Cauliflower Chick Pea Curry & Quinoa with Smoky Fermented Cilantro Cream

If you have 20 minutes, you can whip up this delicious meal for the whole family. Even though we try to limit our use of canned foods in the whole food, plant based lifestyle, a few cans are generally accepted as a healthy alternative (and time-saving) to the fresh version – these include: organic coconut milk and all kinds of organic beans (chick peas, black beans, navy beans, pinto). If you’re cooking your own beans at home, add a 3-5″ strip of dried kombu (sold at Japanese supermarkets) to a pot of cooking beans (you can also use a pressure cooker to half the time needed to cook the beans). The kombu will eventually disintegrate when stirred and leave behind an extra boost of vitamins and minerals.
This curry is quick and simple and super delicious. Perfect for the whole family!

Serves 4

Recipe Ingredients

Curry

• 2 Tbsp. veggie broth (or coconut oil)
• 1 medium head of cauliflower, chopped into medium florets
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 medium tomatoes, chopped small
• 1/2 serrano pepper, minced
• 1 can of chickpeas (rinsed and drained)
• 1 can of coconut milk
• 2 Tbsp. gluten-free tamari
• 1 Tbsp. fresh ginger (minced)
• 2 tsp. cumin powder
• 1 tsp. coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. of each: maple syrup, pink salt and apple cider vinegar to give it a final pop of robust flavour!

Recipe Directions

1. Heat a large sauce pan to medium hot and add broth or coconut oil, spice powders, ginger, serrano, onion, garlic and salt. Sauté for a few minutes.
2. Lower the temp to medium low, add the cauliflower and stir. Let simmer and stir every 3 minutes until the cauliflower is golden brown.
3. Add coconut milk, tamari, chick peas, tomatoes and stir. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. You want a simmer, not a boil, which should be around low to medium-low heat.
4. Cover and cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. At this time, taste and adjust the flavor of the broth as needed. Add an extra teaspoon of maple syrup or apple cider vinegar — or both to balance the taste.
5. Serve as is, with quinoa or add a scoop to your next salad.
6. Garnish with something fermented, something sprouted and some seaweed. Here we have fermented smoky cilantro cream, sunflower sprouts and dulse flakes.
7. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to six days or in the freezer up to six months. Reheat in a sauce pan by adding extra coconut milk and tomato.

Recipe Ingredients

Smoky Fermented Cilantro Cream

• 2 cups cashews
• 1 cup water
• 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 probiotic capsule
• 3 cups fresh cilantro
• 1 cup kale
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 Tbsp. sauerkraut juice
• 1 tsp. liquid smoke
• ¼ tsp. Himalayan pink salt, more to taste

Recipe Directions

1. Make the fermented cashew cream first by blending the ingredients on high until smooth and creamy.
2. Transfer to a mason jar with a lot of room left in the jar and leave in a warm place for 24 – 36 hours or until you see bubbles forming in the cream. The temperature of your space determines how fast your ferment goes.
3. Pulse remaining ingredients (except the cashew cream and garlic) in the food processor until well chopped but not a homogenized paste (keep some texture), then empty into a large bowl.
4. Add chopped garlic and fermented cashew cream, mix by hand then transfer to a storage container.
5. Keeps fresh for 2 weeks in the fridge (because it’s fermented).

Nutrition facts per serving: Calories 138; protein 6 g; fat 5 g; carbs 16 g.

IMPACT Magazine’s November Edition

RBC Olympic hopefuls Hayley Daniels, Sam Effah and Kate Wright as our inspiring cover athlete stories!⁠ Get prepared for winter running, making movement part of your workday, and exploring great hikes near Calgary and Vancouver.

Read this story in our November 2020 Digital Edition.