Veggie + Chickpea Curry Stew

If you love the flavor of yellow curry + coconut milk, you've got to try this one.  The beauty of this recipe is that you can substitute all your favorite veggies to suit your taste; it's very flexible.  I used chard instead of spinach, garden tomatoes instead of canned, red bell pepper instead of green, etc.

What's in it:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 cup of sliced carrot
1 tbsp curry powder
1 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp grated peeled fresh ginger
2 minced garlic cloves
1 serrano chile, seeded and minced
3 cups chickpeas
1 1/2 cups cubed peeled baking potato
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 cup green beans
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp ground red pepper
1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (14 oz.) can vegetable broth
3 cups fresh baby spinach
1 cup light coconut milk
6 lemon wedges

How to make it:
1. Heat olive oil in large pan and add onion and carrot. Cover and cook 5 minutes, or until tender. Add curry powder and next 4 ingredients; cook 1 minute, stirring occasionally.
2. Place onion mixture in crockpot and stir in chickpeas + next 8 ingredients.
3. Cover and cook on HIGH for 6 hours, or until veggies are tender (I chose to set on LOW for 8 hours overnight).
4. Add the spinach and coconut milk; stir until spinach wilts. Serve with lemon wedges.

Serves: 6

Side-note from the recipe book:
Aromatic Indian spices mingle with chickpeas, green beans, and potatoes. Coconut milk is stirred into the cooked curry for a creamy finish. Feel free to substitute or add whatever vegetables are in season. Try serving it over couscous, and top with a simple Indian raita made from yogurt and chopped cucumber. The cooling sauce will balance the spiciness of the curry.

Source: Cooking Light Slow Cooker © 2006 by Oxmoor House, Inc.