Anti-Inflammatory Squash and Lentil Coconut Curry

This dish is perfect to make on a Monday and keep tucking into for the next few days

Difficulty: Easy
Storage: Fridge 3-5 days
Travel to work: In Tupperware
Heat: Microwave

This is a perfect anti-inflammatory dish. Inflammation is incredibly important. It helps the body fight foreign invaders and also has a role in repairing damage. Without inflammation, pathogens like bacteria could easily take over our bodies and kill us. Although acute (short-term) inflammation is beneficial, it can become a major problem when it is chronic (long-term) and inappropriately deployed against the body’s own tissues.
It is now believed that chronic, low-level inflammation plays a major role in almost every chronic disease. This includes heart disease, cancer, metabolic syndrome, Alzheimer’s and various degenerative conditions.

Therefore, anything that can help fight chronic inflammation is of potential importance in preventing and even treating these diseases.

This dish contains Tumeric and Ginger: to highly regarded anti-inflammatory foods.
It is also vegetarian – so rates highly to keeping an alkalised ph in your body

Ingredients:

• 1 butternut squash
• 7 cloves garlic
• Knob fresh ginger, grated or finely chopped
• 3 red onions
• 2 white onions
• 2 tsp or more tumeric
• 300ml of chicken stock
• 500g red lentils
• 1 tsp black pepper and Salt
• 1 bar creamed coconut
• 1 can of coconut milk
• Spinach or Seasonal Greens (1 bag)
• 1 lemon
• coriander
• Spring onions
• Fresh chilli

Method:

1. Peel the squash and dice into chunks and place into the pan with the garlic, onion, ginger. Sizzle until onions are browning and the squash starts to ever so slightly soften. Add the creamed coconut, coconut milk and chicken stock. Simmer
2. Simmer for 10 minutes, add the red lentils, black pepper, turmeric and chilli if using, stir and let simmer on medium for a further 15-20 minutes until the lentils are soft.
3. Add more water if the consistency is too thick.
4. In the last few minutes, add the greens and stir through.
5. Turn off the heat, add the sea salt and pepper, the juice of a lemon.
6. Stir through the roughly chopped coriander and sprinkle spring onions on top to serve

Eh Voila – Delicious and Nutritious!