Green Curry Butternut, Cauliflower and Red Lentil Stew

This creamy, flavorful stew is packed with nutritious and anti-inflammatory ingredients. The combination of flavors produces a rich, hearty, and flavorful meal that tastes like you cooked it for hours.

​

Yield: 6+ servings

3 Tablespoons of coconut oil or olive oil, divided

1 Tablespoon green curry paste (look in Asian section of supermarket)

¾ Cup of canned coconut milk, divided

½ Cup of diced onions

1/3 Cup of diced celery

1/3 Cup of diced carrots (The trinity of onions, carrots and celery is called mirepoix. It is easy to find this conveniently ready for you in most supermarkets in the produce section)

2 leeks (cleaned and thinly sliced)

2 cloves of garlic chopped (optional)

*2 medium butternut squash, peeled and cubed, about 9 cups (A 20-ounce pre-cut package of medium to large cubes is about 5 cups), divided

1 head of cauliflower, roughly chopped (sub broccoli, or chopped spinach or add in a combination of all three!)

1 cup of red lentils, divided

5 cups of vegetable broth, divided 

¾ Cup of coconut milk

Salt and pepper to taste

Lime wedges and chopped cilantro to garnish

Heat 1 Tablespoon of oil in a small pot over medium heat. Add curry paste and sauté for 1 minute to release the aromatic flavors. Add ¼ Cup of coconut milk and whisk into the curry paste. Remove from pot and keep to the side.

In a large pot heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat. Add onions, celery, carrots, leeks, garlic and about 3 cups of butternut squash. Cook, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes. Remove half the mixture and keep to the side.

Add in remaining butternut squash and cauliflower, cook on medium high heat for an additional 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add lentils, 4 cups of broth and the curry paste mixture you had to the side. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 25 minutes. 

Remove from heat and blend with *immersion blender in a quick motion 3-4 times to slightly beak up the mixture. Add your original vegetable mixture that you have to the side back into the pot with the remaining broth and simmer for another 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining coconut milk. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve and garnish with lime wedges and chopped cilantro

*The cups of butternut squash do not have to be exact. Worse-case scenario is that the stew will be on the thicker side. You can thin this out with more broth if needed.

*If you do not have an immersion blender, blend half the mixture (in batches) on the lowest setting of your blender for 2-3 seconds