After talking to a new friend on LinkedIn who advocates the Esselstyn type of vegan diet, I realized it would be good for hubby and me to eat more oil free meals. I’m trying to cut back on starchy carbs to get in better shape. We both need to watch fats and oils to avoid heart issues. She’s doing it right, and I can do better with my diet.
So tonight, I perused my fridge in search of something a little different and came up with this curry. It has no oil, no starches and still satisfies. You can substitute any veggies you have on hand to equal about 4 1/2 cups; it’s really the sauce that makes this dish come to life. This version is low in sodium and not hot spicy, just flavorful. Certainly, adding a little more salt and red or black pepper might be an option, but as written below, it’s super healthy and we both really enjoyed this meal.
Vegan, Oil-Free, Mixed Veggie Curry with Riced Cauliflower
1 head of cauliflower
¼ cup chopped onion (I used a purple onion)
½ cup chopped carrots
6 chopped celery stalks (including leaves)
1/2 cup chopped kale
1 cup chopped bok choy
1 cup broccoli florets
½ cup snap peas
2 cups vegetable broth or prepared bullion
1 ½ cups dried mixed mushrooms
2 dried shitake mushrooms
1 Tbs dried red bell pepper
1 Tbs nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp of each: ginger, turmeric, fenugreek, garam masala, cumin, and ground coriander
Place cauliflower in a large pot and fill with 1” of water. Bring to boil, cover, turn down heat and let simmer until soft.
Combine onion, carrots, celery, kale, bok choy, broccoli and snap peas to a frying pan with a small amount of water covering the pan. Bring to boil, cover and turn down heat. Simmer about 10 minutes.
In a powerful blender, combine broth, mushrooms, red bell peppers nutritional yeast and spices. Blend at high speed until all ingredients become a smooth, thick sauce. (You can substitute fresh mushrooms and peppers, but increase the amount a bit and reduce the liquid broth.)
Check pan of veggies and drain or steam off excess water. Pour blended sauce over veggies and simmer until hot.
Remove cauliflower from pan and smash desired amount on each plate until it looks similar to rice. You can also blend the cauliflower for a mashed potato consistency.
Spoon veggies and sauce over cauliflower and serve.