Recipe of the Month – Speedy Satay Sweet Potato and Kale Curry
This month I’m thinking about seasonal produce. When we choose seasonal produce, we ensure that they are at their very best and this means that they are more likely to be fresher and are higher in nutritional value. When vegetables and fruit are picked unripe and then ripened after picking or are airfreighted, the nutritional value declines and some nutrients such as Vitamin C, folate and carotenes will rapidly decline when stored for periods of time.
This month’s recipe is a delicious, very speedy Satay Sweet Potato and Kale Curry. While both are available all year, sweet potatoes and kale are at their very best in March. Sweet potatoes are also a great alternative for those of us with fibromyalgia who are avoiding white potatoes, although do bear in mind that this recipe is not nightshade free.
Sweet potatoes are a rich source of fibre as well as containing an array of vitamins and minerals including iron, calcium, selenium, manganese, magnesium and copper and they're a good source of most B vitamins and vitamin C. One of the key nutritional benefits of sweet potato is that they're high in an antioxidant known as beta-carotene, which converts to vitamin A once consumed.
When compared to white potatoes, sweet potatoes contain more vitamins and antioxidants and despite their sweeter taste, they also have a lower glycaemic index. This means that they have a lower effect on our blood sugar levels. This is important for supporting energy levels.
Unlike white potatoes, sweet potatoes do count towards your five-a-day.
When I was doing my Nutritional Therapy degree, we used to have a joke, that if we answered ‘green leafy vegetables’ to almost any question on an exam paper, we’d probably get some marks, and there is a good reason for this. Kale is one of the ‘healthiest’ vegetables available.
Kale contains fibre, antioxidants, calcium, iron, Vitamin C and Vitamin K, among others. It also contains an antioxidant known as alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) and studies suggest that this can help lower blood glucose levels and increase insulin sensitivity. There is also evidence that ALA has shown promise in patients with neuropathic pain, but this has not yet been specifically proven in fibromyalgia.
Kale also contains good levels of potassium, which has been associated with a reduced risk of stroke, protection against loss of muscle mass, preservation of bone mineral density, and reduction in the formation of kidney stones as well as being supportive for lowering blood sugar levels.
Kale is not everyone’s favourite vegetable, but cooked well, it can be quite delicious. I’ve even got my fairly green adverse son to love kale chips!
This recipe is adapted from Joe Wicks so it takes all of 15 minutes but can be cooked more slowly without the use of a microwave. If you’d like to increase the protein content, then add some red split lentils and some extra cooking water and cook for a little longer until the lentils are soft.
Satay Sweet Potato and Kale Curry – Serves 2
2 Sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into 3/4 inch size cubes
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 onion, finely sliced
2 tsp garlic and ginger paste
A couple of pinches of chilli flakes
2 tsp tomato puree
2 tsp ground cumin
1 vegetable stock cube
3 tbsp peanut butter
Big handful of Kale, stalks removes and torn into bite sized pieces
Salt and pepper
Juice of 1 lime
Serve with organic natural yoghurt or coconut yoghurt if vegan or avoiding dairy
Chopped Coriander
Pop the sweet potato into a microwaveable bowl, cover with cling and cook in the microwave for approx. 8 minutes until soft.
Melt the coconut oil in a saucepan, add the onions and a pinch of salt and cook until the onions are softened
Stir in the garlic and ginger paste, chilli, tomato paste and cumin and cook for a couple of minutes
Add your sweet potato to the pan with 500ml of boiling water and the stock cube. (This is the time to add the split red lentils if you are using them and some extra water. You will need to cook this for about 10-15 minutes before the next step)
Stir in the peanut butter and then with the back of a fork mash up some of the sweet potato to thicken the sauce.
Season with salt and pepper.
Let the curry simmer for a few minutes and then add the Kale. Cook until wilted and cooked to your liking.
Take the pan off the heat and add the lime juice
Spoon into bowls and top with yoghurt and chopped coriander and some more chilli flakes if you like it a bit more spicy.