It’s quick veggie curry 2.0! I stand by my original quick veggie curry recipe, but there were a few things I wanted to change about it, to make it even faster and more delicious. A lot has changed in my life since that first quick veggie curry, like going almost 100% plant based and adding two kids to our family. So this updated batch cooking version has many of the features of its predecessor, plus lots of new perks.

• A creamy coconut curry of chickpeas, veggies, and a pop of fresh ginger.
• It’s officially NO CHOP. If you have a grater for the ginger you won’t need to even lay hands on a knife.
• It makes a ton. Freeze the extra, feed a huge family, or take it for lunch for the week.
• Less oil than the original.
• Infinitely customizable. Use the frozen veggies of your choice, and even sub cooked lentils or frozen shelled edamame for the garbanzo beans. Adjust the spice level depending on the curry blend you use, or add a pinch of cayenne for more heat.
• More balance: I’ve added tomatoes this time around, to balance out that rich and creamy coconut milk.
• Just seven ingredients, and you probably have at least a couple already in your pantry.

The evening I tested out this recipe was CRAZY TIME. Kind of like every night at dinner time. Hangry kids hanging off my legs, screaming, crying, climbing things. Dog barking or urinating indoors. So needless to say, I didn’t get LOADS of great pics. On the upside, I proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that this curry recipe is excellent for a busy evening. Next time I make it, I’ll do so when my kids are asleep or at school, so keep an eye out for more helpful pics!

What Veggies Should I Use In the Curry?

This is totally up to you. Here’s what I used:

• 1 lb. bag frozen cauliflower
• 1 lb. bag frozen butternut squash
• 10 oz. bag frozen peas and carrots mix (a kid pleaser!)

But say you have a Costco size bag of frozen mixed veggies to use up? Just go for that, and don’t worry about hand picking different types of veggies. You can also use any fresh chopped veggies you may have leftover in the fridge. Love greens? Feel free to use them, assuming a cup is a PACKED cup of greens. If using frozen greens (especially the kind packed in a box), they can sometimes give off tons of green liquid and turn your curry an unpleasant color, so thaw and press out the moisture first. Finally, if you want to use shelled edamame, sub it for the garbanzo beans, not the veggies, unless you are looking for a SUPER high protein curry.

How to Store and Prepare Fresh Ginger

This is no big secret, but I’ve finally started keeping fresh ginger in the freezer, and it’s revolutionized my curry and smoothie game. It takes a pantry veggie curry and transforms the flavor by adding a fresh, “spicy” (as my preschooler likes to call it) ingredient.

Here’s what I do:

• Buy fresh ginger
• Peel it with a regular old spoon (the internet can help you out here)
• Cut into one or two inch pieces
• Wrap pieces individually or together, tightly, in plastic wrap
• Place inside a freezer safe bag or container
• Grab the ginger as you need it for recipes
• If you have yourself a microplane or fine grater, the frozen ginger is SO EASY to grate! Way easier than room temp. It will become almost a puree as the grated ginger thaws on the cutting board.

So no more using expired ground ginger from your spice collection, or leaving it out because it slipped through the holes of your shopping cart and got left behind, k?

How to Get Your Kids to Eat Curry

The million dollar question, right? My husband and I really love a good curry bowl for dinner, but our children, currently 4 and 1 1/2, have not fully embraced it yet. Here are my own personal tips, and please share in the comments below if your kids are curry lovers or not!

• Add hot dogs to it – TOTALLY KIDDING. Please don’t. Or at least make them vegan hot dogs.
• Present it AS IS. Repeated exposure is so key to getting kids to try new foods. Put just a little on their plate, and if they complain (or throw it), remind them that they don’t have to eat it.
• Offer plenty of the carb. I know my children will eat up their brown rice, so I give them a big portion of that, separate from the curry, to fill up on if they don’t like the curry. I’ve come to embrace this strategy versus offering a totally different dinner.
• Let them top it, depending on age. My older (son) is into scooping on some yogurt or sprinkling scallions right now.
• Lead by example! Without being fake, make sure to show and tell them if you love the dinner, even stating specifics, like “there’s so many different veggies in here that I like to eat!” or “this curry is so yummy with a little yogurt on top”.
• Don’t be discouraged. I make curry again and again, despite the fact that my kids never love it. I make sure to find balance in the weekly meal plan, including another meal that I know they love at a different point in the week.

For more tips on feeding plant-based kids, I’m always referring to the resources from Plant Based Juniors. Between their IG account and my very supportive pediatrician, I know my kids are getting what they need, even if they won’t touch my vegan curry with a ten foot pole.

More Curry!

This is for the curry lovers. In all honesty, I don’t love SUPER spicy foods, and I save the really adventurous curries for takeout night. But if you’re looking for an arsenal of curries with easy-to-find spices for healthy lunch meal preps or cozy dinners, I’ve got you covered:

• Root Vegetable Coconut Curry
• Potato and Kale Curry
• Quick Veggie Curry

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