Tampa General Hospital

Slow Cooker Cauliflower Lentil Curry Add a depth of avor to your "zoodles" or other starch alternative with this creamy, curry-infused sauce. INGREDIENTS 1 cup dry red lentils 3 heaping cups chopped cauliflower 3 cups vegetable broth ½ onion, finely chopped 3 cloves garlic, minced 2 tbsp Thai red curry paste 1 tsp freshly grated ginger 1½ tsp ground turmeric ¼ tsp sea salt Freshly ground black pepper cup full-fat coconut milk 3 pitted dates, finely chopped Rice, quinoa, noodles or zoodles for serving OPTIONAL TOPPINGS Greek yogurt Fresh herbs Pomegranate seeds INSTRUCTIONS Coat slow cooker with nonstick spray. Add all ingredients except coconut milk and dates to slow cooker. Cook on LOW for 5 hours. Stir in coconut milk and dates. Cook on low for another 15 minutes. Serve over rice, quinoa, noodles or zoodles. Finish with optional toppings if desired. (Serves 6) NUTRITION (PER SERVING) Calories: 170 Fat: 4g Saturated fat: 2.5g Carbohydrates: 24g Sugar: 12.5g Sodium: 390mg Fiber: 6g Protein: 10g Recipe courtesy of Jamie Vespa, MS, RD, LD/N. Veggie substitutes for pasta, rice and other carbohydrate-heavy foods are surprisingly delicious. FIND MORE RECIPES AT 4HEALTHIER.ME/TGH-RECIPES. 4 There's nothing better than diving into a nice warm bowl of pasta — until you remember that eating too many refined carbs is bad not only for your waistline but also for your heart and blood sugar, according to the American Heart Association. Fortunately, there are vegetable replacements for your favorite carbs as delicious as they are nutritious. Spaghetti squash isn't just a gluten-free, low-carb substitute for your favorite pasta, it's low-calorie — one cup cooked only has 40 calories total. Another popular pasta replacement is "zoodles," noodles made from zucchini using a spiralizer. When cooked, each of these options resemble pasta in texture and flavor, making them a healthy accompaniment to your favorite sauce. COOKING WITH CAULIFLOWER Cauliflower can also be used as a carb substitute. It's versatile, easily sliding into recipes in place of everything from mashed potatoes to pizza crust to rice. A cruciferous vegetable like broccoli and Brussels sprouts, cauliflower is full of heart-healthy fiber that also improves digestive health. Toss it into a food processor to "rice" it. From there, you can make a stir fry, puree it to make a convincing mashed potato replacement or combine it with a little egg and cheese to make a pizza crust. FEWER CARBS, MORE TASTE 4 tgh.org / winter 2018

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