Canada made some big changes last week when they released their updated food guide. What was once displayed to us a food pyramid with recommended servings is now shown to us as a pie diagram with different proportions, of which foods should be present at each meal we consume: half our plate should be fruits and veggies, one quarter plant-based protein, like beans and tofu, and the last quarter should be whole grains.
Now that it’s almost the end of January, our resolutions to eat more veggies have probably started to dwindle. But thank you, Canada, for releasing this comprehensive new food guide to motivate us and get us back on track with our goals.
Below is my go-to recipe for when I need more veggies in my life and less pizza. It fulfills all of Canada’s new food guide requirements for a standard meal. Beware, this recipe makes a large amount of curry. It’s great for having friends over or for stashing in the fridge to eat from for the next few days. One more thing to note: the recipe is very flexible. You can easily opt out of some things and replace ingredients if you don’t have them in the fridge.
Ingredients for Yellow Thai Curry:
30 ml (2 tbsp) of coconut oil (or butter or veg oil)
Half of a red onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
30 ml (2 tbsp) of fresh ginger, minced (if you don’t have this, it’s not the end of the world)
45-60 ml (3-4 tbsp) of red curry paste
5 ml (1 tsp) of ground tumeric
A couple squirts of Sriracha for extra spice
2 cans of coconut milk
250 ml (1 cup) of cauliflower, chopped (frozen or fresh is good here)
250 ml (1 cup) of broccoli, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- Grab a wok or the biggest pot you have. Set it on the stove over medium heat. Melt the coconut oil then add the onion. Once the onion is starting to get somewhat flimsy (after cooking for 5 mins), add the garlic, ginger, red curry paste, and tumeric. Let those ingredients blend together for 1-2 minutes. Add the Sriracha if you like more spice.
- Add the coconut milk to the pot along with the rest of the veggies. Add the chickpeas last. If you like other veggies feel free to sub those into the pot instead of others. And feel free to change up the proportions of veg. I usually add a lot more broccoli. Let all of those veggies cook down for at least 20 minutes.
- Serve over brown rice or lentils. Garnish with cilantro, sesame seeds, lime wedges, and/or avocado.
There you have it: an easy to make a meal that has plenty of vegetables, whole grains, and plant-based proteins, just like the Canadian food guide suggests.
Image: Carissa Wiens
