Butternut Squash & Chickpea Coconut Curry (Crock Pot Recipe)

While surfing the net looking for a great crock pot dinner I found this site with lots of great recipes Tasty Yummies check it out for more!

Butternut Squash & Chickpea Coconut Curry (Crock Pot Recipe)

by BETH @ TASTY YUMMIES

I absolutely adore my slow cooker. It is so perfect for those days where you kinda feel like cooking, but you don’t really have the time or desire to stand around stir this pot so it doesn’t stick, toss that thing in this dressing, cut up this and that. I always love eating at home and cooking my own meals, but sometimes after a long day of work, I just don’t have the energy to head to the kitchen and start on another 1-2 hour adventure. Though it hardly feels like work, sometimes it’s just hard to muster up the energy after a long and busy day. With a crock pot there is no preheating, no keeping an eye on it so it doesn’t over cook, no stirring. It’s just simple, easy home-cooking. When you are ready to eat, just head to the kitchen and serve yourself. I always tell Mark that my crock pot is the closest I will ever come to having a personal chef, it really feels like that.

This recipe is exceptionally easy, just toss all (well, almost all) of the ingredients in to your crock pot in the morning and check back later. I decided to keep out the peas until the end and wished I had done the same with the spinach, so I altered the recipe to reflect that. That’s it. You could certainly fuss with sautéing the onions and garlic ahead of time if you wish, but I really don’t see why you should bother. I tossed it all in and it was ready to go 6 hours later. I had some beautiful spinach and peas from the market so I decided to toss those in for some extra greeny goodness and that was our meal.

I truly think this was the best curry I have made yet. I personally have a wonderful yellow curry powder that I love, though I know many people swear by making your own mix, toasting the spices yourself, etc. I have yet to try that as I really love the powder I buy. If you prefer to take that route, please do. Beyond being extremely easy to make, this curry is loaded with flavor and is so satisfying. I served it over a small serving of brown basmati rice and topped it with fresh cilantro and a bit of unsweetened shredded coconut. The perfect cleanse-friendly, fall meal.

Butternut Squash & Chickpea Coconut Curry (Crock Pot Recipe)serves 8

2 1/2 cups diced butternut squash
1 1/2 cups dried organic chick peas
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can 13.5 ounce organic coconut milk (you can use light here, I didn’t)
1 bunch of fresh spinach, rinsed and roughly chopped (you could also use kale here)
1 1/2 cups freshly shelled peas (you can use frozen here, if you wish)
1-2 large tomatoes, diced
3 cups vegetable broth or water
3 tablespoons yellow curry powder (you can use your own blend of spices here, I just happen to have a premixed curry powder from a local indian grocery store that I love)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
handful of fresh cilantro, roughly chopped (save some for serving)

Rinse and sort through the dry chickpeas. Cut the skin off the squash, remove seeds and cut into 1 inch square cubes. Add all of the ingredients to your slow cooker besides the peas and spinach. Cook on high for 6 hours. About 20-30 minutes before serving add in the fresh peas and spinach, and give it a stir. If your sauce seems to be a bit too thin or watery when it is done cooking, you could make a quick mix of cornstarch and hot water and pour a tablespoon or two of the mixture into the crock pot, allow it to simmer a bit longer. This will thicken it right up.

Serve over brown basmati or jasmine rice topped with fresh cilantro, mint or basil and maybe even some shredded coconut.

Grilled Portobello Mushroom Burgers [Vegan]

Here is tomorrow's dinner hopefully this will be save worthy! It sure sounds delicious.

Grilled Portobello Mushroom Burgers [Vegan]

Meaty Portobello mushroom caps are seasoned with just salt and pepper and then grilled until tender and juicy. They're served on a bun with sautéed vegetables crisp baby bok coy, broccolini, and red bell peppers, and then served with a creamy, garlicky avocado mayonnaise. These monster burgers will be the star of your summer cookout, or anytime.

THIS RECIPE IS :

Dairy FreeVegan

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE PORTOBELLO MUSHROOM BURGERS:

·         2 Portobello mushrooms, stem removed

·         2 burger buns

·         1 red bell pepper, sliced

·         1 bunch broccolini, remove about 1-inch from the stalks

·         3-4 baby bok choy

·         1 small shallot, chopped

·         1 clove of garlic, diced

·         2-4 tablespoons olive oil

·         1 tablespoon sesame oil

·         2 tablespoons coconut oil

·         A splash of rice wine vinegar

·         Salt and pepper, to taste

FOR THE AVOCADO MAYO:

·         1/4-1/2 cup vegan mayonnaise

·         1/2 a ripe avocado

·         1 clove of garlic

·         A splash of water and oil

·         Salt and pepper, to taste

PREPARATION

TO MAKE THE BURGERS:

1.    Remove the stems from the mushrooms and wipe any excess dirt with a dry paper towel. Coat both sides of the mushrooms in olive oil, salt, and pepper.

2.    Grill on both sides until the mushrooms are tender, have wilted and are dark brown to black in color. Set aside in a bowl or on a paper towel to drain any excess moisture.

TO MAKE THE VEGETABLES:

1.    In a pan over medium heat, add coconut oil, shallot, and garlic. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the onion and garlic start to become translucent.

2.    Add the broccolini, bell pepper, sesame oil, salt, and pepper and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until the peppers are tender. Add in the baby bok choy, and a splash of rice wine vinegar and cook for another 2-3 minutes until the leaves begin to wilt. Remove from the heat and set aside in a bowl.

TO MAKE THE AVOCADO MAYO:

1.    In a blender or food processor, combine the vegan mayo, avocado, garlic, splash of water and olive oil, salt and pepper.

TO ASSEMBLE THE BURGERS:
1.    On the bottom and top half, add a layer of avocado mayo. Then add the broccolini, bell pepper, and baby bok choy. Add the portobello mushroom and additional layers of vegetables if desired.

AUTHOR & RECIPE DETAILS

Molly Ashworth is the plant-based food blogger behind Apollo & Luna. She strives to create easy to follow recipes for beginners in the kitchen and those transitioning to a plant-based diet. She believes that food is medicine for the body, and wants to help others feel their best. She's a mother of two, and when she isn't creating recipes for the blog, works full-time as the General Manager of an organic grocery store.