Wholesome Goodness

Sigh.  Well, I missed Kimi’s carnival.  It was one of those days yesterday.  Nevertheless, you should still go check out her postto see everyone’s entries.  If you’re in the mood for inspiration, you’re sure to find something to jazz up your fall table.  And if you want to share a recipe of your own, you can leave it in the comments section.

Here’s the recipe I wanted to share for the carnival.  I think curries make wonderful fall dishes.  They’re warming and rich, though this one is on the lighter, brothier side.  It makes a lot of flavorful sauce that I like to layer over a pile of vegetables so that it feels almost like a stew.  It’s equally good with quinoa to soak up the sauce, which is how my husband eats it.  (I don’t digest grains very well, so I try to make them an occasional indulgence.  The picture below is of my plate with just the vegetables and chicken.)  We really enjoy this dish.  Even my parents who “don’t like curry” enjoyed it!

Curried Chicken with Quinoa and Vegetables

(This recipe was partially inspired by Stephanie’s Fish Coconut Curryand by a number of other recipes floating around the blogosphere.  I combined and tweaked them to suit our tastes.)

4 cups water or chicken broth
2 cups quinoa, rinsed well

1 tablespoon high-quality butter or coconut oil
3 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
6 large cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon turmeric (for color)
1 small apple, peeled and cored, finely diced
1 to 1 1/2 pounds chicken breast, cubed (dark meat would work too)
1 can coconut milk (I prefer Thai Kitchen’s organic coconut milk)
1 cup chicken broth
sea salt
5 teaspoons fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon virgin, unrefined coconut oil
2 large carrots, cut into matchsticks
4 stalks celery, thickly sliced
1 bunch green onions, cut into 1 inch segments
2 to 3 cups fresh green beans, cut into 1 inch segments
1/4 medium purple cabbage, sliced

In a medium saucepan, bring the water or broth to a boil, then add the rinsed quinoa.  Simmer, covered, for 20 to 30 minutes until all water is absorbed.

Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat and add butter.  Add ginger and garlic and saute until soft.  Add the curry powder, red pepper flakes, and turmeric and stir for 30 seconds.  Then stir in the apple, chicken, cocoonut milk, and broth.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered.

While the chicken is cooking, prepare the vegetables.  In another large skillet or a wok, heat the coconut oil over medium high heat.  Add all the vegetables and stir frequently until the veggies deepen in color and become glossy.  (You want them tender but still crisp.)

Add the lime juice to the chicken and season to taste with salt. 

In soup plates (low, wide bowls), layer quinoa, vegetables, and chicken with plenty of sauce. 

Note: You may find hardened bits in your refrigerated leftovers, but this is just the oil in the coconut milk solidifying.  Once you heat it up, they’ll go away.  And don’t forget that those coconut oils are a healthy kind of saturated fat.