The days are slowly getting colder here in France and storm season is in full swing. The nights are breezy and mornings come with a fresh chill in the air. In fact, the past few nights have been crazy windy and there’s a mistral on its way (the name for a big storm over the Gulf of Lion) in the south of France where we are now.

It’s early October and much better weather than back in London for sure, but it’s slowly starting to turn and that’s okay because it means long pants, warm jumpers and, the best part of all, hearty, nourishing food.

I’m a strong believer in keeping Monday’s meat free for all on board wherever I can, so yesterday’s Monday meal was one of my favourite bowls of deliciousness and nutrients that I want to share with you.

Think Thai Curry meets Chana Masala, but all full of vegetables & goodness.

It’s a great dish to cook up a large batch and warm up throughout the week.

You will need:

• 1 Medium Yellow Onion, diced small
• 4 Cloves Garlic, minced
• 2 T Fresh Ginger, minced
• 2 T Cumin
• 1 T Turmeric
• 1 T Paprika
• 1 T Ground Coriander
• 1 T Red Pepper Flakes (adjust to suit your desired spice level)
• 2 Small Sweet Potatoes, peeled and diced go about the same size as a chickpea
• 1 Can Chickpeas, drained
• 1 Can Black Beans, drained (or about 1 1/2 C cooked beans / Chickpeas)
• 1 Can Coconut Milk
• 1 Can Chopped Tomatoes
• 1/2 Cup Tomato Purée
• 2 Cups Spinach, chopped

To serve:

• 1/2 C Chopped Parsley
• 2 T Coconut Flakes
• 1 Lime
• Cooked rice of your choice or quinoa

What you need to do:

• Heat enough oil in a pan to cook off the onions and stir them until they start to go tender. Add in the garlic and ginger and stir for a minute, then add in the spices and toast for about 30 seconds until all of the onions, garlic & ginger are coated in the spice mix and it smells fragrant.
• Add in the sweet potato, Chickpeas & Black Beans and stir.
• Pour in the tomatoes with their juices, the coconut milk and add a splash of water into each of the cans to clean out and pour into the pot.
• Season generously with salt and pepper, give it a good stir and turn the heat down to medium low. Put a lid on and leave to simmer for about 30-40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes or so.
• Once the sweet potatoes are starting to feel tender, stir in the chopped spinach and a squeeze of lime juice. Taste for seasoning.
• Serve with a bowl of rice or quinoa, or even a big mop of bread if you fancy it. Top with chopped parsley, a squeeze of lime and some toasted coconut flakes.

Enjoy!

L, xo