Coconut Cauliflower Curry/ Brown Basmati Rice

There comes a time when that half a can of coconut milk in the fridge just has to get used or it starts to go bad. I had been thinking about the fact that it had actually been a long time since we had rice with anything, and the idea began with the thought of putting coconut milk in rice. Pretty soon that morphed into this cauliflower curry with coconut milk and whatever coconut milk was left could go in the rice. I decided to mix the traditional dal (pureed lentils) into the dish, so that the whole thing would have curry flavor and be poured right over the rice, which began to take on its own shape. Portion nutrition is based on 4 large servings. Of course you can stretch this to feed 6 by adding a side dish (I'm thinking green beans...). You can also add heat (peppers) or sweet (peaches or tomatoes) or heft (potato, sweet or otherwise!)

Coconut Cauliflower Curry with Brown Basmati Rice
1 cup red lentils
2 1/4 cup water for lentils
Florets of a whole head of cauliflower
1/2 cup water for sauteing
1 large onion chopped fine
3 large white or cremini mushrooms halved and sliced
2 tsp fresh grated ginger
2 tsp coriander
1.5 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp tumeric in curry
1/8 tsp tumeric in rice
4 Tblsp light coconut milk for curry

FOR THE RICE
1 cup brown basmati rice
1.5 cups water  (I used the water from steaming the cauliflower)
1 minced carrot
2 finely chopped sun dried tomatoes
4 Tblsp light coconut milk for rice
1 Tblsp dry currants (or other dried fruit)

1. Wash and cut up the cauliflower and steam the florets in a large pot until they are cooked but not at all mushy. You can use the leftover water for making the rice.
2. Cook the red lentils - put lentils in a medium small pot, add the water and the 1/8 tsp tumeric, cook until totally soft so that you can whisk this and it will get all creamy. Cover and let it sit.
2. Chop the onion and slice the mushrooms, grate the ginger, and put this in a wide saute pan with the 1/2 cup water. This needs to be big enough to hold the whole curry. Add the herbs and the salt and the 1/2 tsp tumeric. Cook stirring occasionally until the onion softens and the mushrooms are nearly cooked.

3. Cook the rice: Put the rice, water, carrot, tomato, coconut milk, currants and bring to a boil. Turn down immediately to simmer without a lid until most of the liquid is absorbed. Stir once, cover and let sit.  If the sun dried tomatoes are cured with salt - rather than soaked in oil - you do not need to salt the rice.  Otherwise, you can add salt and pepper if you like it that way when you fluff it up to serve it.

4. Add the lentils, and half the coconut milk, stirring. Add the cauliflower and simmer covered for about 10 minutes.  Serve spooned over rice, with a decorative bunch of cilantro or parsley leaves.

Coconut Cauliflower Curry/Basmati Rice Nutrition Facts Serving Size: 1 Serving (460g) Amount Per Serving % Daily Value* Calories 427 21% Total Fat 4g 6% Saturated Fat 1g 3% Trans Fat Cholesterol 0% Sodium 470mg 20% Total Carbohydrate 83g 28% Dietary Fiber 10g 39% Sugars 14g 0% Protein 18g 35% Vitamin A 9% • Vitamin C 10% Calcium 8% • Iron 33% * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calories needs. courtesy of cronometer.com using my data.

3 Great Soups for Any Weather: Spicy African Peanut Soup, Cauliflower Leek Soup, Carrot-Ginger Soup

Here are three soups that have been delightful for dinner, and then for lunches.

First, a Spicy African Peanut Soup!  Adjust the cayenne for your taste.

African Spicy Peanut Soup w/Sweet Potato & Coconut  

Based on Deborah Madison’s recipe she got from James Peterson’s Splendid Soup book

NO OIL (or 1-2 tbsp roasted peanut oil to saute)

1 large onion chopped in 1/2 inch dice

2 large garlic cloves minced

1 cooked sweet potato, peeled, steamed in slices and chopped into small cubes

3 cups water ((save any steaming water and use it for this)

1 cup chopped cilantro with stems

1/8 (she said up to-1/2) tsp cayenne or hot red pepper flakes to taste

1.5 tblsp curry powder (she said 2 tblsp)

a 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes – or your own quart jar with juice

2/3 c peanut butter – organic not sweetened

1 cup light coconut milk (or more if you want)

sea salt

Directions: 

    1.  Heat about 1/2 cup water in a soup pot and sauté onions, garlic & cilantro stems til just starting to soften (10 minutes). Add sweet potato cubes, cayenne and curry, stir and cook a couple minutes.

    2.  Add 3 cups water and the tomatoes. Stir well, bring to boil. Drop in the peanut butter and simmer until peanut butter has  dissolved and onions are soft – about 15 minutes. Stir in coconut milk. Season with salt – not much though. 

    3.  Before serving, add the toppings of your choice. Top with cilantro/lime/yogurt/ --

        whatever you like! Even crisped onion or nothing at all!

Spicy African Peanut Soup Nutrition Facts Serving Size: 1 Serving (200g) Amount Per Serving % Daily Value* Calories 198 10% Total Fat 12g 19% Saturated Fat 2g 8% Trans Fat Cholesterol 0% Sodium 264mg 11% Total Carbohydrate 19g 6% Dietary Fiber 5g 18% Sugars 9g 0% Protein 7g 15% Vitamin A 11% • Vitamin C 23% Calcium 6% • Iron 11% * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calories needs. courtesy of cronometer.com based on my estimates

SECOND: A simple Cauliflower Leek Soup based on a recipe of the month on the internet from cookshopny.com, so creamy without dairy!

CAULIFLOWER LEEK SOUP

8 cups of strong vegetable broth (I used a box of Field Day Savory Organic Vegetable Broth)

1 whole head of garlic roasted

The white part of 2-3 leeks chopped (save the greens for making a stock)

1 large head of cauliflower sliced and chopped

1/4 cup of toasted pumpkin seeds

4 Tbsp chives chopped finely to garnish

Directions:

     1.   Roast garlic at 400 F for 30 minutes.

     2.   In a large saucepan fry the leek in a little water until soft. Add in the cauliflower and stir for a couple of minutes until starting to soften. Squeeze in the roasted garlic pulp.

     3.  Cover with the vegetable broth. Bring to the boil, then simmer FOR 30 minutes until the cauliflower is soft.

     4. Let the mixture cool enough to put batches in the blender. Transfer to a clean pot and heat on low to serve. Garnish with pumpkin seeds, chives or scallions. 

Cauliflower Leek Garlic Soup Nutrition Facts Serving Size: 1 Serving (300g) Amount Per Serving % Daily Value* Calories 40 2% Total Fat 0g 0% Saturated Fat 0g 0% Trans Fat Cholesterol 0% Sodium 268mg 11% Total Carbohydrate 9g 3% Dietary Fiber 2g 9% Sugars 3g 0% Protein 2g 4% Vitamin A 1% • Vitamin C 73% Calcium 4% • Iron 5% * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calories needs. courtesy of cronometer.com based on my estimates

THIRD:  DELICIOUS CARROT GINGER SOUP  

(I made this one up to have it the way I like it, warms the cold edges!)

8 medium sized carrots, peeled and chopped

1 medium potato, chopped with skin

2 tsp grated fresh ginger

1-2 chopped parsnips  

1 large chopped onion

2 medium chopped stalks of celery

1.5 tsp dried tarragon

1/4 tsp or 1/2 tsp salt

1 cup leftover winter squash (acorn, butternut, hubbard whatever!)

6 cups water

Directions:

     1.  Chop up onion, parsnip, carrots, and celery and cook about 35 minutes with grated fresh ginger and tarragon in 3-4 cups of water until starting to soften. 

     2.  Add salt and squash (I used this because it was left over ...). Cook another  5-10 minutes, and puree! You could use vegetable broth instead of water.  Serve plain, with scallions, with plain coconut yogurt, or a little oven sizzled garlic!

Carrot Ginger Soup Nutrition Facts Serving Size: 1 Serving (436g) Amount Per Serving % Daily Value* Calories 101 5% Total Fat 0g 1% Saturated Fat 0g 0% Trans Fat Cholesterol 0% Sodium 178mg 7% Total Carbohydrate 24g 8% Dietary Fiber 6g 23% Sugars 6g 0% Protein 2g 5% Vitamin A 46% • Vitamin C 33% Calcium 7% • Iron 6% * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calories needs. courtesy of cronometer.com based on my estimates