Curried Cauliflower with Spinach & ChickPeas

We eat a fair amount of curry and chick peas in our house. Now I’m not talking all the time but everyone will eat it which is a big success when you have two little kids and a vegan. One of our other favourites is Curried Cauliflower & Chickpeas with Coconut Milk that I shared back in August and wanted to share this one today!

It’s so easy to make and doesn’t require a lot of prep time. Though you need to make sure you have all the ingredients (as with any recipe). Yesterday, I had to run to the store – literally – to pick up an onion. I wasn’t to upset as I wanted to get my first post half marathon run in and my hamstring was feeling good.

I got the recipe from my mother a few years ago. She found it in a magazine and thought my husband would like it since it was vegan. She’s always trying new vegan recipes for him and follows all the directions 100%, me not so much 😉

Curried Cauliflower with Spinacn and chickpeas PR

Curried Cauliflower, Chick Peas and Spinach. 

Ingredients:

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 sweet onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 2 tbsp minced fresh ginger (yum)
  • 2 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced (I always put way more 3-5 cloves)
  • 2 tsp garam masala
  • 2 tsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper
  • 1 small head of cauliflower
  • 1 can (19oz/540ml) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1/4 cup raisins
  • 4 cups of baby spinach
  • Rice or quinoa or other grain.

Directions:

1. In frying pan heat oil and cook onion and sugar, stiring occasionally until beginning to brown.

2. Add ginger, garlic, garam masala, vinegar, cayenne, salt and pepper; reduce heat to medium-low and cook until onion is golden brown.

3. Cut cauliflower into florets to make 6 cups (I never measure this). Add to pan along with chickpeas and raisins; cover and cook, stirring once or twice until cauliflower is tender (about 18 minutes).

4. Remove from heat and stir in spinach. ( I don’t remove it from the heat when I put in the spinach).

5. Surve over rice of your choice.

Our girls actually eat this!!!!!!! I find this one really good after a day as the flavour is that much stronger. What’s even better – apparently I’ve shared this recipe on my blog before, whoops! Oh well, I took the time to write this up so I’m going to hit publish anyway. Enjoy 🙂

Do you find curry better the day you make it or a day later ?

Ever run (or walk) to the store for an ingredient you forgot?

Ever shared a recipe twice on your blog? Or something else?

Fall Eats & Treats for Thanksgiving Dinner

With Thanksgiving coming up this weekend, all I can think about (besides pacing the 10k) is all the yummy food we’ll be eating. Turkey, ham, sour cream potatoes, sweet potato bake, veggies galore and special family recipes that we *hope* the person brings to meal.

My aunt always makes these amazing chocolate coconut {Queen Anne Squares} that are to die for – I’m holding out that she’s making this. I’m on the sweet potato bake (mashed potatoes with peanut butter and maple syrup on top) and of course a few vegan treats!

Last night instead of running *gasp*, don’t worry I went to a great yoga class at lunch time 🙂 Last night I did a little baking…muffins, cookies and pie crusts for the weekend.

Since we went apple picking last weekend we have a bag full of apples to use up: apple pie, apple crisp and I might even make some apple muffins this week too! Since Saï is a vegan, I do all my baking vegan so he can enjoy it. Okay, that’s a lie, I do 90% of my baking vegan.

Some of what I made last night and still to come…..

Vegan Apple Pie

pie

Pumpkin Muffins

SONY DSC

Pumpkin Pie (maybe)

SONY DSC

I’m not sure if I’ll get to the pumpkin pie but I’m pretty sure I’ll be hungry {or should I say “rungry”} after my 10k on Sunday. I’m a few days and a 1 hour drive with the girls and Saï away from Thanksgiving dinner!

What’s your favourite part of Thanksgiving dinner?

What’s your favourite part of fall?

Do you make a secret family recipe to bring to your family dinner?

Anna

Curried Cauliflower & Chickpeas with Coconut Milk

We are a big fan of curry in our family. Well, my husband is a big fan and I enjoy it, the girls on the other hand…I would say they have come to accept it 🙂

I am sharing one of our favourite curry recipes this week and will share another one in the coming weeks. They are not my original recipes. I got this recipe from my running buddy Kyrstol. She had us over for dinner a few months ago and made this – it’s awesome!

curried cauliflower coconut milk PR

Curried Cauliflower & Chickpeas with Coconut Milk  (with Rice / Fries).

Original recipe from Pampered Chef Cookbook – but this version is adapted for a vegan. It’s originally made with Chicken and Couscous instead of chickpeas/cauliflower and rice/fries. 

  • 1 can of chick peas (drained)
  • 1 head of cauliflower (broken into small pieces)
  • 3/4 tsp (4ml) salt
  • 1/4 tsp (1 ml) ground black pepper
  • 4 medium carrots (cut up in small pieces)
  • 1 medium onion (cut up in small pieces)
  • 1 tsp (5 ml) vegetable oil  (I used Olive Oil)
  • 2 tsp (30 ml) curry powder (I never measure this and put more in 😉 )
  • 1/2 Cup (125 ml) golden raisins (I use red Thompson raisins)
  • 1 can (13.5oz/398ml) coconut milk
  • Rice OR Long thin French Fries (large bag – follow directions on bag)

1.If serving on rice – make rice. If serving on French Fries (I know….it’s awesome), prep the oven and get baking.

2. Chopped up onion into small pieces and cook in olive oil (or vegetable oil) until soft.

3. Add in cauliflower, pepper, salt, carrots and curry powder – cook for 5-8 minutes (until cauliflower/carrots soften a little).

4. Add in raisins and chickpeas, then your coconut milk and cook for another 10 minutes or so. (Make sure you don’t burn it).

5. Once all cooked serve over rice or FRIES!!! I’ve never had curry over fries until having this at Krystol house months ago. It was the best idea ever! Might not be the healthiest choice….however, you can always make it with rice, couscous or another grain that you love.

Again – I altered the recipe from its original. 

Do you like chickpeas?

Ever tried curried cauliflower?

What’s your favourite way to eat curry? On Rice, Fries, or something else?

Running, Swimming and Father’s Day

That pretty much sums up our weekend!

Lilly finished her swimming lessons Saturday morning and she’s moving on to the next level (in the fall). Though it was only her first swimming lesson, we saw a big improvement in her confidence in the water.

Later Saturday, we went to a birthday party (it’s birthday season right now…that’s what happens when you become friends with people who are on maternity leave at the same time as you – #allthebirthdayparties). It was great, we were outside by a lake. The bugs weren’t bad, the kids played some games and even swam in the lake! Brrr!!! I got in up to my knees as I didn’t have time to locate my bathing suit.

swim fun

We celebrated Father’s Day Saturday night with a BBQ dinner which was more like “how many veggies can you fit on your plate” kinda meal. That’s what happens when you are married to a vegan 😉 I was wanting to make home-made burgers but with the busy day we had, we all had sausages of various kinds!

Roasted parsnips, carrots and asparagus. Onions and mushrooms, spinach salad with strawberries, tangerines and nuts. Chicken feta and spinach sausage for the girls … Sai had a vegan one.

Father's Day Food

Father’s Day Food

Father’s Day Fun

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I was planning on going for a run after we got the girls to bed but was feeling lazy. Eventually, I got a little boost and headed out for a 6k run. You’d think I’d make my running routes easy since they have been so hard lately but nope…I decided to run some long inclines and even ran up my “hill repeat” hill THE WHOLE WAY! Apparently, my fitness isn’t too bad! It doesn’t matter that I walked once I arrived at the top of this hill, does it 😉

sat run june 20

It was another hard run but felt so good. When I arrived at home, I still had to do a 2 minute 10 second plank since I forgot to do it first thing in the morning. After running 6k I figured it would be okay. Well…..never plank in front of your husband.

Within the first few seconds he said “should your bum be THAT high?”. So of course I lowered my butt/pelvis towards the ground more. Then at the end he says “shouldn’t you be controlling your breathing?”. Once I collapsed on the floor (2:11) and caught my breath, I looked at him and said “Why don’t you give it a try?” and his response was “nope, I’m eating my ice cream”.

Sunday was supposed to be spent in the garden and mowing the lawn but it rained and RAINED and RAINED! As I write this a large swimming pool in my driveway is filling up! Awesome for puddle jumping. Then after breakfast I remembered that I should get planking before the day got away from me. Just before I was about to “assume the plank position” I looked up what time I should be doing – just for clarification, ya know! Guess what????????? It was REST DAY!!!!! I cried inside – complete happiness!!!!

How was your weekend?

Did you celebrate Father’s Day?

Anyone run, swim or bike this weekend?