SWEET POTATO CURRY with RED LENTILS, ROASTED PEPPERS & SPINACH

(from kylerhea’s recipe box)

ALANNA’s TIPS & KITCHEN NOTES
GREEN CURRY PASTE The inspiring recipe called for a whole three tablespoons of green curry paste. I’ve learned from experience that (1) different brands vary in “heat” and (2) tolerances for heat vary too! I started off with just one teaspoon and then later added another two teaspoons. That was “perfect” heat for me, taste-wise, and for my three male taste-testers as well.
SWEET POTATOES If cooking on the stovetop, cut the sweet potato cubes quite small so they cook more quickly and evenly.
LENTILS Red lentils are the softest lentils, they “melt” into whatever you’re cooking. Brown and black and green lentils would work too but the texture would be considerably different.
ROASTED PEPPERS Roasted red peppers can be every-so-pricey in every-day grocery stores. I stock up at Trader Joe’s and, for St. Louisans, at Global Foods in Kirkwood. You could also roast your own, either in the oven or on a gas stove.
SPINACH Baby spinach cooks so quickly, add it at the very last minute. I take the time to slice off the stems but this is mostly for aesthetics. If you use regularly curly spinach, it takes longer to cook so add it with the roasted peppers.
SLOW COOKER vs STOVETOP Regular readers know that I like the “idea” of slow cookers but am often disappointed by the bland, mushy-texture results. NOT HERE! In fact, I liked the slow cooker version a tiny bit better than the stovetop version, the flavors really melded together with longer, slower cooking.
NUTRITION INFORMATION Per Cup: 209 Calories; 3g Tot Fat; 1g Sat Fat; 1mg Cholesterol; 486mg Sodium; 37g Carb; 6g Fiber; 9g Sugar; 10g Protein. WEIGHT WATCHERS POINTS: WW Old Points 3.5 & WW PointsPlus 5 CALORIE COUNTERS 100-calorie serving, 1/2 cup; 50-calorie serving, 1/4 cup.

Source: Veggie Venture

Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 480 minutes

Categories: June2013, Sweet potatoes, crockpot, healthy, lentils, slow cooker, spinach

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 - 3 teaspoons green curry paste (see ALANNA's TIPS)
  • 2 large (about 600g) sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 1 cup (165g) red lentils (see TIPS)
  • 1 15-ounce can (425g) tomato sauce
  • 2 cups good vegetable or other stock, brought to a boil in the microwave (use 3 cups if cooking on the stovetop)
  • JUST BEFORE SERVING
  • 1 12-ounce jar of roasted red peppers, sliced (see TIPS)
  • 3 cups (about 5 ounces/141g) baby spinach (see TIPS)

Directions

  1. START OFF ON THE STOVETOP In a large, heavy Dutch oven, heat the oil until shimmery on MEDIUM. Add the onion and stir to coat with fat. Add the garlic, stirring again to coat. Let the onion and garlic cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and turning gold. Stir in the green curry paste and cook a minute. Stir in the sweet potatoes, lentils and tomato sauce and bring to a boil.

  2. OPTION TWO, TRANSFER TO A SLOW COOKER Transfer mixture to a slow cooker and stir in 2 cups hot stock. Cover and cook for 3 – 4 hours on HIGH or 6 – 8 hours on LOW or until sweet potatoes are cooked and lentils are plump and soft and the tomatoes and lentils have turned into almost a sauce.

  3. EITHER WAY, JUST BEFORE SERVING About 10 minutes before serving, stir in roasted peppers and let heat through. Stir in spinach and let “cook” from the heat of the food, just two or three minutes.

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