Curried Vegetable and Chickpea Stew

From http://www.thekitchn.com/slow-cooker-recipe-curried-vegetable-and-chickpea-stew-67

From The Kitchn

Curried Vegetable and Chickpea Stew

Serves 8 to 10

Adapted from Cooking Light
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 large onion, diced
2 medium red or yellow potatoes, diced
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1-inch piece ginger, peeled and grated (about 1 tablespoon)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
2 cups vegetable broth
2 (15.5-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 medium head of cauliflower, cut into bite-sized florets
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes with their juices
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 (10-ounce) bag baby spinach
1 cup coconut milk
Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté the onion with one teaspoon of salt until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the potatoes and another teaspoon of salt, and sauté until just translucent around the edges.
Stir in the curry, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, and cayenne and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Pour in 1/4 cup of broth and scrape up any toasty bits from the bottom of the pan. Transfer this onion-potato mixture into the bowl of a 6-quart or larger slow cooker. (Halve this recipe for a smaller slow cooker.)
To the slow cooker, add the rest of the broth, chickpeas, bell pepper, cauliflower, tomatoes with their juices, pepper, and final teaspoon of salt. Stir to combine. The liquid should come about halfway up the sides of the bowl; add more broth as necessary. Cover and cook for 4 hours on HIGH.
Stir in the spinach and coconut milk. Cover with lid for a few more minutes to allow the spinach to wilt. Taste and correct the salt and other seasonings as needed.
Serve on its own or over couscous, Israeli couscous, or orzo pasta.

Recipe Notes:

• Smaller slow cookers: Cut this recipe in half for a smaller slow cooker.
• Dutch-oven version: Instead of cooking in a slow cooker, simmer the stew in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over low heat on the stovetop or in a 350°F oven for 45 to 60 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Add the spinach and coconut milk and stir until the spinach has wilted. Taste and add more seasonings if needed.

Per serving, based on 8 servings. (% daily value)

Calories

321

Fat

10.5 g (16.2%)

Saturated

5.9 g (29.3%)

Carbs

48.9 g (16.3%)

Fiber

13.7 g (54.8%)

Sugars

12.4 g

Protein

13.2 g (26.4%)

Sodium

1220.8 mg (50.9%)

 

Thai Coconut Curry & Peanut Orange Veggie Stir-fry

Here is a couple of easy Asian style recipes.  Michelle Gray shared the Thai one with me. She got it from a missionary who served in Thailand. She found a block of curry paste.  I could only find a huge tub of yellow and I only add a couple of teaspoons else it is too hot for us.

Thai Coconut Curry

1 1/2 -2 lbs. meat of choice (I use chicken)
Brown meat then add:
2 cups milk 
1 can coconut milk
Bring almost to a boil and add:
1 pkg yellow curry paste (shaved off in slices)
1 Tbsp. peanut butter
1 Tbsp. fish sauce or soy sauce
1 heaping Tbsp. sugar
Simmer until thick and add desired veggies. (Can just use a frozen Asian veggie pack to make it real easy)
Remove from heat and add fruit if desired -pineapple or mandarin oranges

Serve over rice or other grain.

Peanut Orange Veggie Stir-Fry

by Stacy Middleton
Serves 4

Peanut Sauce

4 Tbsp. reduced-fat chunky peanut butter
3 Tbsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 Tbsp. honey
1 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp ginger juice
zest of 1/2 orange
sprinkling of chopped peanuts

 Veggie Selection

12 oz. bag pre-cut Broccoli Wokly
12 oz. bag Broccoli Slaw
or veggies of choice
Add the sauce ingredients to a saute pan and turn it to low heat until the peanut butter melts.  Dump the veggies into the sauce, stir and cover and cook for approximately 5 minutes. The sauce becomes more liquid, the longer it cooks. 
offer the dish with a number of different grain choices: couscous, bulgur, quinoa or basmati rice.