Cauliflower and Chickpea Curry with Potatoes

This spicy curry provides just enough heat to help you make it through the end of winter. Cauliflower is a cruciferous vegetable and, like broccoli, is an excellent source of folate, a B vitamin. Folate promotes heart health and helps prevent certain birth defects. It's also necessary for DNA production and repair, which helps lower cancer risk. Curries contain a variety of spices like turmeric, coriander, cumin, ginger and Cayenne pepper which have wonderful health benefits. For example, turmeric gets it characteristic yellow hue from a class of cancer-fighting compounds referred to as curcuminoids. The most abundant of these compounds is curcumin, which is being studied for its anti-inflammation properties.

Changing up the combination of spices and their amounts allows you to adjust the heat from mild to super spicy. Chickpeas add protein, making it a meal, especially when served with brown rice.

Ingredients:

4 cups bite-size cauliflower florets
1 medium yellow-flesh potato, peeled and diced (roughly 1 cup)
1 cup fat and MSG-free, reduced-sodium chicken or vegetable broth, divided
1 cup sliced red onion, cut in thin crescents
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp. curry powder, hot or mild (add more or less to taste)
3 cups chopped green cabbage, in 1/2-inch strips
1 (15 oz.) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 cup frozen cut green beans
3/4 cup reduced-fat coconut milk (preferably organic)
Sea salt and ground black pepper
4 hard-cooked eggs, halved, optional, for garnish (preferably free-range organic eggs)

(As always, for the very healthiest versions of any recipe choose organic content as much as possible.)

Instructions:

1. In medium pot of boiling water, cook cauliflower and potatoes for 3 minutes. Drain, and set aside.

2. In large Dutch oven, heat 1/2 cup broth until it bubbles around edges. Add onion and garlic, and cook until onion is translucent, 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Mix in curry powder until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add cabbage and cook, stirring occasionally, until it wilts, 4 to 5 minutes, adding 1/4 cup water if the pot gets dry before cabbage is limp.

3. Add chickpeas, green beans, cauliflower and potatoes. Pour in remaining 1/2 cup broth and coconut milk. When liquid starts to bubble around edges of the pot, reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are tender and cauliflower is tender-crisp, 15 minutes. Season to taste with sea salt and pepper. To serve, divide curry, including liquid from pot, among 6 soup bowls.

4. If using eggs, discard egg yolks or reserve for another use, and coarsely chop the whites. Sprinkle the whites as garnish over the curry.

Makes 6 servings.

Per serving: 182 calories,4 g total fat (2 g saturated fat), 33 g carbohydrate, 8 g protein, 8 g dietary fiber, 257 mg sodium.

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