Meatless Monday: Lentil and Butternut Squash Curry
By Claire Georgiou, Reboot Naturopath, B.HSc ND
Easily cooked in a large stovetop pot or in a slow cooker, this is a nice warming meal with plenty of high anti-oxidant spices which have been shown to have anti-cancer benefits. The curry is also rich in carotenoids which are vital for a healthy immune system, healthy skin and eyes and it also contains plenty of minerals such as magnesium, calcium and iron, fiber and protein.
Yesterday, I made this delicious soup in my slow cooker so it cooked while I went about my day. Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups of French lentils
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large brown onion, chopped
- 3 cloves of garlic, crushed
- 1 in (2.5cm) of fresh ginger, chopped finely
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 2 tsp ground black mustard seeds
- 2 tsp ground yellow mustard seeds (optional)
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 long chilli (optional), chopped finely
- 4 cups (32 oz/950 ml) of vegetable stock
- 1 can chopped tomatoes
- 1 tsp sea salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup (8 oz/250 ml) of coconut milk (can add extra if desired)
- 2 sticks of celery, chopped
- 2 cups (230 g) of butternut squash (butternut pumpkin), chopped
- 4 kale leaves + stems, chopped
- 2 swiss chard (silverbeet) leaves + stems, chopped
Directions
- Rinse the lentils under cold water.
- Slowly cook on low to medium heat (high in slow cooker) the oil, onion, garlic and ginger until soft.
- Add the spices and chilli cook until fragrant.
- Add the lentils, stock, tomatoes, celery, butternut squash, swiss chard & kale stems, salt and pepper and cook slowly for 40-50mins or until the pumpkin and lentils are cooked or 6 hours in a slow cooker.
- Add in coconut milk, swiss chard and kale leaves and cook for a further 10mins.
- Serve with steamed quinoa or rice and garnish with a dollop of coconut cream or yogurt and sprinkle with chopped parsley and coriander leaves.
Serve with:
- 1 tbsp of coconut cream or greek yogurt
- Fresh coriander and parsley
- Quinoa or Rice
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 6
Substitutions
- French lentils – red, brown , green lentils, split peas
- Winter squash – sweet potato, parsnip, turnip, carrot, pumpkin
- You can use any vegetable you desire or have in your fridge. This curry works well to have a range of vegetables.
- Note: I always recommend finding canned foods that do not contain any white lining as this contains Bisphenol A (BPA)
Calories: 280
Fat: 5g
Trans Fat: 2g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 240mg
Carbohydrates: 44g
Fiber: 17g
Sugars: 7g
Protein: 15g