Thai Butternut Squash Red Curry

A little known fact about me is that Thai curry ranks on my top favorite foods list. Over the years I have made so many curries at home, unfortunately none rocked my socks off like they do at my local Thai dining establishments. Finally, I have created a competitor: butternut squash red curry with chickpeas and baby bellas!

Ingredients:
3 small butternut squash
1 package baby bella mushrooms, quartered or halved, depending on the size of the mushrooms
vegetable or olive oil
2/3 c. Thai red curry paste
3 - 15 oz. cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
3 - 15 oz. cans coconut milk
1 bunch fresh cilantro, plus extra for garnish
2 T. sugar in the raw (you could use brown sugar here too)
sea salt

1. Peel the squash, cut it lengthwise in half, and scoop out the seeds. Cut into 1/2-1 inch cubes.

2. Heat a large heavy pot. Add the oil, then the curry paste. Stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the squash and stir to coat with curry paste. Stir in the chickpeas and season with salt. Add the coconut milk and 1 1/2 cups water. Bring to a simmer. Continue to simmer for about 10 minutes or until the squash begins to soften.

3. Stir in the sugar in the raw, cilantro and mushrooms. Simmer, stirring occasionally for about 20 minutes. The squash should be tender but not falling apart. Season to taste with salt.

4. Serve over a bed of organic brown rice and enjoy!

This recipe is so easy yet has unbelievable flavor. It packs a little bit of heat with a sweet creaminess. You won't regret trying this recipe out and you'll definitely have enough for leftovers!