I cannot wrap my head around the fact that next week is Thanksgiving. This year, on Thanksgiving, we have a double celebration. The first night of Hannukah falls on Thanksgiving this year. I am not ready for Hannukah. It is way too early. Although this will never, ever happen again in my lifetime or quite possibly my children’s, it is definetly something to celebrate.
With the holidays around the corner, I am keeping our dinners simple and quick. Prepping in advance is a must and Sunday is the prefect day to do that. While I cut, chopped, and prepped my veggies for tonight’s meal, I will also prepare the salad dressing, clean and cut my green beans, chop all vegetables for the carrot soup, and grate a few kinds of cheeses, simply to have on hand. In addition, I will also make some waffles, muffins, and egg cups. This allows my kids to “make” their own breakfast on those hectic Monday through Friday mornings.
Vegetarian Cauliflower Curry
Ingredients
2 Tablespoons curry powder
1 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1/4 cup sunflower oil
2 cups diced, brown onions (2 medium)
12 ounces diced, red potatoes (3 cups)
3 cloves garlic, minched
1 Tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 serrano chili, chopped very fine (remove seeds and rib for a milder curry)
1 Tablespoon tomato paste
4 cups chopped cauliflower (about 1/2 head, trimmed and cored)
14 1/2 ounces (1 can) diced tomatoes
1 1/4 cup vegetable stock
15 ounces (1 can) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 tespoon Celtic sea salt
8 ounces (1 cup) frozen peas
1/4 cup coconut milk
Instructions
• in a small heavy duty skillet, over high heat, toast curry powder and garam masala. when it starts to darken a bit and become fragrant, remove spices from hot skillet. set aside.
• puree canned tomatoes in a small food processor. set aside
• in a large dutch oven, heat 3 tablespoons of oil. add onions and potatoes and cook until slightly golden, about 10 minutes.
• move potatoes and onions to one side and add remaining oil. add garlic, ginger, chili, and tomato paste. stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. add toasted spices and stir until combined, about 1 minute. add cauliflower and saute, stirring constantly until all cauliflower is coated and absorbs the spices in the pan.
• add pureed tomatoes, vegetable stock, chickpeas, and salt. increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. stir constantly and scrape any brown bits from bottom of the pan.
• cover pan and reduce heat to medium. simmer for 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
• stir in peas and coconut milk, cook until all combined and heated through. add more salt, if needed.
• serve warm over quinoa and enjoy!
to cook the quinoa:
• in a small sauce pan, bring 1 1/4 cups of water to a simmer. add a pinch of salt and 1 cup of quinoa, cover with a lid, and cook for 20-23 minutes. remove lid and if all liquid has evaporated, fluff quinoa with a fork, cover again and let sit for 5 minutes.
* note: for an easy shortcut I sometimes use the frozen and pureed garlic from Dorot. They also have a frozen ginger. I keep these in the freezer, just in case I am out of certain staples.
adapted from Cooks Illustrated, January 1997
yield: lots – enough for two meals
The Urban Baker / SusanSalzman.com
This week my family will be eating this and more:
Sunday 11/17/13
Cauliflower Vegetarian Curry
Quinoa
Cucumber Salad
Monday 11/18/13
Turkey meatballs, marinara + Spaghetti (pull meatballs and marinara from the freezer)
Chopped Italian Salad
Tuesday 11/19/13
Sloppy Joes
Roasted Fingerling Potatoes
Sliced Jicama w/Lime and Chili Pepper
Wednesday 11/20/13
Deconstructed BLT
Roasted Carrot Soup
Thursday 11/21/13
Turkey Breasts Brined + Roasted (recipe to follow)
Slow Roasted Tomatoes
Braised Green Beans
Friday 11/22/13
Baked Talapia (marinate for 15 minutes in zest and juice of 1 lime, 1 clove garlic, minced, 2 Tablespoons olive oil, Kosher salt, and a pinch of cayenne. Broil 4-5 minutes or until cooked through).
Quinoa Cakes (use the leftover Quinao from Sunday night’s meal. Prep your mixture early in the morning – this helps bring the ingredients together, making pan frying an easier task. Store in the fridge until ready to use).
Sauteed Zucchini (I do a version of this recipe)
Saturday 11/23/13
Make Reservations!
This sounds wonderful!!