Fragrant curry and cumin in earthy and lightly sweet potatoes with chewy brown rice and a sprinkle of cilantro and lime to brighten it up. A quick, easy, and delicious meal.
Happy New Year! Who’s ready to make the most out of this shiny blank slate? This is the year to find your bliss and celebrate it every single day! I wrote about what makes me happy in this post, and what I’m going to do to try and make the world a happier and kinder place in 2017. However, I forgot to include a crucial component to making my goals come to fruition, first, I have to make sure that I’m happy. Because when mama’s not happy, nobody is. I bet that’s true for you as well.
Maintaining my bliss/ happiness, is always predicated on what I eat and how much I exercise. When my body feels good, my mood is good. That’s why when I was asked to review Ashley Melillo’s new cookbook, Blissful Basil, I jumped on it.
Ashley, a school psychologist and vegan recipe developer extraordinaire, understands the link between happiness and eating clean and healthy food. That’s why she wrote Blissful Basil, a gorgeous cookbook with Over 100 Plant-Powered Recipes To Unearth Vibrancy, Health & Happiness.
When I received Blissful Basil I dove right in and didn’t come up for air until I was finished. Ashley’s story is so inspirational. She candidly shares how she overcame debilitating anxiety through exercise and eating a vibrant plant-based diet. As I paged through her book, the colorful dishes made me feel calm and happy, just from looking at the pictures!
Ashley’s recipes are delicious. I’ve tried several, and every one of them was easy, healthy, and fabulous. The recipe I chose to share with you today is her Swift Sweet Potato Coconut Curry, because I’ve become obsessed with the medicinal properties of turmeric, and, who doesn’t like a hearty and comforting bowl of curried sweet potatoes?
This sweet potato coconut curry recipe is everything you’d imagine it to be. It’s savory, earthy, creamy, and satisfying. Best of all, it’s so easy to make. If you can dice potatoes and onions, and bring water and coconut milk to a boil, then you can make this. It may look complicated because it’s so pretty, but it’s not, and that’s the beauty of Ashley’s recipes, they’re simple and delicious.
Here are pictures of a couple more recipes from the book that I think you’ll enjoy.
Bright Morning Citrus Salad with Herbed Syrup and Herb Cashew Cheese Plate with Spicy Tomato Jam + Roasted Garlic
Blissful Basil is one of those cookbooks that will motivate you to honor your bliss. Reading about Ashley’s struggles to overcome anxiety made me think about how much exercise and eating healthy keeps me in a good emotional state. Creating healthy recipes and sharing them with you is one of the biggest ways that I honor my bliss, because helping people to be the best that they can be is important to me, and it makes me happy. It’s also important to Alex, that’s why she’s pursuing her Master’s in Clinical Psychology, and why we started our blog.
Another thing that makes me happy is volunteering. This year I’m going to do a lot more of that at my local no-kill shelter. I may end up bringing home another dog, but that would just add to our family’s bliss, right?
What do you do to honor your bliss? I’d love to hear from you.
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SWIFT SWEET POTATO CURRY FROM BLISSFUL BASIL
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 medium yellow onion finely diced (about 1 cup)
- 1 cup filtered water divided
- 1 14 ounce can full-fat coconut milk
- 2 large sweet potatoes peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes (about 4 cups)
- 3 scallions trimmed and thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup raisins optional
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro stemmed and chopped
- 4 cups cooked brown rice or quinoa for serving (optional)*
- 1 lime cut into wedges, for spritzing (optional)
Instructions
- Toast the curry powder, sea salt, coriander, ginger, and turmeric in a medium stockpot over medium heat for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
- Add the yellow onion and 1/3 cup of the water, and cook for 5 minutes, or until the onion is soft and translucent, stirring frequently.
- Whisk in the coconut milk and the remaining 2/3 cup water, and bring to a boil.
- Add the sweet potatoes, decrease the heat to medium-low, cover, and rapidly simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are fork-tender, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in the scallions, raisins (if using), and cilantro, and continue to simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes begin to break down into the sauce, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat.
- Spoon the curry into bowls and serve with warm brown rice and lime wedges, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Strength and Sunshine says
Delicious, of course! Ashley is the best!
Linda Meyer says
Agreed!
Trish says
I love anything curry. It's probably my favorite food. I have some good curry recipes but some have a lot of prep work. When I'm in the mood to be in the kitchen a chunk of the day it's ok, but most of the time I like to get in and out of there 🙂 This curry is right up my alley - nice and quick! Will definitely make this in the near future.
My bliss ... exercising is definitely up there but I've had achilles tendinitis for most of 2016 and I can't mend the darn thing. I think it's better but then I get a relapse. I haven't been able to run. Writing is also at the top of my blissful state.
Happy New Year!
Linda Meyer says
Happy New Year, Trish! Fast and simple fresh food is the best. That's something I'll be focusing on in regards to my recipes this year. So sorry to hear about your Achilles, that's such a bummer. I hope it heals soon. We have the same passions when it comes to happiness, love that!
Christine @ Run Plant Based says
This looks wonderful, can't wait to try it and check out the book. Happy New Year!
Linda Meyer says
It's really good, Christine. Happy New Year to you!
Celesta says
Great recipe. Healthy delicious veg food definitely supports my bliss. I'm having a tough time with your site this morning -- the quantity of ads on the screen makes it hard to read your narrative. I think they've "ad-bombed" you. Anyway, both the book and the recipe you chose look wonderful. Keep up the good work!
Linda Meyer says
Hi Celesta, so sorry for the ad issue. I'll get in touch with the company I use and ask them to take a look. Thanks for your kind words. 🙂
Sue says
Sweet potatoes, yum.
Linda Meyer says
🙂
framedfrosting says
I love curry because it's so versatile. This looks delicious!
My bliss is coming home from work and cooking in the kitchen while drinking a glass of wine.
Linda Meyer says
It's amazing! That's a great way to end the day. 🙂
Amy Katz from Veggies Save The Day says
This curry looks amazing! I've heard great things about this book. I honor my bliss by running every day and eating healthy foods.
Linda Meyer says
Excellent, Amy! You and I are just alike. 🙂
Becky says
Oh my goodness, this recipe looks so good!
Linda Meyer says
It is, Becky! 🙂
frieddandelions says
Oh wow! This looks delicious! And whatever that is on the cover? Whoa! I want to make that! I guess you could say I find my bliss in cooking and making the foods I want to eat. As much as it can become a chore to do all of the cooking for my family, I suppose it is a bit of a privilege to always be able to make what I'm in the mood food!
Linda Meyer says
Thank you! The cover photo is the curried sweet potato recipe and it's fantastic! You're so right, it is a privilege to be able to make whatever we're in the mood to make, I'm going to remind myself of that every day. 🙂
Jenn says
This looks delicious!! Beautiful pics, Linda! I'm the same way - if I'm feeling healthy and fit, my mood is cheerful. If I'm feeling crummy and bloated, my mood is frightful! Definitely gotta take care of ourselves in order to take care of others!
Linda Meyer says
It's really good, Jenn. Thank you! I think most people who work out feel that way, we humans were meant to move. 🙂
Mel | avirtualvegan.com says
I have just finished reviewing this book too and love everything about it. This curry is on my 'to make' list!
Linda Meyer says
Isn't it a great book?! You'll love the curry!
CC says
Mmmmmm fantastic!
I honor my bliss by being mindful of the small things : sunny days, good company, nourishing food ...
Linda Meyer says
Love it! Thanks for your comment.
Cezovski says
Not sure how I honor my bliss.....probably by staying up later than everyone else in the family and reading a book in peace and quiet!
Linda Meyer says
That sounds lovely! Thanks for commenting. 🙂
Cezovski says
By the way, my name in Rafflecopter is Carolsue
Anjali Lalani says
This curry sounds so delicious! Sweet potatoes are so delicious in curries!
Linda Meyer says
It's really good, Anjali!
veggiesdontbite says
Isn't it a gorgeous book?! I'm reviewing it soon too. Love so many of the recipes!
Linda Meyer says
Yes it is! I can't wait to read your review. 🙂
The vegan 8 says
I love LOVE curry and eat it at least twice weekly! I don't like the long recipes, so this looks so good and easy to make! I definitely need to try it! Looks like a wonderful book. She's a sweetheart!
Linda Meyer says
Me too, Brandi! That's the reason this recipe jumped out at me. 🙂 It's a great book!
Dianne says
This cookbook looks great! It's one I don't have. I honor my bliss by cooking delicious and nourishing vegan food every dya.
Linda Meyer says
It's worth the money, Dianne! Yes, that's one of the ways I honor my bliss too. 🙂
alisamarie says
Wow, this recipe is so beautiful and looks beyond comforting. I'm seeing this book everywhere lately, and for good reason!
Linda Meyer says
It's so comforting! Ashley's book is fabulous, I can't recommend it enough.
Tania says
For those of you who have made this, do you think I could add a can of chick peas to it? Should I add more liquid if I do this?
Linda Meyer says
Hi Tania! You can definitely add chickpeas, I wouldn't add any more liquid though. Enjoy it, it's wonderful.
Amaylah says
I just made this and it was delicious! I subbed the coriander for some cumin and the fresh scallions for dried chives because I didn't have them on hand. It came together very easily and I love how simple the ingredient list is. I definitely would make this again.
Linda Meyer says
I'm so happy you liked it, Amaylah! Thank your for taking the time to let me know. Your substitutions were perfect, I'm sure it tasted almost exactly like the original. 🙂
Sarah Joseph Cordingley says
This was amazing! We added in Yukon gold potatoes and orange carrots, and we all couldn't get over how tasty this was with so few ingredients and cooking steps. I would definitely make this again!
Linda Meyer says
Hi Sarah! Thanks for taking the time to let us know. We love this recipe too. 🙂