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Chickpeas and pineapple curry Buddha bowl

Chickpea and Pineapple Curry Buddha Bowl

Hearty chickpea and pineapple curry buddha bowl. Enjoy this curry with rice and steamed greens for a nourishing and satisfying lunch or dinner.

One of the easiest ways to get more fruit and vegetables into your diet is to incorporate them into every recipe.

Whether that’s adding them (fresh or frozen) into soups and stews, blending them to form the base of curries or sauces or adding them to sandwiches and pasta dishes, there are many ways to ensure you get at least five portions of fruits and vegetables daily.

I recently started adding fruit into curries – may or may not sound strange? But if you think it’s strange, honestly, you’ve got to try it before you knock it. I’ll recommend scouring the internet for recipes you think might like before adapting them to suit your preferences.

I LOVE tropical fruits! But that’s hardly surprising, I’m a child of the tropics after all.

That said, I have a love-hate relationship with pineapples. Under-ripe and they’re so acidic they hurt my teeth. But, ripe and not overly sweet, they’re the most delicious fruit ever!

I’ve avoided eating fresh pineapples in England because no matter how ripe they get, they’re too acidic for me. However, I tried canned pineapples recently and they were amazing! They’ve got the perfect balance of sweetness and ripeness, and work fantastically in this chickpea and pineapple curry recipe I’m sharing with you today.

This recipe contains coconut milk because what’s a delicious curry without coconut milk?

I’ve also served it with white and wild rice, boiled eggs, steamed broccoli and edamame to make it a complete and nutrient-dense Buddha bowl. I’ve avoided brown rice here because of the potential fibre overload, but feel free to use it if you prefer.

Just before I share the recipe, let’s explore the

Nutritional Highlights of Chickpea and Pineapple Curry Buddha Bowl

how to eat healthier

1 | Folate: important for the synthesis of DNA and RNA, and helps to prevent DNA changes that may lead to cancer. It also works with vitamin B12 to form haemoglobin in red blood cells and prevents anaemia. Folate regulates homocysteine levels, high levels of which have been linked to heart disease. This bowl is an excellent source of folate, providing 360 µg of folates per serving or 180% of the recommended daily intake (RDI).

2 | Iron: an essential part of haemoglobin that transports oxygen around your body. It also supports your immune system, converts beta-carotene to vitamin A and is used to make myoglobin, a protein that provides oxygen to muscle cells and produce certain hormones. This bowl is an excellent source of iron, providing 6.7 mg of iron per serving or 48% RDI.

3 | Calcium: maintains healthy bones and teeth, and supports muscle and heart function. It also helps to transmit nerve signals across the body and supports blood clotting after injuries. This bowl is a rich source of calcium, providing 168 mg of calcium per serving or 21% RDI

4 | Vitamin D: helps your body absorb calcium and phosphorus from food and controls the levels of calcium in your blood. It transports calcium and phosphorus into your bones and teeth and keeps them strong. Vitamin D plays a crucial role in immunity and relays nerve signals throughout your body. This bowl is an excellent source of vitamin D, providing 4.3 mg of vitamin D per serving or 37% RDI.

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Chickpeas and pineapple curry Buddha bowl

Chickpea and Pineapple Curry Buddha Bowl

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  • Author: Somi Igbene PhD ANutr
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: Serves 4
  • Category: Lunch / Dinner
  • Method: Stove
  • Cuisine: Indian-inspired
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Description

Nourishing, vegetarian chickpea and pineapple buddha bowl


Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 x 400g tin chickpeas, drained
  • 160g pineapple, diced
  • 2 large shallots, finely chopped
  • 1 fat garlic clove, finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons Madras curry powder
  • 1 tablespoon ground coriander
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 250g coconut milk
  • 1 teaspoon chilli powder
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable seasoning
  • 30g coriander, leaves and stalks separated then finely chopped

To serve

  • 320g cooked white rice
  • 320g broccoli, steamed
  • 320g edamame, steamed
  • 4 eggs, boiled

Instructions

  1. Heat olive oil in a lidded, non-stick pan over medium heat.
  2. Fry shallots for one minute until softened. Add Madras curry powder, ground coriander, and coriander stalks and fry for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  3. Stir in tomato paste, vegetable seasoning, garlic, chilli powder, chickpeas, coconut milk and around 200ml of water. Bring to the boil, turn the heat down to simmer then place the lid on the pot and cook for 10 minutes or until the sauce thickens.
  4. Take the pan off the heat, stir in the chopped coriander leaves.
  5. Divide the curry, rice, eggs, broccoli and edamame into four bowls. Garnish with extra coriander and black pepper if you wish.
  6. Enjoy

Notes

Use any other legume such as cannellini, butter or kidney beans instead of chickpeas. You can also use lean meats or seafood instead of legumes if you prefer.

Replace rice with any other grain such as quinoa, bulgur wheat or pearl barley or flatbread if you wish.


Nutrition

  • Serving Size: Per serving
  • Calories: 601kcal
  • Sugar: 9.9g
  • Sodium: 127mg
  • Fat: 27.8g
  • Saturated Fat: 13.5g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 5g
  • Trans Fat: 0g
  • Carbohydrates: 57g
  • Fiber: 14.8g
  • Protein: 30.8g

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