Another Seasonal Recipe: Let's Not Forget Cauliflower -Especially When Cooked in Curry
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Simple Cauliflower, Tomato, and Chickpea Curry
Ingredients:
-1 cup long grain white rice
-4tsp extra virgin olive oil
-1 large yellow onion diced medium
-3 garlic cloves, smashed and minced
-1-2 TBSP peeled and minced fresh ginger
-4 1/2 tsp curry powder
-2 15oz cans of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
-1 pint cherry tomatoes
-1 head of *roasted cauliflower, chopped in to one inch pieces
-2 1/2 -3 oz chopped, fresh baby spinach, or cooked Kale
-fresh cilantro
-salt and fresh ground pepper
-plain Greek yogurt
-naan (optional)
Directions:
Begin to cook your rice according to package directions.
Heat 2 tsp olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add tomatoes, season with salt and pepper. Saute until tomatoes have started to burst and shrivel a bit -about 5-7 minutes. Once the tomatoes have been cooked through, remove from skillet and set aside in a bowl. Add remaining 2tsp olive oil and heat over medium heat. Add garlic and saute until fragrant -about 30 seconds. Add curry powder and stir around bottom of the pan until fragrant -about 30 seconds. Add onion, and ginger and saute until translucent and cooked through -about 5-7 minutes. Add chickpeas, tomatoes, and 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer and cover for about 8-10 minutes. Add cauliflower and spinach and season once more with pepper only. Simmer again for about 5 minutes and remove from heat. Serve over rice with a dollop of Greek yogurt and naan bread. Serves 4.
Adapted from a version of Easy Vegetable Curry from Martha Stewart Everyday Food Magazine
Citrus Season: I Love When Life Gives Me Lemons...and Oranges, and Limes, and Tangelo's, and Kumquats, etc.
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| Even baby is excited that citrus season is here! |
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| To fully embrace the seasonal gift of citrus, I use these bright, happy fruits to add a touch of color to a base pallet of white, neutrals, and silver. |
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| I love the way the oranges and lemons stand out against the "ice plate" display on the kitchen wall. Try adding a few here and there around your home in vases, baskets, etc. You could also use more exotic citrus such as Minneolas and kumquats to add a variety of sizes, hues, and color combinations. |
Eating in Season: The Health Benefits of Citrus:
Eating in season is not only healthy and "green", it is so much fun! When you eat in season, you are forced to change up your menu each month to highlight what is 'in' at that time. By embracing the food of the moment you will be less likely to fall into the oft-lamented meal rut or get bored with certain dishes or ingredients. Right now it is still the winter veggie season featuring the likes of kale and cauliflower, but mother nature knows we all need a little pick me up in body and soul so we are presented with an array of brightly colored, bright tasting little gems aka citrus. The phrase "when life gives you lemons" conjures up my hankering for a good ole LEMON BAR *cough cough* (cue your recipe, mom) or a nice lemon sorbet, or a savory lemon cream-pasta, or lemon curd, or...okay, I will stop.
In this particularly bad flu season here in the US, our immune systems are rather shot this far in to the game of winter. Most of us are aware of the beneficial levels of immune-boosting vitamin C to bolster our immunity and kick viruses to the curb, but you may not be aware of the phytochemicals found in these round treasures. Phytochemicals protect against chronic illness, cancer, and heart disease and act as anti-inflammatories! So next time you are making a menu or deciphering what to eat -why not add a few citrus-requiring recipes (check previous post to find a few that I shared last night). And the next time you are at the store, look for and pick up a bag or two of the many available varieties of citrus and reap the benefits of getting that seasonal and friendly little 'zip' in the mouth. For a reference, here is a site with a comprehensive list of common citrus: http://thecitrusfruits.blogspot.com/2011/08/list-of-citrus-fruits.html
*Here are a few links to learn about the health benefits of citrus.:
*If you are looking for a natural way to add that citrus smell to your home, try using the scraps of your eaten citrus peels. Get peels and place in boiling water with a pinch of dry cinnamon and cloves. Turn heat down to simmer and soon your will have an aromatic smell in your kitchen. Another great way to get that citrus smell in your home is to buy some citrus essential oil, fill up a medium spray bottle with water, and drop 8-10 drops of citrus oil in water. Use as you would any other air freshener. Spray with caution as some oils can stain fabrics.
*Other things to do with citrus: make a wreath (or as I made, a door arc -will get a picture of that soon)/ make a topiary/ stud the rind of unpeeled citrus fruit with cloves/place in jars, vases, bowls, baskets, on mantles.
*Looking for a more drastic and permanent way to celebrate the citrus family? Decorating with citrus hues is in right now. Here are some sites with great ideas for incorporating bright citrus into your home decor via things like paint and furniture.:
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