You all know I am not a fan of the colder time of the year. However, there is one awesome benefit: PUMPKINS! … also called winter squash. First of all, they are incredibly versatile. You can roast them, cook them, pickle them, make savoury or sweet dishes. They are very rich in nutrients such as iron, potassium, copper, manganese, riboflavin, and vitamins A and C. They provide a great alternative to other carbs sources like potatoes or rice. If that is an important information for you, then let me tell you they are relatively low in calories. For example, they have around 40% less calories than normal potatoes.
I love going to the supermarket, buy what grabs my attention and only when I’m home think about what I can make from it. This happened last week when I saw a bunch of butternut squash and I brought one home. Checking my fridge and kitchen, I found a couple of other things and had the idea to make a vegan curry from it. I also made so much it lasted for the next 3 days. Food-prep for the win!
What I deem important when it comes to the food I prepare is the following. It needs to be:
- free from added sugar and preservatives (”clean food),
- free from or low in “bad fats” (saturated fat and trans fats),
- rich in nutrients,
- filling, and
- tasty but not overly fancy.
If you like vegan food, especially curries, and the mix of savoury and sweet taste, then I promise you will love this one!
How to make your own delicious vegan curry with squash
How long does it take?
Preparation time: about 30 minutes
What do you need?
Ingredients for 2 people:
Veggies:
- 1 table spoon of coconut oil (use other oil if you have a preference)
- 1 chunk of plain, solid tofu (you can add two chunks if you want more protein in your meal)
- 1 clove of garlic
- 1 small to medium sized butternut squash
- 1 small egg plant
- 1/2 can of chickpeas (They are optional. Chickpeas have a pretty strong taste of their own. If you don’t like them, leave them.)
- 1/2 apple without the peel
Sauce:
- 1 can of canned tomato chunks (make sure you buy those without added sugar)
- 1/2 cup of water
- 1 table spoon of agave sirup
- 1 table spoon of curry powder
- salt & (white) pepper and some chilli if you like it more spicy
- 1 tea spoon of raw cocoa powder (YES! Secret magic ingredient!)
How do you make it?
- Heat the oil in a large pan with a lid, cut the squash into dices and roast on medium heat for 5 minutes.
- Cut the egg plant and garlic and add both to the pumpkin. Roast for another 5 minutes on low to medium heat. Don’t let it burn.
- Cut the tofu into chunks, add too. Also add the curry powder and roast along for another minute. Stir.
- Mix the water with the canned tomatoes and pour over.
- Rinse the chickpeas, add them along with the agave sirup, cocoa powder, salt & pepper (and chilli). Boil everything for around 10 minutes.
- Turn off the heat. Cut the apple into small pieces, add it and stir everything.
- Serve and enjoy!
What I personally would have added if I had had them at home are raisins! They taste amazing in curries. Try it out if you have them. If you’re a carb fanatic, you can of course serve rice with the curry, but it’s not needed at all as the squash and chickpeas are providing enough carbs already.
Enjoy!
Side note: I am not providing nutritional values for my recipes because I am not a fan of tracking calories. Clean eating is more important from my point of view and more sustainable in the long run.
This blog post might be interesting for you: How to avoid stress-related weight gain.
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