Smells Like Curry Spirit

When you're married to a guy who loves to eat all sorts of food, you end up trying different things and figuring out how the heck you can manage to eat similar foods at home. Cookbooks can teach you basics, but what I've learned is that there's nothing quite so fun as taking what you learn in cookbooks and cooking shows and making your own recipes from the things you've taken into your gray matter. I find that more and more I end up using my pots & pans as my canvas and the food in my stores as my paints. What happens when I get to creating?

All sorts of things. Some of them that I end up writing down later - like my latest kitchen creation that I'd like to share with you.

Danielle's Vegetable Curry

(Makes about 8 servings)

Ingredients:
- 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 4 cups red potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 cups red onion, chopped
- 4 whole carrots, peeled & chopped
- 2 cups red bell peppers, chopped
- 2 tsp minced garlic (I cheat and get mine from a jar.)
- 1 cup shitaki mushrooms, chopped
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 1 cup frozen green beans
- 4 cups baby spinach
- 2 cups vegetable (or chicken) broth
- 1/4 cup coconut cream (AKA cream of coconut - I use Goya.)
- 1/4 cup almond or soy milk
- 2 tsp curry powder (I use Spice Islands)
- 1/4 tsp ground cumin
- Salt & pepper, to taste

Method: 
- In large stock pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat.
- Add and saute potatoes for about 2-3 minutes.
- Add onions, carrots, peppers, and garlic. Saute for another 5-7 minutes until potatoes and carrots begin to get fork-tender.
- Add mushrooms and saute for another 2-3 minutes until they begin to brown.
- Add broth and bring to simmer.
- Add frozen peas, corn, and green beans. Allow to simmer for another 2 minutes.
- Add curry powder, cumin, salt & pepper. Stir to incorporate.
- Add coconut cream and almond milk. Allow to simmer for 8-10 minutes.
- Add baby spinach and carefully combine it into the pot to allow it to wilt.
- Remove from heat. Serve with jasmine rice and garlic naan (or eat it alone, which is what we've been doing for lunches this week).

If you like your sauce to be a little bit thinner, you can add 1/2 to 1 cup of water to thin it out. We've been eating it this week for our lunches and it's been an awesome flavorful way to have a mid-day meal. A healthy way too - one serving packs almost 6 grams of fiber and just over 7 grams of protein, and it's a great way to get some extra veggies into your diet. If you fancy a bit more protein, toss in a cup or two of chopped chicken breast or add some chickpeas. I haven't tried them in there yet, but I'm sure either addition would be super tasty!

Having never made a "curry" before, I was excited about how it turned out and I have a feeling that this will be making repeat performances several times going forward. Play with it and make it yours! It's an easy, delicious, healthy meal - if you make it, I hope you enjoy it as much as we have!