, in the summer, there's nothing I enjoy more than retreating from the city and spending the weekend in the country. Like the good Canadian that I am, I can't resist a few days in nature, close to a body of water, surrounded by trees and wildlife.  Luckily, I'm able to spend lots of time at my boyfriend's family home on Upper Rideau Lake, near Westport, when I need a little getaway from city life. 

This weekend, en route to the Lake, I picked up a pint of strawberries at a roadside stand in Smith Falls with hopes of making one of my favourite cold summer desserts. As you may have seen in my last blog post, I shared a recipe featuring Ontario strawberries. Because they are so plentiful these days, I've decided to feature them yet again.  Yes, strawberries are delicious, but they also offer an array of health benefits. They are an excellent source of vitamin C and antioxidants. They are also anti-inflammatory and may help regulate blood sugar. 

Below, you'll find the recipe for my strawberry basil granita. It's sweet (but not too sweet), refreshing, and the perfect way to use up your extra strawberries and basil, both of which are incredibly bountiful this time of year. This popular Italian dessert is normally sweetened with sugar, but I swapped in a couple tablespoons of maple syrup to reduce the sweetness and to give it a Canadian touch.  It's a great dairy free alternative to ice cream, plus it's really easy to make and will impress even the pickiest eater! 

STRAWBERRY BASIL GRANITA 

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Makes approximately 4 servings. 

Ingredients: 

1 pints strawberries, washed, hulled and halved 
1/4 cup, fresh basil, roughly chopped  
2 tablespoons, fresh lemon juice 
2 tablespoons, maple syrup


Directions:  

Place strawberries in a food processor and process until nearly smooth. Add the basil, lemon juice and maple syrup. Pulse until evenly mixed. 

Transfer the mixture to an 8x8 baking dishes and freeze until it becomes icy around the edges, about 30 minutes. Use a fork to scrape the icy portion into the middle of the pan. 

Freeze for 1 ½ to 2 hours more, scraping the frozen edges towards the centre every 30 minutes, until the mixture is no longer liquid and has the consistency of flaky crystals.

Serve immediately in bowls or parfait glasses. The granita can keep for a few days in the freezer and will stay scoopable if frozen. You may have to defrost it for a bit, before serving, if it's been in the fridge for several hours. 

Strawberry Rhubarb Chia Seed Jam

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Have you tried chia seeds yet? I love love love them. In my nutrition practice I almost always encourage my clients to incorporate chia seeds into their diets.  Although they are tiny, chia seeds offer a huge punch of nutritional density. They are a highly concentrated source of the anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acid, alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). Chia seeds are also an outstanding source of dietary fibre and contain calcium, magnesium, iron, and zinc. Eating chia seeds regularly is great way to manage weight and may even help reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke.

Recently, one of my clients asked for ideas on how he could use chia seeds. I  gave him a bunch of suggestions, such as chocolate chia pudding (google it, make it, you'll love it), adding a tablespoon of chia seeds to his morning smoothies, and I also mentioned that I had been interested in making a strawberry chia jam. We googled a few recipes and came across one that he could easily make at home.  Flash forward three weeks, he shows up at my office for our next appointment and tells me that he made chia seed jam. However, he modified the recipe slightly. Because he had so much rhubarb growing in his garden he decided to incorporate some into his jam. He said the results were phenomenal and that his entire family really enjoyed it. At that moment,  I made a mental note: "must try chia jam". 

This week, the stars aligned and I was given a bunch local strawberries and rhubarb. I did a quick google search for "strawberry rhubarb chia seed jam" and, lo and behold, one of the top search results was Ottawa local Kathy Smart's recipe. For those of you who don't know her, Kathy is the gluten free guru. She's also a nutritionist and cookbook author. From meeting her in person, and following her adventures on social media, I know that she is all about health education, healthy living, and she's extremely well versed at "healthifying" recipes. I knew she wouldn't let me down. 

So, I made the jam, and it's pretty darn tasty.  Plus, it's a great use of strawberries and rhubarb, both of which are currently in season here in Ontario and readily available at farmers' markets, grocery stores, and in backyards and garden plots near you!  In case you were wondering, chia seeds can be found at health food stores, Bulk Barn and most larger grocery stores in the natural food or health food section.  

Fresh Ottawa strawberries and rhubarb make this jam extra tasty and provide vitamin C and K.

Fresh Ottawa strawberries and rhubarb make this jam extra tasty and provide vitamin C and K.

STRAWBERRY RHUBARB CHIA SEED JAM 

Makes 3 cups 

Ingredients: 

2 cups, strawberries, cleaned and sliced
3/4 cup, fresh rhubarb, rough chopped
4 Tablespoons, pure maple syrup 
4 Tablespoons, chia seeds 
3 Tablespoons, fresh lemon juice

Directions: 

Add all of the above ingredients to a food processor or blender and pulse for 30 seconds. At this point, you should taste your jam for sweetness and, if it's not quite sweet enough for you, mix in a bit more maple syrup. If you are happy with the taste and texture, stop here. If you prefer a smoother jam, continue blending/processing until you've reached your desired consistency. 

Add your jam to a jar and store in your refrigerator for a few hours or overnight. Once the jam has solidified you can enjoy it on toast or rice cakes, with oatmeal or yogurt, on pancakes, or you might even want to eat it right out of the jar!   You can store your jam for up to two weeks in the refrigerator. 

Kathy's recipe was originally posted on her website, Live The Smart Way.  

Garlic Scape Pesto

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A friend of mine, Anne, works for the Ottawa-Carleton Association for Persons with Developmental Disabilities (OCAPDD) and ever since I've known her she has always spoken so fondly of the organization. The OCAPDD works with developmentally disabled children and adults in the Ottawa-area with the goal of helping them integrate into the community by way of assisted lodging, education and access to employment. 

 The OCAPDD has many noteworthy endeavours, but the one that interested me the most was their  Silver Spring Farm Agricultural Project.  Silver Spring Farm, located in the west end of Ottawa at the intersection of Richmond and Baseline Roads, is 100% volunteer based. It has been around for over 50 years, but most recently its focus has been pesticide-free garlic farming. Every fall, volunteers plant 40,000 bulbs of garlic. In mid-July the garlic is harvested, dried, braided and, by August long weekend, it is sold to the public with 100% of the profits being used in support of adults with developmental disabilities. 

This time of year, Silver Spring Farm also harvests and sells garlic scapes. The scapes, which have become somewhat of a delicacy, are the soft, light green coloured stems or "flower stalks" of certain garlic varieties.   Because they are only around for a few weeks each year — usually late-June to early-July — they are highly sought after.  Generally, the scapes are trimmed off, since leaving them in place diverts the plant's strength away from forming a hearty bulb of garlic. 

Scapes can be sweet or pungent, but generally they have a mild garlicky taste. Like garlic, they boast numerous health benefits.  The sulphur compounds in garlic scapes boost glutathione, a powerful antioxidant, which protects the body against oxidative stress. They are also said to promote cardiovascular health and may help prevent cancer and osteoarthritis. 

This weekend I saw Anne at a friend's party and she gave me a sizeable bag of scapes. From the moment I received this generous gift, I have been dreaming up ways to use them.  I have already sautéed some scapes with broccoli. I might try grilling or pickling them. Since I have so many, they will be used as the base, alongside onion, in most of my cooking for the next week or so. I also plan on puréeing a whole bunch in my blender and then freezing the purée in ice cube trays. The frozen scapes cubes can be used later on in soups, stews, sauces, you name it!  

Today, I made a delicious summer pesto, which I subsequently mixed with quinoa pasta noodles, fresh local kale and edamame. The pesto pairs nicely with pasta, but it could also be used on bread or crackers, modified into a salad dressing, or tossed together with sautéed or roasted vegetables.  I do warn you though, scapes can be potent and if you don't tolerate raw garlic, you might want to steam your scapes for about 3 minutes (just enough to soften them up a bit) prior to making your pesto.  However, if you are a garlic lover like me,  I think this recipe will be right up your alley! 

GARLIC SCAPE PESTO

Makes about 1.5 cups ~ dairy free & gluten free 

Ingredients: 

10-12 large garlic scapes, rough chopped
1/2 cup parsley, tightly packed 
1/2 cup (approximately 20) brazil nuts
1 tablespoon miso paste (I used chickpea miso), optional 
3/4 cups extra virgin olive oil
Juice of half a lemon 
Sea salt & cracked black pepper 

Directions: 

Pulse the garlic scapes, parsley, brazil nuts, miso, lemon, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a food processor until very finely chopped.  While your food processor is still running, slowly pour the oil through the opening. Taste a little bit of your pesto, and then re-season with salt and pepper, if necessary. 

The pesto keeps in the fridge, sealed, for 1 week or frozen for about a month. 

The OCAPDD is always looking for volunteers. If you are interested in getting involved with the organization, check out its volunteer page. You can also visit the farm this week for fresh scapes and rhubarb, or stop by in August following the garlic harvest. 

Everybody's Favourite Raw Zucchini Almond Dip

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Before entering into the world of food and nutrition, I worked in PR and communications for years. Because of that, I have attended, or worked the booth, at many, many trade shows and conferences in my day. This past weekend was a big one for Amy Longard Nutrition. Sunday, May 31, 2015 will forevermore be known as the day I attended my very first trade show, as a vendor, representing my own business. 

Gluten Free Utopia took place at the Ukrainian Centre, and brought together more than 40 regional vendors who cater to the gluten free community. Many of the attendees were celiac, gluten sensitive or allergic to gluten, and they were so happy to finally attend an event where they could eat everything! As a nutritionist and trained chef, I knew this would be a great opportunity to meet people from the community who can't eat foods that contain gluten. Given my skill set, I'm well-versed at how to avoid it, replace it and cook without it. I also know how to help people transition, in a healthy way, to a gluten free diet. 

Thanks to Sergio Diaz for the photo. www.sergio-diaz.com

Thanks to Sergio Diaz for the photo. www.sergio-diaz.com

Since this was my very first show, I didn't have an expensive, fancy display, nor did I have much money to invest in a high-end getup. That said, I'm pretty crafty and creative when I need to be, and I knew that I could pull it together with a few nice things and offer up a really tasty snack. Before we get to the food, let me tell you about the décor. I was looking for natural, organic, and earth-friendly pieces to reflect my business and my values. I used borrowed burlap (which will eventually be used in gardening or landscaping) and a second-hand linen table cloth, which my friend lent to me, to cover my table. I had a big bunch of chives (from my boyfriend's parents' garden), that were initially intended to be consumed (and, of course, I still plan on eating them), but they began to flower the day before the GFU and they were so pretty that I decided to arrange them in an oversized vintage mason jar and put them on display. They were the perfect "floral arrangement".  I also borrowed a few tins, baskets, dishes, a linen napkin, and other odds and ends from one of my friends, which really complimented the tabletop. However, the pièce de résistance was definitely the tree trunk emblazoned with my logo, handmade by my friend Heather. Lots of people stopped by my booth just to check it out.  As you can see, it's a great conversation piece. 

Although the décor was adorable and very reflective of my business, let's be real here, the big draw to my booth was the raw zucchini almond dip.  I knew this dip would be popular, especially since my friends regularly request that I bring it along to parties or potlucks. This dip was very appealing to the folks at the GFU, firstly because it's gluten free, but also because it's dairy free (which is a very common allergen as well).  Everybody that tried it, loved it.  Not only is this dip really, really tasty but it's also healthy, wholesome, and nutrient rich.  It's loaded with antioxidants (vitamins A, C, and E), calcium, fibre, protein and healthy fats. Try it for yourself, and let me know what you think!  

RAW ZUCCHINI ALMOND DIP 

Ingredients: 

1 cup zucchini, rough chopped 
1 cup raw almonds (with skin), soaked overnight, and rinsed 
¼ cup tahini 
¼ cup lemon juice 
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon cumin 
1 teaspoon whole black pepper corns 
1 garlic clove 
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 
1/4 cup water (or more depending on the desired consistency)

Directions: 

1. Add zucchini, almonds, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, spices, and olive oil to a high powered blender or food processor. Blend for a bit until the ingredients start to form an even consistency.  If using a high powered blender, you'll want to use a tamper to ensure that it blends evenly. For a food processor, you'll have to stop regularly and scrape the sides. 

2. Stream in water, and continue blending, until you have reached a smooth consistency. Add more or less water to reach your ideal texture (some people like a smoother dip, whereas others like it a bit chunky).

3. Serve with a splash of olive oil and a dash of paprika. Enjoy with cut up vegetables, crackers, rice cakes or use it as spread for sandwiches.  Enjoy! 

Raw zucchini almond dip served with Mary's gluten free crackers. Photo cred: Sergio Diaz, www.sergio-diaz.com

Raw zucchini almond dip served with Mary's gluten free crackers. Photo cred: Sergio Diaz, www.sergio-diaz.com

Tofu Pad Thai

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Last weekend, I participated in an event organized by Andrea Banks, the Yelp Ottawa Community Coordinator. For those of you who don't know about Yelp, it's a website and an app designed to help people find local businesses like restaurants, hair stylists and mechanics. Yelp allows people to rate and review different companies and services and provides a platform for business owners to communicate with their customers.  

Yelp has some very dedicated reviewers, who are just regular folks, that contribute to Yelp by writing many, many reviews of countless local business. These people are called "Yelp Elites". From time to time local Yelp coordinators will host fun appreciation events for the Elite crew. I'm a huge fan of Yelp, I use it all the time, and although I have not yet reached Elite status, I've written a few reviews and have attended a few Yelp events myself. 

This past winter, while attending a Yelp fitness event, I met Andrea and, almost immediately, we knew we had to work together someway, somehow. We had a few brainstorming sessions and then went to visit to the West End Well, Ottawa's newest co-operative grocery store and café, as a possible event venue.  The Well offers a wide range of dry goods, organic produce, local products, and in-house prepared foods. Plus, the Well has a bakery, with fantastic homemade breads, and a liquor license, which means you can have a glass of wine or one of the Well's signature brews while doing your groceries. We also met Nate, the General Manager, and Sam, the Kitchen Manager, and they were both really keen on working together. It was the perfect storm and we decided we would host the very first #YelpCooks event at the Well.  

On the day of our event, nearly thirty Elite members and several new Yelpers piled into the Well's cozy dining area. As the participants were getting settled in, my amazing boyfriend/sous chef Jeremy and I were back in the kitchen, chopping, prepping, making sauces, baking tofu, and soaking rice noodles.  During the demo participants made their own fresh spring rolls, using rice paper wraps and an array of fresh produce from the Well. I showed them how to make an easy (and delicious) homemade peanut dipping sauce and they got to enjoy some with their fresh spring rolls.  I also gave the participants a little pad thai tutorial.  They all crowded around the kitchen and they had a chance to see how the dish was prepared, ask questions about the process and learn about the ingredients we used. Most importantly, the participants got to try heaping samples of pad thai. 

Everybody had a fun time, learned a few things, and we're all excited about the prospect of hosting another similar event in the near future. Stay tuned for that! In the meantime, here's the recipe for my pad thai. It's vegan, gluten free and super tasty. Enjoy!

TOFU PAD THAI 

Make 4 -6 servings

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons coconut oil
1 pound extra firm tofu, drained and pressed, and cut into 1/2-inch dice
12 oz rice noodles
1/3 cup wheat free tamari 
2 tablespoons fresh lime
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 tablespoons tamarind paste
1 tablespoon tomato paste
3 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
1 small red onion, cut into 1/2 inch dice
4 green onions, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup dry-roasted unsalted peanuts, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, rough chopped
1 cup pea shoots or bean sprouts, for garnish
1 lime, cut into wedges, for garnish

Instructions:

1. Pre-heat over to 350°F. Line an oven tray with parchment paper. Place diced tofu into a medium sized bowl and coat evenly with 2 tablespoons of coconut oil (melt the coconut oil slightly if it’s solid). Arrange the tofu on the baking sheet in a single layer and bake for approximately 40 minutes, rotating and flipping the tofu periodically, until it is crisp and golden.
2. Soak the noodles in a large pot of hot water until softened, 5 to 15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the noodles. Drain well and rinse under cold water. Transfer the strained noodles to a large bowl and set aside.
3. In a small bowl, combine the tamari or soy sauce, lime juice, maple syrup, tamarind paste, tomato paste, water, and crushed red pepper flakes. Stir until well mixed and set aside.
4. In a large skillet or wok, heat the remaining tablespoon of coconut oil over medium heat. Add the onions, with a big pinch of salt, and sauté for 1 minute. Add the green onions and garlic, sauté for about 5 minutes.  Add the baked tofu and cooked noodles and toss to combine and heat through.
5. Sir in the sauce and cook, tossing to coat, adding a splash or two of additional water, if needed, to prevent sticking. When noodles are hot, transfer the pad thai to a serving platter, sprinkle with peanuts and cilantro. Garnish with pea shoots or bean sprouts and lime on the side of the platter. Serve hot. 

This recipe was inspired by Robin Robertson's pad thai recipe in her cookbook "1000 Vegan Recipes".

A big thanks to photographers Jessica Dare, Lisa Stephens and Caitlin Fortier for capturing the shots below. 

Pretty Pink Beet Hummus

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I'm really into beets. If you've been following my blog you may have seen a photo of the beet-centric juice I made for Valentine's Day. Also, take a moment to scroll up to the top of the screen. Do you see the vegetable that appears very prominently in my logo?  Yes, it's a beet! 

Yesterday, while rummaging through the fridge,  I realized that I was out of hummus but amply stocked up on beets.  Therein beet hummus was born. 

I generally follow a very standard hummus recipe. I found this gem from Inspired Taste about a year ago, and it has laid the foundation for consistently delicious hummus and bean dips. 

This new variation of hummus doesn't stray too far from it's origins, however, the addition of roasted beets adds a bit of sweetness and a huge pop of colour. Although homemade hummus is already a nutrient dense food,  this version now boasts the added health benefits associated with beets. Anti-inflammatory and rich in anti-oxidants, beets are also said to help lower blood pressure and assist with the body's ability to detoxify. 

Since this recipe only requires one beet, I recommend roasting it in your toaster oven. I put my beet on a small metal tray covered with parchment paper, and cooked it for about 45 minutes at 450°F. However, if you don't have a toaster oven, follow the instructions below for a regular oven. 

ROASTED BEET HUMMUS 

Ingredients: 

One large beet, greens removed, ends trimmed, and scrubbed clean 
One 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed 
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, about 1 large lemon
1/4 cup tahini 
Half of a large garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt, depending on taste
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon of ground ginger (optional) 
3 tablespoons water, or more, if necessary 

Procedure: 

Prehead oven to 400°F. Wrap your beet loosely in tin foil. Transfer the wrapped beet to a baking sheet. Roast for 45 minutes, or until you can easily pierce the beet with a fork. Once it's fork tender, remove the beet from the oven. Let the beet cool down enough to handle. Hold the beet in a paper towel and use the edges of the paper to rub the skin away. The skin should peel away easily. Once you've removed the skin, cut your roasted beet into smaller chunks and set them aside as you prep the rest of your hummus. 

In a food processor or high-powered blender, combine tahini and lemon juice. Mix for about 1 minute.  Using a spatula, scrape sides and continue to mix for another 30 seconds, or until the texture is smooth and light.

Add the olive oil, roasted beet, minced garlic, cumin, ginger (if you're using it) and the salt to the whipped tahini and lemon juice. Process for 30 seconds, scrape sides and bottom of bowl then process another 30 seconds.

Add half of the chickpeas and process for 1 minute. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl, add remaining chickpeas and process for 1 to 2 minutes or until thick and quite smooth.

Slowly add 3 tablespoons of water. Add more, if necessary, until desired consistency is reached.

Enjoy your beet hummus with cut up vegetables, corn chips, or use it in a vegetable wrap or sandwich. 

Curried Chickpea Sweet Potato Stew

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I was away in Vermont this weekend. I went with a group of friends for a skiing /snowboarding /snowshoeing/ outdoor adventuring get-away and we stayed in one of our favourite vacation rentals, the Octagon. This is the third time my group of friends has rented this gorgeous cabin in Enosburg Falls and I'm sure it won't be the last. 

Photo courtesy of my friend Marie-Pierre. She says the stew pairs nicely with a glass of red.

Prior to leaving Ottawa, we planned our our meals and divvied up breakfast, lunch and dinner responsibilities.  I was in charge of the meal for our first night.  I wanted to make something rich and hearty to make sure we were all adequately fuelled with healthy proteins, carbs and fats for our active weekend.  I also wanted to make something that was relatively quick and easy so that I wouldn't be spending my first night in Vermont slaving away in the kitchen.  Whenever I'm pressed for time and craving something filling, I always opt for a stew with side of healthy whole grains. This weekend I made a curried chickpea and sweet potato stew with brown rice. Since there were 12 of us, I made a HUGE batch and there was more than enough for all of us to have second helpings. In the recipe below, I reduced the portions quite a bit to make about 6 to 8 servings. 

This stew is very easy, BUT since there are so many veggies there is some chopping involved. To be quicker and efficient, I recommend chopping the items in the order they are listed below and to have most of the veggies chopped prior to starting the stew. I also recommend starting the rice just before you turn on the stove for the stew as it can take about 45 minutes to cook. 

I hope you like this stew as much as we did. Bon appétit!

CURRIED CHICKPEA SWEET POTATO STEW 

Makes 6 - 8 servings

Ingredients: 

1 tablespoon olive oil (normally I'd use coconut oil, but we didn't have any on hand)
1 medium sized onion, peeled and diced (I used a red onion)
1 medium sized carrot, peeled and cut in 1/4 inch half moons or rounds
1 rib of celery rough chopped 
2 cloves of garlic, minced 
1 inch of fresh ginger, peeled, and minced or grated 
1 bell pepper, diced 
1 tablespoon curry powder of your choice 
1/2 a pint of grape tomatoes, cut in half, or two medium sized tomatoes, roughly chopped 
2 medium sized sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes 
1 15 oz can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
4 cups of low sodium vegetable broth or water
1 14 oz can of unsweetened coconut milk (I used full fat, but light would also work) 
3 cups of baby kale (or any leafy greens of your choice), rinsed and roughly chopped
1 lemon or lime
1 handful of cilantro, rinsed and chopped, for garnish 
Salt & pepper
1.5 cups dry brown rice, cooked according to instructions on the package 

Directions

Heat a large soup pot on medium heat. Add oil to the pot.  Add onions, carrots and celery, with generous pinch of salt, and stir to combine. Cook until these ingredients are they are softened and the onion has become translucent. You may need to add a splash of water or veggie broth from time to time if the ingredients start burning or sticking to the bottom. Add garlic, ginger and bell pepper, stir to combine. In a minute or two, add the curry spice and stir to coat the ingredients. Add the tomatoes and leave them to simmer and soften for a few minutes. 

Add the sweet potatoes, chickpeas and broth (or water) and turn heat to high. When your stew starts to boil, reduce heat to a simmer. In about 20 minutes, or once the sweet potatoes are soft, add the can of coconut milk and stir well to combine.  Add your greens, stir to combine.  Squeeze the juice of half a lemon or 1 lime and stir.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Serve immediately with brown rice, and garnish with cilantro and a wedge of lemon or lime. A hot sauce of your choice would also give this stew a nice kick.