The post SPICY LENTIL CURRY AND GARLIC NAAN appeared first on My Digital Kitchen.
]]>Cold weather forever calls for soothing comfort foods, which is why this Spicy Lentil Curry and Garlic Naan should be your new weeknight favourite. This flavourful and luxurious bowl of lentils is also gluten and dairy free.
I hope you are all having an amazing New Year so far. The holidays have been wrapped up for a few weeks and now we are back to our regular routine with work, taking down the holiday decorations and of course, lots and lots of snow. However, if part of your regular routine involves clean eating, then this recipe is right up your alley. My Spicy Lentil Curry provides you with protein, fibre, iron and total deliciousness.
This dish is actually a staple in my household. Not only is it quick and easy to make, but it also makes substantial portions, can be eaten with pretty much any savoury side dish, and also stores for slightly over a week. So, if you’re a fan of curries, you should definitely give this dish a try! It’s creamy, spicy with a hint of heat, garlicky and smooth.
The naan bread is also gluten free (contains dairy) and can be made in advance. Since I had posted the naan bread, previously, you can find the link to the recipe in the ingredients. I hope you enjoy this delicious curry dish as much as I do, which frankly is almost on a regular basis. Happy eating!
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium shallot, chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 jalapeno pepper, chopped
- 2 cups water
- 1 ½ cups red lentils
- 1 (14oz) can full fat coconut milk (unsweetened)
- 3 cups baby spinach
- Cilantro, for garnish
- Sesame Garlic Naan for side
- Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Saute shallots, ginger and garlic until brown, about 1 minute. Add cumin, coriander, turmeric, salt and jalapeno and stir until spices are toasted, about 1 minute.
- Add in water, lentils and coconut milk, then stir until the fat in the coconut milk is absorbed. Cover the skillet and cook for about 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- When ready, turn the heat off, then stir in the spinach into the hot curry until withered. Serve topped with cilantro and a side of gluten free naan.
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]]>The post VEGAN CHICKPEA CURRY AND RICE appeared first on My Digital Kitchen.
]]>Whoa there! Feeling gloomy and bland? Well how about a little curry for your troubles to spice up your day? Luckily, this Vegan Chickpea Curry and Rice is the perfect healthy meal to do just that!
Surprisingly, the weather has been quite nice all week. I don’t want to jinx it, but it hasn’t snowed all week and the temperatures have been pretty moderate. Maybe that’s why I’ve been super happy and stress free considering the last couple of weeks came with extreme cold weather and heavy snow storms. But no matter how cold it gets or how much snowfall can make driving a nightmare, there will always be delicious food, and delicious food should always equal happiness!
Whenever I’m planning my recipes for the month, I enjoy getting out of my comfort zone by putting classic spins on traditional recipes. Although it’s fun and encouraged to add variety to your diet, sometimes simple is always best, especially if you’re in a time crunch, exhausted after a long day, or just simply craving a quick and easy familiar meal. Seriously guys, this vegan chickpea curry and rice is so quick and easy to put together.
I actually started feeling a little weird after making this recipe because I felt it was so……generic. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but as I was scooping the curry into the bowl, I was just muttering to myself “geez Val, I’m pretty sure you’ve made something similar not too long ago, don’t be boring!” However, after several tastings and slightly boastful affirmations, I made peace with two things; it’s easy, and it’s delicious! Boom, dia, done. Happy eating everyone!
- 1 can chickpeas, unsalted
- Half a red onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 3 cups chopped baby spinach
- 1 can light coconut milk
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- ½ sea salt
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1.5 tablespoons olive oil
- Cooked white rice for serving
- Place a skillet over medium heat and add olive oil. Sautee garlic and red onions until soft and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add curry powder, garam masala, salt and paprika and chickpeas and stir until the chickpeas are coated in the spices. Add coconut milk and stir mixture. Cover the skillet and let it simmer for about 15 minutes.
- When ready, turn the heat off and add in chopped spinach. Stir the spinach into the curry until it withers. Serve with rice.
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]]>The post THAI COCONUT CURRY MUSSELS (UPDATED) appeared first on My Digital Kitchen.
]]>Hello September! Let’s get cozy and fall ready with one of my favorite healthy comfort dishes. These Thai Coconut Curry Mussels will surely get you in a cozy fall mood.
I’m a little late with posting this delicious recipe because it’s been a crazy couple of weeks. First of all, I caught a summer cold a couple weeks ago which left a lingering cough for like an extra week and a few days. Bummer! Then I had to push my deadline for the first draft of my cookbook to November because of last minute projects that came up. I mean busy is good, but when all the workload falls only on your shoulders, it becomes overwhelming. Thank goodness I am finally able to gather a team together to take some of the work load off!
It’s quite crazy how quick summer was; I mean its already mid September! Why is the year going by so fast?! Its only 3 months until the holidays! I don’t even want to think about it so we’ll just focus on the present, and also on this hearty plate of healthy food!
This was such a fun and easy recipe to put together. I’ve made Thai coconut curry recipes in the past and they were all delicious, but I did something a little differently with this recipe by adding turmeric! Turmeric is a very earthy spice which is loaded with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds. However, it can be very overpowering depending on how you incorporate it in a recipe. I find that in order to make turmeric successful in food, you need to combine it with a type of fat such as coconut milk, butter, ghee heavy cream, etc. that way, it breaks down some of the acidity in the turmeric and creates a milder flavor.
These Thai coconut curry mussels contain low fat coconut milk and is an excellent pairing with turmeric! Wishing everyone an amazing week and I hope you guys enjoy this recipe as much as I do!
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 shallot, diced
- 3 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
- ½ cup low sodium vegetable broth
- 1 can unsweetened coconut milk
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 2 tablespoons Thai fish sauce
- 1.5 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 teaspoon light brown sugar
- Pinch of salt and pepper to taste
- 2½ pounds mussels, rinsed and scrubbed
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs, like basil or cilantro
- Place a large skillet pot over medium-high heat and add olive oil. add in shallots and sauté for 1 minute. Add in curry paste, veggie broth, coconut milk, turmeric, fish sauce, brown sugar and lime juice and bring to a simmer while whisking. Add in salt and pepper as needed.
- Add the mussels, cover the pot and let steam until opened, about 5-7 minutes. During the last minute of cooking, add in the herbs. Serve with side of choice.
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]]>The post HEALTHY BUTTER CHICKEN appeared first on My Digital Kitchen.
]]>We could all use some spicy heat during a cold day or a cold week! Luckily, my low fat and dairy free Healthy Butter Chicken recipe will provide just the right amount of comfort and deliciousness. Dig in!
Boy was so cold today, and I’m talking -11 degrees cold with a wind chill of -13. Complaining would be ideal, but I figured it wouldn’t be necessary to do so. After all, it is winter. So instead I decided to turn my winter weather blues into some winter weather fun. I hereby present you with my healthy butter chicken masterpiece.
Over the weekend I was browsing through various butter chicken recipes online because I have never made this dish before. As some of you are aware and for those of you who aren’t, I have an allergy to meat and meat products. I am mostly pescatarian, meaning I get most of my protein from seafood and plant based protein sources. Occasionally, I could handle turkey during the holidays and maybe a piece of chicken once in a blue moon if I want to be a rebel. However, it’s easier to stick to my dietary restrictions because life just twirls on better for me. Anyways, I digress.
While I was browsing through butter chicken recipes, I noticed that a lot of the recipes I came across contained butter (hence the recipe title), full fat cream or sour cream. So to make this recipe a little healthier, I omitted all the dairy products and used low fat coconut milk instead. The outstanding review I got for this recipe came from my friend, whom I refer to as my chicken bae. This review made me more excited than usual because this was my first time making a healthy butter chicken dish! Using low fat coconut milk blends well with the spices and you don’t taste the coconut flavor.
The trick is to use low fat coconut milk instead of the regular full fat. That way, the coconut flavor is withered down and not overpowering. Although I used jasmine rice, you could use brown rice or basmati rice. To be honest, the only reason I didn’t use brown rice was because it doesn’t always come out as pretty as I would like them to in photos. It literally looks brown! But it’s good for you, so eat away. Wishing everyone an amazing week!
Yield: 4-5 servings
Prep time: 20 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
2 cups cooked jasmine rice (set aside)
2-3 large free range chicken breasts
2 tablespoons coconut oil
2 tablespoons brown rice flour (or all purpose flour)
1 can lite coconut milk (I used Thai kitchen)
1 can (6oz) low sodium tomato paste
1 small red onion (diced)
3 teaspoons garam masala
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 ½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Fresh cilantro, for garnish
Whole wheat naan rounds (optional)
Directions:
1. Slice chicken breasts into cubes and set aside. Place a large saucepan over medium heat and add coconut oil. Sautee onions until fragrant, about 4 minutes. Add rice flour, garam masala, ginger, curry powder, salt, chili powder and black pepper and mix until incorporated.
2. Gradually add tomato paste and coconut milk and let it summer for about 5 minutes. Your sauce should have thickened at this point. Gradually stir in chicken until it is evenly coated in the sauce. Simmer for 7-9 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked. the smaller the chicken pieces are, the quicker they cook. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting on your oven and let the butter chicken simmer for an additional 10 minutes.
3. When ready, serve with jasmine rice and naan bread. Top with fresh cilantro.
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]]>The post THAI CURRY SHRIMP SPAGHETTI appeared first on My Digital Kitchen.
]]>They’re holding steady, can’t wait till it’s ready, let’s make Thai Curry Shrimp Spaghetti.
Okay guys, I am as cheesy as they come, but since this is a food blog, I think I’m allowed amirite? Oh well, too late
I have no idea why I never thought of this recipe before, even though I may have eaten a similar version sometime in my life. Nevertheless, it was delicious! But then again, you really can’t go wrong with spaghetti, and if you do, well I won’t judge. I had a huge craving for curry dishes all through last week, so I was very pleased with this meal because it was a) ono delicious, and b) lasted me all week. Seriously guys, I ate this spaghetti for lunch from Monday to Friday. Talk about meal prepping!
I used light coconut milk for the sauce because I wanted to keep the texture of the sauce rich but not too creamy. It is also low in fat compared to regular coconut milk, which is an added bonus. I believe this recipe could also serve as a great comfort food option for fall.
On a side note, I will be creating healthy and delicious fall recipes for your lovely faces because let’s face it, we all deserve to feel cool and mushy after the super hot weather we had this summer. Although I can’t (or rather shouldn’t) complain about warm weather, I think fall weather serves as our recovery period from all that lovely summer heat. So go ahead and kick of the fall season with this Thai Curry Shrimp Spaghetti.
Ingredients: yields 5 servings
1 pack multigrain pasta (cooked)
1 pound raw peeled shrimp (steamed)
A handful of grape tomatoes for (garnish)
Green Onions (for garnish)
For Thai Curry Sauce:
1 can light coconut milk
1 tbsp virgin olive oil
1 tbsp red curry paste
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp curry powder
2 tbsp organic peanut butter (or cashew butter)
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 tsp paprika
1 tsp cornstarch + 2 tbsp water
2 cups chopped spinach
¼ cup chopped red onion
1 sliced jalapenos
Directions:
1. Make your Thai curry sauce first. Heat olive oil in a saucepan, then add onions and curry paste and cook for a couple minutes on medium high heat. Add remaining sauce ingredients, then stir and cook on medium low for 5 minutes with the top covered.
2. Add the steamed shrimp to the sauce and toss until the shrimp is fully coated, then remove from heat.
3. Add cooked pasta to the sauce and mix until the pasta is evenly coated with the sauce.
Garnish with tomatoes and green onions. Serve.
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]]>The post HERB ROASTED CHICKEN WITH RED PEPPER SWEET POTATO CURRY (UPDATED 2020) appeared first on My Digital Kitchen.
]]>It was a rainy day in Toronto yesterday! But spring is in the air and the weather has been wonderful all week! Whether you’re indoors or out and about, this recipe makes a great comfort meal to help you through the rainy or cloudy and somewhat gloomy weather. Plus if you’re a curry lover like me, then this recipe will be a favorite! Happy Friday!
- For the Chicken:
- 8 (2lb) deboned, skinned chicken thighs
- 2 Tablespoons (30ml) olive oil
- 1 Teaspoon (4g) garlic powder
- 1 Teaspoon (4g) onion powder
- ½ a Teaspoon (1.3g) Sea salt
- ¼ Teaspoon (0.6g) ground black pepper
- 1 Teaspoon (4g) Italian seasoning
- For the Sweet Potato:
- 1 Tablespoon (15ml) olive oil
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 small white onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 Teaspoon (4g) raw ginger, grated
- ½ a Teaspoon (1.3g) ground cumin
- 2 Teaspoons (8g) curry powder
- 1 Teaspoon (4g) sea salt
- 2 cups (480ml) low sodium chicken broth
- 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
- 1 can (400ml) unsweetened coconut milk
- Fresh parsley, for topping
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Season chicken thighs with garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper and Italian seasoning. Add olive oil to an ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat, then place the seasoned chicken in the skillet and sear both sides until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast until completely cooked through, about 25-30 minutes.
- In a large saucepan or dutch oven, heat 1 Tablespoon (15ml) of olive oil over medium-high heat. sauté red pepper, onions and garlic for 1 minute, then add in ginger, cumin, curry and salt and stir until the other ingredients are coated in the spices.
- Add in chicken broth, sweet potato and coconut milk and stir. Cover the saucepan and cook for 15-18 minutes until the sweet potatoes are tender (test with a fork).
- When ready, remove from heat and transfer all the ingredients in the saucepan into a blender. Puree until smooth, then transfer into a serving dish. Top with fresh parsley and serve with roasted chicken.
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]]>The post THAI TURKEY MEATBALLS WITH PEANUT SAUCE appeared first on My Digital Kitchen.
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Now this is just what you need to get you through the rainy day we are having☔️? This recipe is full of flavour and very paleo friendly (you can sub cashew butter for peanut butter). I used almond flour instead of breadcrumbs for the meatballs and light coconut milk instead of the regular version for the sauce. So if you’re a health nut like me, then this is right up your alley! This pairs well with rice (regular or cauliflower rice), potatoes, plantains..you name it!
Recipe:
For meatballs
1 lb lean ground turkey
1 tbsp thai fish sauce
1/2 cup chopped red onions
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 cup chopped spinach (plus extra for topping)
1 cup almond flour/meal
1 cage free egg
1 tbsp green curry paste
For Sauce:
1 can light coconut milk
1 tbsp virgin olive oil
1 tbsp green curry paste
2 tbsp organic peanut butter (or cashew butter)
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 tsp paprika
1 tsp light brown sugar (optional)
1 tsp cornstarch + 2 tbsp water
Preheat oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Combine all turkey ingredients in a bowl. Roll mixture into palm size meatballs and place 2 inches apart on a baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes and when ready, set aside and make your sauce.
Heat olive oil in a saucepan, then add curry paste and cook for a couple minutes on medium high heat. Add remaining sauce ingredients, then stir and cook on medium low for 5 minutes with the top covered.
Add the meatballs to the sauce and toss until the meatballs are fully coated. Garnish with spinach or herb of choice.
Serve with side of choice.
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