Vegetables in Creamy Almond Sauce

Traditional Holiday Veggies In A Lightly Curried Almond Sauce

Recipe courtesy Olivia Sinton, excellent vegetarian cook from Fairfield, IA

Rich tasting, low cal, low glycemic vegetable recipe, firmly in the vegan|vegetarian holiday tradition.

In this recipe, carrots, green beens, asparagus & zucchini are lightly steamed and served with a generous helping of lightly curried almond sauce.

This holiday vegetable dish is usually served over rice, not part of traditional American feasts. But we can eat whatever they want at holiday meals!

Total prep & cook time: 45 minutes

Yield: 6 servings

Nutrition Data Per Serving, 128g, approx 1 cup: 94 calories, calories from fat 57, 7g carbohydrate, 7g fat, 137mg sodium, 3g fiber, 3g sugars, 3g protein, low Cholesterol, good source Vit A, Vit C, Vit E, Vit K, Riboflavin, Manganese. Estimated glycemic load: 2

Almond Sauce Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup blanched almonds soaked overnight
• 1/2 cup minced fennel or celery (we used a small food processor for this)
• 1 tsp mild curry powder
• 1 Tbsp oil

• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 1/2 cup plain unsweetened almond milk
• Optional: Use 100% almond milk for a creamier sauce
• Salt and pepper to taste

Vegetable Suggestions:

• 1 cup diced carrots
• 1 cup sliced green beans
• 1 bunch asparagus (12 -16 stalks)
• 1 cup diced zucchini
• Substitute other vegetables as you like. Cauliflower would work well.

Almond Sauce Directions:

1. Blanch Almonds: Put almonds into a bowl and cover with boiling water and leave for 5 minutes
2. Drain, rinse once with cold water, then cover almonds with cold water
3. Soak the blanched almonds overnight
4. Remove the skins from almonds and put the blanched almonds into a blender
5. Add 1/2 cup of hot water (or almond milk) and pulse several times, until smooth. Leave in the blender
6. Heat oil on medium-low for 1-2 minutes
7. Turn the heat up to medium-high, add chopped fennel or celery, and sauté until tender
8. Reduce heat to medium low, and add curry powder, stirring until fragrant, about 1 minute
9. Add the almond cream, along with another 1/2 cup almond milk
10. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 10 more minutes
11. Add salt and pepper to taste

Vegetable Directions:

1. Cut tips off asparagus and set aside. Remove tough part os stems.Cut remaining stems into 1 1/2 inch pieces
2. Cut zucchini into quarters lengthwise then holding quarters together slice into thin slices
3. Add a small amount of boiling water to a wide bottomed pan and put in the carrots and green beans. Cover and cook for about 3 minutes, adding more water as needed
4. Next add the asparagus stems, with a bit more hot water, and cook for 1 minute or so before adding the asparagus tips and sliced zucchini
5. Cook for 3 more minutes. The veggies should be almost but not quite cooked, and all the water gone
6. Turn off heat, and let the veggies sit covered for a few minutes. They will finish cooking in their own heat
7. Stir in almond sauce and serve with Basmati Rice or use as a filling for crepes or dosas

Recipe Tips:

You'll need a heavy weight, wide, shallow sauté pan for this recipe, and a blender or small food processor to purée the almonds.

Asparagus was out of season, so we used 1 cup chopped cauliflower. We happened to have fennel, so we used that in the sauce.

We liked the curry in this recipe but a delicious alternative would be mediterranean herb mix, with salt & pepper, or any fresh minced herb. We sprinkled on a small amount of fresh minced parsley when serving.

The almond sauce can be prepared up to 48 hours hahead, and the veggies cook quickly, making this dish quick and easy to prepare on The Day.

Your comments & questions help improve our recipes, so don't be shy! Contact Us