Chaos and Cooking
It is a rainy and cool spring day here in the mountains of Asheville, North Carolina. So, a warm tikka masala seemed like a tasty and nourishing choice for dinner. Just like most things in life, cooking is a process. I begin by digging through the refrigerator and freezer for any vegetables that will pair well with the tikka masala simmer sauce, coconut milk, and brown rice I plan on using. I find:
Organic red, orange, green bell peppers from my Uncle Joe’s farm that were cleaned and frozen fresh
Organic mushrooms and a spring mix of broccoli, snow peas, carrots, and red cabbage we bought on sale at the store earlier in the week
While I am cutting the vegetables up, I put my sous chefs to work!
Paolo (left) and Marco (right) cooking in their kitchen.
Once I have the vegetables chopped, I toss them in the pan with the coconut milk and tikka masala simmer sauce. For the amount of vegetables I cook for my bunch, I use two jars of simmer sauce and one can of coconut milk.
This is the brown rice and tikka masala simmer sauce I am using.
As adorable and lovable as I think the kids are, Marco (three and a half) is already saying something smells “yucky” (the broccoli and cabbage cooking). Generally, one or two of my five boys will make a rash decision about the meal I’ve cooked based on their mood and how it looks (or smells in this case). The only one that consistently cuts me slack and eats everything is Paolo (the one-year-old) who isn’t forming full sentences yet! We do have a ‘everyone has to try a couple of bites’ policy. Most days, once they get started, they will change their mind and eat well.
Here is the tikka masala simmer sauce with vegetables.
I choose brown rice over white rice for my family because the two outer layers, the bran and the germ, are a rich source of nutrients. When white rice is processed, this outer layer is removed and stripped of nutrients. Brown rice contains fiber, magnesium, calcium, vitamin B1 (thiamin), and vitamin B6 (pyridoxine). Additionally, it has antioxidants (phenols and flavonoids) that support your body’s ability to protect against aging and damage to cells. Brown rice is just one of many grains that are chock-full of benefits for your body!
As a final dish, I spoon the cooked brown rice into a bowl and add a generous heaping of the Tikka Masala with vegetables over the rice. Depending on your dietary needs or preferences, this dish goes well with tofu, shrimp, or chicken.
Stay tuned for more recipes, information, and adventures ... buon appetito!
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