Meatless Monday with Vegan Chickpea, Quinoa and Sweet Potato Curry

Welcome (back) to the Miratel blog and to our Meatless Monday vegan recipe share series. Miratel took the Meatless Monday pledge to support reducing meat consumption 15% by eliminating it one day per week to preserve the health of our planet. We consider our support of this great movement part of our CSR business strategies as it spreads awareness of the impact of our food choices on our environment.

It might seem daunting to make a meatless meal – especially a vegan one – but that is where we can help. By sharing a new vegan recipe each week we hope to take the guesswork out of what to make for dinner.

You can often get in a rut when it comes to dinner, and for something different you’ll turn to takeout. Now you don’t have to as tonight we’re making a delicious and exotic chickpea, quinoa and sweet potato curry that is flavourful, healthy and satisfying. This recipe comes by way of the CBC cooking show In The Kitchen with Stefano Faita.

Chickpea, Quinoa and Sweet Potato Curry Ingredients (serves 4):

• 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1 small onion
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1 tbsp. chopped ginger
• 1 tbsp. curry paste, or to taste
• 1 tbsp. garam masala, or to taste
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• 1 cup canned diced tomato
• 2 small to medium sweet potatoes, small dice
• 1 (14-ounce) can chick peas, rinsed and drained
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2/3 cup quinoa
• 1 cup packed baby spinach
• Juice of 1 lime
• 2 tbsp. chopped cilantro

Preparation:

1. Add vegetable oil to large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, ginger, curry paste and garam masala. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions start to soften, about 3 to 5 minutes.
2. Increase heat to medium high. Add 1 1/2 cups vegetable stock, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, chickpeas, and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer. Add quinoa. Stir.
3. Cover and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes until sweet potatoes are tender, adding remaining 1/2 cup stock if curry looks too dry.
4. Right before serving, stir in spinach. Let spinach wilt slightly. Finish with lime juice and fresh cilantro. Serve.

You can swap out the sweet potato for regular white potatoes or even carrots if that is what you have on hand. To complete this meal, serve with some warm naan bread.

If you haven’t already, we encourage you to visit the Meatless Monday website and join us in taking the pledge today. Spread the word at home and at work and promote CSR business initiatives to make your green call centre, office, factory, shop, restaurant or salon even greener.

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Miratel Solutions is a Toronto call centre, eBusiness, and letter shop mail house specializing in professional fundraising services including telephone fundraising, online fundraising, lottery services, donation caging, donation processing and other donor management services. We are committed to our CSR business values in all contact centre services and mail house operations and advancing the missions of the nonprofits we proudly serve.