By MACROS | Published on June 7, 2017
Partaking in a meatfree day doesn’t take away from your nutritional goals – it puts back, using nutrient-dense deliciousness that will see you do more.
Ex-natural bodybuilder, nutritionist and author of The Vegetarian Athlete’s Cookbook, Anita Bean, shares her black bean and vegetable curry with almonds recipe.
Serves two
You’ll need
1 tbsp light olive or rapeseed oil
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, sliced
1 medium potato, peeled and cut into cubes
1/2 butternut squash, peeled and cut into cubes
125g (4oz) broccoli florets
50g (2oz) frozen peas
1/2Â tsp each of: cumin, coriander and turmeric
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
1/2 a 400g (14oz) jar chopped tomatoes
400g (14oz) tinned black beans, drained and rinsed
4 tbsp coconut milk
4 tbsp low fat, plain
Greek yoghurt
28g (1oz) ground almonds
Small handful fresh coriander leaves, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
What to do
1. Heat the oil in a large pan and cook the onion until softened. Add the vegetables, spices, garlic and ginger and cook for a minute. Make larger quantities and freeze for three months.
2. Add the chopped tomatoes and 125ml (4oz) of water. Bring to the boil, turn down the heat and cook for 6-10 minutes. Choose BPA-free cans or glass jars to avoid this harmful chemical leaking into food.
3. Add the beans and continue cooking for two minutes. They are abundant in energy-yielding nutrients like folate, thiamin and manganese. They’re 18% protein, too, so you’ll feel fuller for longer.
4. In a separate bowl, mix together the coconut milk, yoghurt and almonds, then stir into the curry. Both the yogurt and almonds will supply hefty amounts of calcium, useful for muscle contractions.
5. Take it off the heat, and make sure it doesn’t boil and curdle the yogurt. Stir in the coriander, season with salt and ground black pepper. Serve with whole grain rice, whole wheat chapattis or flatbreads.
