My husband and I are getting ready to head off to Europe for a couple of weeks. For a foodie like me, France, Italy and Spain are dangerous places for my waistline as I find the baked goods, pasta, desserts…well, pretty much, everything, irresistible. Part of my attempt to keep things under control is to eat super healthy and exercise like a mad woman before I go, so I can stuff my face silly while I am there. Luckily, the places where we will be visiting are very conducive to walking and fresh fruits and veggies are served up with all of the other deliciousness.

I promise you, once I hit the south of France, “gluten-free” and “dairy free” will have no place in my vocabulary or diet for weeks, but for now, here is what I had for dinner, an absolutely delectable vegetarian dish that is gluten-free, and can easily be made dairy free as well using coconut and olive oils instead of butter. I also used all organic ingredients for this dish.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH CURRY PUREE WITH SAUTÉED KALE & CHICKPEAS

1 medium butternut squash, roasted
5 cups fresh kale, center ribs removed and chopped roughly
11/2 cup cooked chickpeas/garbanzo beans (I used organic canned)
1 1/2 cup sweet yellow onion, diced
2 small cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter, ghee or coconut butter
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 to 3/4 cup milk, vegetable broth or coconut milk
3 cups cooked rice or quinoa (I used Lundberg Organic Jasmine rice)
Salt & pepper to taste

Heat the 1 tablespoon of the butter/ghee/coconut oil in a large skillet and sauté 1 cup of the chopped onion and 1 clove garlic until translucent, about 3-5 minutes.

Place the squash, sautéed onion, garlic, curry powder and salt into a food processor or blender and puree. Add the milk, broth or coconut milk, a little at a time until the squash is a thick but pourable puree. Return to the pan over low heat to keep warm.

Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter/ghee/coconut butter in a large saucepan. Add the remaining clove of garlic and remaining 1/2 cup onion, giving it a quick stir cook until the onion is translucent. Add the kale and toss to coat with the oil – it will quickly begin to wilt. Add the chickpeas, sprinkle with the turmeric and toss again and cook for a few minutes to warm the chickpeas. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

To serve, place a scoop of rice in a bowl, put some of the kale and chickpea mixture on that and then garnish with the butternut squash curry puree.

Enjoy!