by Jessica LaGarde, LMT
Its about this time in the season when my body is conditioned to want sweets all the time, and I start to really feel the effects of holiday overindulgence. I’ve found that swapping out starchy carbs and sugar for more naturally sweet foods eases the transition into healthier eating. Here is one of my go-to recipes. I love it because its simple to make (I usually have everything I need on hand), gluten free and sugar free, plus a nice warming dish for the cool winter months.
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2/3 cup thinly sliced onions
2 cloves garlic, pressed
2/3 teaspoon curry powder OR garam masala (your choice)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1 cups peeled, diced yams/sweet potatoes
2 cups low sodium vegetable broth*
2 cans garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained (or equivalent amount cooked form dried beans)
2/3 cup raisins, golden or regular
Instructions: In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, heat the olive oil then saute onions until translucent. Add garlic and remaining spices and continue to cook, stirring often, for another minute or two to blend the flavors.
Stir in yams, broth, beans and raisins. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer until potatoes are fork-tender, about 15 minutes. Serves 4 as a main dish, and can be easily halved or doubled.
*I often use homemade vegetable broth for this. I keep a Ziploc in the freezer, and any time I have scraps from chopping veggies or something start to look sad in the crisper, I toss it into the bag. When the bag is full, I dump the veggie chunks into a stock pot, cover with water, add whatever spices sound nice, bring it to a boil, and let it simmer. If I’m using the broth soon, I’ll simmer for about an hour. If I plan to freeze it, I’ll strain out the veggie chunks after an hour or so, and then continue to simmer until the broth is reduced by at least 1/3 and no more than half. When I use the reduced stock, I’ll cut it roughly 1:1 with water. Either way, pour the broth through a mesh strainer and transfer it into glass jars for storage.