curried rice and cashews

Curried Rice and Cashews

This rice is pretty much a big hug in a bowl, warming, comforting and healing!

Curried Rice and Cashews, a hug in a bowl, warming, comforting and healing!

Every ingredient in this recipe has some sort of healing quality, especially the curry powder, garlic and coconut oil.

Here’s why:

Without getting too technical, turmeric, one of the main ingredients of curry powder has been proven to protect against cancer, reduce inflammation and may prevent against alzheimer’s disease thanks to its active component curcumin.

Garlic has been used for eons as an antibacterial/antiviral, but it is also used to decrease inflammation, reduce risk of cancer and aid in heart health due to its powerful sulfur-containing compounds.  Some eat it raw to reap the most benefits!

Don’t even get me started on the benefits of coconut oil!  Not only do I add it to just about every recipe I make,  I also slather it on my kids, feed it to my dog and make deodorant with it!  Coconut oil was feared for years due to its high saturated fat content, but that fear was put to rest when studies showed there wasn’t enough correlation with the consumption of saturated fat and heart disease.  I was thrilled to hear the latest version of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans did not place an upper limit on fat intake.  You can read more about coconut oil from a past post here.

A shout out also to the cashews for adding protein, healthy fat, minerals and antioxidants!

Curried Rice and Cashews, a hug in a bowl, warming, comforting and healing!

curried rice and cashews
 
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Curried Rice and Cashews, a big hug in a bowl! Makes 4 servings
Author:
Recipe type: Main
Cuisine: Vegan
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 2 heaping tablespoons of coconut oil
  • ⅓ cup onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1½ teaspoons curry powder
  • 1 cup brown basmati rice
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • 2 cups water (or veggie broth)
  • ¼-1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
  • ½ cup cashews
Instructions
  1. Over medium-low heat sauté onion in coconut oil until translucent.
  2. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant.
  3. Stir in curry powder and sauté another minute.
  4. Add rice and stir until coated in oil.
  5. Add sea salt and water, bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to low. Cook until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.
  6. Toss in cilantro and cashews, serve warm and enjoy!

Curried Rice and Cashews, a hug in a bowl, warming, comforting and healing!

mushroom barley soup

This is my go-to soup.

 It’s so easy to make, comforting and healing.  The garlic and fresh parsley help boost the immune system to keep the flu away (fingers crossed!).

Surprisingly, parsley has a high content of nutrients, including vitamin C, folic acid and iron.  Juicing parsley and oranges together makes an excellent tonic for  preventing iron-deficiency anemia.  This is because, when eaten together, foods high in Vitamin C (ex. oranges) help the body absorb iron (ex. parsley).  Parsley also contains a high level of chlorophyll, which naturally boosts energy.  A few less known components of parsley include myristicin, limonene, eugenol and alpha-thujene, all of which have been shown to be powerful anti-cancer compounds.  (The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods)

Garlic…there isn’t enough time in the day to write about the incredible healing properties of garlic!  Garlic is one of the oldest medicinal foods in the world dating back 5,000 years.  The therapeutic qualities of garlic are thought to come from its sulfur-containing compounds, mainly allicin.  This compound is activated when garlic is chopped or crushed.  Many eat garlic raw to best reap the benefits of allicin.  Not only has garlic been shown to lower cholesterol levels and protect against cancer, it is also a very powerful infection fighter!  Allicin has been shown to protect against the common cold, stomach viruses, candida and the flu.  Eat your garlic today!

As you all know, I am a big fan of prepping food in the beginning of the week to have healthy meals all week-long.  I usually make a big pot of soup once a week, this recipe is one of my favorites.  This soup is great for dinner served with salad and a crusty whole wheat baguette or can be heated for a quick and healthy lunch at work.

mushroom barley soup ~vegan~

Mushroom Barley Soup

2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/2 red onion, diced

2 carrots, chopped

2 stalks of celery, chopped

1 cup mushrooms, chopped

3-4 cloves garlic, minced

4 cups vegetable broth

2 cups water

1/3 cup lentils

1/3 cup barley

1 bay leaf

1 sprig dried oregano (~1/2 teaspoon)

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

sea salt and pepper to taste

-In a large soup pot, heat olive oil over medium heat.  Add onion and saute until translucent.

-Add carrots, celery, mushrooms and garlic, saute for 2-3 minutes stirring occasionally.

-Add broth, water, lentils, barley, bay leaf, oregano and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 30-45 minutes or until lentils and barely are tender.

-In the last few minutes of cooking, add the fresh parsley and season with sea salt and pepper as needed.

-Enjoy!

mushroom barley soup ~vegan~

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