Hey there Honey's and New-Bees!

Now that the holidays are over I’m looking forward to eating a little bit healthier, and am also determined to cook more plant-based meals. So to kick things off I pulled out an old pumpkin curry recipe I’ve made a couple of time but this time instead of pumpkin I used kabocha squash since I had one hanging around my kitchen since late November (winter squash has a long shelf life but I didn’t want to push my luck any further).

If you’ve never heard of kabocha, don’t worry you’re not alone lol – I only discovered this incredibly delicious squash this fall despite having seen it countless times in the grocery store but never gave it a second glance as I reached over them to grab a butternut squash. Similarly to butternut squash, kabocha is sweet and creamy kind of like a sweet potato;  if you love sweet potatoes and butternut squash then you’ll love kabocha! I really urge you to be ‘adventurous’ and give this wonderful squash a try, but if you’re unable to find it locally you can still use butternut squash or pumpkin instead.

This is a really great recipe for those nights that you want  to eat something quick, warm and healthy (that isn’t a bowl of soup) and you can really get creative with it. If you want to make this a vegetarian meal, sub out the chicken broth for vegetable broth, or take it one step further and use coconut milk instead of milk to make it vegan.

Most importantly this recipe is fun to make and I really hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

To get started pre-heat your Dutch Oven (or large pot) and add your coconut oil. If you don’t have coconut oil you can use olive oil, but I find that coconut oil adds a really nice flavour plus it’s got loads of health benefits!

Once your oil has heated up, add your onions and sautée them on medium heat for about 5 minutes then add your ginger, kabocha and chickpeas. Mix everything together, making sure that everything gets coated with the oil, then mix in your curry paste and powder.

Once everything is well-coated with the curry, add your broth, increase the heat and bring your liquid to a boil. Although this recipe calls for chicken broth, alternatively you can use vegetable broth to create a fantastic vegetarian meal 😋.

Once your liquid reaches boil, lower the heat and let it simmer for about 15-20 minutes, adding your milk half way through the simmer time.

Check on your squash after it’s been simmering for 15 minutes; pierce a piece of squash with a fork. If it’s soft and easy to pierce then you know its ready so you can remove it from the heat.

Now the next step is completely optional but I like to add it since it makes your curry a little thicker and creamier (minus adding any extra dairy). In a separate bowl, ladle out two scoops of curry and puree it with an immersion blender, then mix the puree back into the pot with the rest of the squash, then serve on a bed of rice.

This is a really delicious, nutritious and east meal to whip up and I would love to hear how it turned out for you so please leave a comment and let me know and feel free to share the recipe!