Cozy Coconut Curry with Tofu, Squash, Kale, and Quinoa

In the depths of winter, there’s nothing like a cozy curry to warm your belly and satisfy your soul. This recipe will heat you up with flavor while providing all the nutrients to support your body. There’s tofu and quinoa for protein, coconut milk for nourishing fats, squash for complex carbohydrates, and kale for all its phytochemical, vitamin, and fiber goodness. And all of this is served up in one bowl!

I make variations of this meal all year round, using the same coconut curry as a base for salmon, chicken, and seafood curries. Once you’ve got the curry mastered, experiment with different vegetables or proteins. You could even double the curry recipe and freeze half for another week - your future self will thank you.

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Cozy Coconut Curry with Tofu, Pumpkin, Kale, and Quinoa

Makes 4 Servings

Tofu
1 (16 ounce) block firm tofu, drained and pressed under a weight for 20 minutes to remove excess water)
2 tablespoons olive oil
¼ teaspoon salt

Coconut Curry
2 tablespoons coconut oil or ghee
1 red onion, halved and cut into 1¼-inch thick slices
1 tablespoon minced ginger
3 cloves garlic, minced
Small handful curry leaves (optional, but recommended)
1 teaspoon turmeric
2 teaspoons cumin powder
1 tablespoon ground coriander powder
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
2 medium tomatoes, cored and roughly chopped
1 cup vegetable broth or water
½ teaspoon salt
1 (14 ounce) can full fat coconut milk

1 bunch curly green kale, destemmed and cut into bite-size pieces
3 cups peeled, deseeded, and chopped squash (kabocha, butternut squash, acorn, or another fleshy squash)
½ cup broth or water
2 cups cooked quinoa
1 tablespoon lime juice

1.  Preheat oven to 400F.

2. Cut tofu into 1-inch cubes. Place in a medium bowl and toss with safflower oil and salt. Spread onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake 30-40 minutes, until tofu has firmed around the edges. 

3.  Meanwhile, make the coconut curry. In large pot, sauté pan, heat the coconut oil. Add the onion and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add ginger, garlic, and curry leaves and cook another 30 seconds. Add turmeric, cumin, coriander, cayenne, and cook another 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes, broth, and salt and cook 2 minutes, scraping the stuck pieces from the bottom of the pan. Transfer this mixture, along with the coconut milk, to a high-speed blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Rinse pot and set aside.   

4.  Add squash, kale, and broth to the rinsed pot. Cover with lid and steam over medium heat until tender, about 5 minutes. Return the curry to the pot and add the quinoa and lime juice. Simmer a few minutes, allowing the flavors to alchemize. Taste and adjust salt and lime as needed.   

Strawberry Chia Seed Pudding with Toasted Coconut and Almonds

Ch-ch-ch-chia!!!!

Yes, the same seeds that I watered for my terracotta Chia Pet are the main ingredients of this recipe. I’m totally crazy for the tiny seeds. I add them to smoothies, breakfast porridge, baked goods, and even salads as a nutrition booster. Once considered a staple in the Aztec diet, chia seeds are now considered a “super food” for their nutritional benefits.  

Chia seeds are well known for being a rich source of plant-based omega-3 fatty acids, with more per serving than even salmon. They also provide complete protein, antioxidants, and minerals like calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, manganese, copper, iron, molybdenum, and zinc.

The best part – in my gut’s opinion – is the way that chia seeds help with the digestive system. Chia seeds have a ton of fiber. 1 ounce (about two tablespoons) provides 11 grams of fiber, which is over 40% of the fiber RDA for women.  This helps regulate blood sugar levels, lower cholesterol, and aid in digestion. As this recipe will demonstrate, chia seeds form a gel when then come in contact with liquid. Not only does this binding quality provide an excellent egg replacer in baked goods, it also helps bind together stools, promote regularity, and coat the digestive tract in a way that reduces irritation.

After years of struggling with Irritable Bowl Syndrome, learning how to adjust the fiber in my diet has been a key tool in managing my IBS symptoms like constipation and bloating. Chia seeds, as well as flax seeds, have been two ingredients in my culinary pharmacy that keep my digestive system moving and my belly happy.

I should mention however, that when you begin to add fiber to your diet START SLOW. If you are new to chia seeds, their friends flax seeds, or phyllum husk, do not eat half of this recipe by yourself. You could end up with the reverse effects and get quite the stomach ache. Also make sure you drink plenty of water when increasing fiber to your diet. This will also help keep everything moving along in the right direction...  

THE RECIPE
As one of my clients put it after trying a version of this recipe, “These chia seeds are magic!” Without adding anything besides almond milk, chia seeds form a tapioca-like consistency that is creamy, filling, and totally delicious. By blending up some strawberries with the almond milk before adding the seeds, the pudding becomes infused with delicious strawberry flavor. Topped with toasted coconuts and slivered almonds, you might just think you're eating dessert for breakfast.

This recipe makes enough pudding to fill 5 1-cup mason jars, which is perfect if you are looking for an easy no-cook breakfast for you and your family. I've written it for this quantity because it is a great recipe to batch cook at the beginning of the week and enjoy through Friday, since these single-servings can last in the fridge for up to five days. All you have to do the morning of is add the toppings. The recipe can definitely be halved if you want to make a smaller quantity.

Finally, while I've featured strawberries here as the fruity flavor, feel free to experiment with whatever fruit inspires you. You can use the same method with mango, pineapple, or other types of berries. Mango lime chia seed pudding with toasted coconut and pecans anyone? 

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Strawberry Chia Seed Pudding with Toasted Coconut and Almonds

Yield: 5 1-cup servings

2 cups unsweetened almond milk
2 cups strawberries, divided
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Sea salt
½ cup chia seeds
¼ cup shredded unsweetened coconut
¼ cup slivered almonds

1. Preheat the oven to 300F.

2. In a blender combine the almond milk, 1 cup strawberries, cinnamon, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt until smooth. Add the chia seeds and remaining cup of strawberries, pulsing a few times so that the seeds become uniformly distributed and the strawberries are cut into small chunks. Pour into single serving mason jars or one large glass container and allow to sit overnight or at least 2 hours.

3. Spread the almonds onto a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes. Remove from oven, add the coconut flakes and continue toasting for another 5 minutes, or until golden brown. Allow almonds and coconut to cool before storing.

4. To serve, top the pudding with about a tablespoon of the coconut and almond mixture.

Lentil Salad with Radicchio, Fennel, Oranges, and Toasted Walnuts

Now that picnic season is among us, you’ll be the talk of the park when you show up with this jazzed up lentil salad. It’s a one-bowl, wellness meal full of heart-healthy fiber, plant-based protein, and longevity-boosting antioxidants.

I’m on a mission to destroy any bad reputation attached to lentils. They are one of my absolute favorite foods, with 13 grams of protein and one quarter of your daily fiber needs per serving. They are rich in iron, folate, and minerals like copper, phosphorus, and manganese.

Protein that helps regulate blood sugar, promote heart health, and boost energy? That’s what I call PLANT POWER!

While there’s nothing fun at all about plain lentils, they are fabulous sponges, and soak up whatever flavors you decide to dress them up with. The flavor combination in this lentil salad always make me smile. The orange, parsley, and dill bring sunny cheer, and the radicchio, fennel, and walnuts provide the tantalizing crunch-factor. If you’re in the mood, add some feta or goat’s cheese for a little extra tang, but it definitely doesn’t need it if you’re dairy-free.

This dish is a perfect make-it-the-night-before salad since the flavors only get better as they have a chance to meld together. It stores well in an air-tight container for up to five days. You may have to drain out a little of the liquid that accumulates, but save it! It makes a fabulous impromptu dressing for an arugula salad.

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Lentil Salad with Radicchio, Fennel, Oranges, and Toasted walnuts

Yield: 4 servings

1 cup dried French green lentils, picked over and rinsed
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon orange zest
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 clove garlic, minced
Sea salt
Pepper
1 head radicchio, cored and chopped
1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced
1 orange, supremed and chopped
¼ cup fresh parsley, minced
¼ cup fresh dill, minced
¼ cup walnuts, chopped and toasted

1. Place rinsed lentils and ¼ teaspoon salt in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook about 25 minutes, or until just tender. Drain lentils and put in a medium-sized bowl.
2. Whisk together the balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, olive oil, orange zest, orange juice, garlic, salt, and pepper. Toss the lentils with the dressing and set aside to marinate while preparing the remaining ingredients.
3. When the lentils have cooled, add the radicchio, fennel, orange, parsley, and dill to the lentils, tossing to combine. Top with toasted walnuts to serve.