Food as Medicine: Sweet Potato, Chickpea and Spinach Coconut Curry
With our recent move to Montreal, winter came 2 months earlier than I normal expect. We are already experiencing sub-zero temperatures and inches of snow, both of which immediately turns on my cravings for warming, satiating, nutrition packed meals. Enter “‘Sweet Potato, Chickpea and Spinach Coconut Curry” from the Oh She Glows Every Day cookbook by Angela Liddon, and published by TheVegan8 online with permission from the publisher. This is my absolute first, go-to, jam-packed nutritional cold weather recipe.
You see, when I encounter food, I automatically start to think about the nutritional components of it… Are the ingredients natural or processed? Does it include healthy forms of all the macros (proteins, carbohydrates, fats)? What vitamins and minerals does it boost? Disclaimer: I never encourage this sort obsessive thinking with clients unless I am supporting them in a very strategic, evidence-based therapeutic diet. As a naturopathic doctor, however, it’s my job to deeply understand nutrition and my training in medical nutrition seeps into my every experience with food.
In a way, it also enables me to be deeply grateful for the life-sustaining forces that food provides… can you imagine starting each meal with the thought, “oh my goodness, my cell membranes are going to be oh so happy with these amazing omega-3s!!” or “folate, sweet folate”? #NerdAlert Perhaps it’s my personal form of food hygiene; the way I express gratitude for the the food that nourishes my body. I’m gonna take you for a quick ride through just a few of my favorite nutritional components of this recipe…
FOOD AS MEDICINE.
LET’S BREAK IT DOWN.
Virgin coconut oil and coconut milk: coconut oil is a medium chain triglyceride (MCT), which has growing evidence to support the benefit to both brain health and improved cholesterol profiles. MCTs are shorter than other common fats we find in foods and therefore processed differently in the body; the liver makes these fats immediately available as fuel for the brain. Coconut milk has less concentrated MCTs, but boasts the same properties nevertheless. Additional research supports coconut milk in decreasing body weight, improving the gut microbiome, and decreasing insulin resistance. These are powerful fats, but should still be consumed in moderation.
Chickpeas: I may have a personal love affair with chickpeas, or garbanzo beans if you prefer. The are a legume largely composed of carbohydrates, but don’t let that scare you. They have an excellent protein and fiber profile and are low on the glycemic index, making chickpeas a great option for plant-based protein needs. In fact, their unique protein and fiber content has been studied and correlated with improved appetite control, appetite lowering, and slower absorption of sugar into the bloodstream… think sustained energy rather than a roller coaster. Chickpeas contain nearly all essential amino acids (the parts of proteins), except for methionine. High fiber is excellent for keeping the health bacteria in your gut happy and fed and improving high cholesterol.
Sweet Potato: Yes, sweet potato is also largely a carbohydrate, but I hope you’ve figured out by now that I am not anti-carb… we NEED carbohydrates. It just so happens that sweet potatoes come with additional fiber, vitamins, and minerals that make it one a healthier carbohydrate option. Sweet potatoes are high in potassium - essential to heart health and healthy blood pressure, vitamin A for eye and reproductive health, and choline which is a lovely anti-inflammatory, and is good for the nervous system, muscles and brain health.
HERBS
Turmeric/Curcumin: one of my all time favorite anti-inflammatories for chronic pain, turmeric is perhaps an extra lovely addition for those of us who feel the seasons change in our knees. It also happens to be an excellent herb for heart and hormone health, and may help prevent cancers and their metastases. Turmeric used in recipes is not considered a therapeutic dose and is better absorbed with black pepper.
Ginger: this warming herb is anti-inflammatory and chalk full of antioxidants. It is commonly used to relieve nausea from pregnancy or chemotherapy, dispel menstrual cramping, and is known in ayurveda to warm the body. It is another of my favorite herbs for reducing chronic pain! The list of benefits of ginger could truly go on in an entire blog itself…
Garlic: garlic is an powerful immune boosting herb, with both anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties. In fact, garlic is well known to prevent the cold and flu, and to decrease the severity if you do get one. Allicin, the immune-boosting compound, is pretty unstable when the herb is cooked, however. By crushing the garlic in advance of cooking it or adding extra garlic, you may be able to compensate for what is lost in the cooking process. Garlic may also improve blood pressure and slow down or prevent neurodegenerative diseases like dementia.
Spinach: I love a good recipe that helps me sneak extra greens in, especially during the winter when salad is the last thing I’m craving. Spinach in particular is traditionally known as a “blood builder” because it has high levels of non-heme iron. Non-heme iron is less bioavailable than the heme iron found in meat sources, but can be helpful in plant-based meals or for individuals needing a bump in their iron levels. The high content of vitamin C in spinach likely also helps with the absorption of iron, among its other benefits. Spinach is high in magnesium, excellent for heart health, anxiety, constipation, and muscle tightness. Alpha-lipoic acid is also present, which can help with diabetic peripheral neuropathy. The list just keeps going with spinach as well!
One last note: this recipe is made with rice, which is fine for those with stable blood sugars. If preferred, the rice can easily be swapped out for alternatives such as cauliflower rice. I also often refrigerate my rice for 24 hours to improve its glycemic index, a nice option for individuals who are keeping an eye of sugar intake. It really rehydrates nicely when combined with the curry and doesn’t affect my enjoyment of this recipe.
So there we have it! If the nutrition doesn’t have you convinced, the flavor of this recipe sure will. Once again, here’s the link: “‘Sweet Potato, Chickpea and Spinach Coconut Curry”
Explore the fabulous cookbook Oh She Glows Every Day by Angela Liddon.