Comfort foods without the crash: Sweet Potato and Chickpea Coconut Curry, Raspberry and Apple Crumble

Malissa Fedele is an Adelaide-based clinical nutritionist known as the “Mood Boosting Nutritionist”.

She aims to inspire and empower individuals to achieve optimal health and happiness.

She runs her own practice focusing on women’s health and mental wellbeing, offering consultations, mood-boosting nutrition programs, and wellness journals that integrate her personal experiences.

She was a guest on Sunrise this week and shared these two recipes to help home chefs enjoy winter comfort food without a chaser of the bloating, fatigue, or sugar crashes.

Sweet Potato and Chickpea Coconut Curry

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 brown onion
• 2–3 garlic cloves
• 1 knob ginger
• 1 knob butter or ghee
• 2 tins chickpeas
• 2 large sweet potato, diced
• 2 tsp curry powder
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 2 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1 1/2 tins coconut milk
• 1 tin peeled tomatoes
• 1/2 tin polpa or 1 tbsp tomato paste
• Chopped coriander (optional)
• Salt and pepper

Method

1. Heat coconut oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add chopped onion, garlic and grated ginger. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until soft and fragrant.
2. Add butter or ghee, then stir in curry powder, turmeric, garam masala, chilli powder and cumin. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until spices are toasted.
3. Add sweet potato and drained chickpeas. Stir well to coat in the spices.
4. Pour in coconut milk, peeled tomatoes and polpa or tomato paste. Stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sweet potato is tender and the sauce has thickened.
6. Taste and adjust seasoning. Garnish with coriander if using. Serve warm with rice or naan.

Raspberry and Apple Crumble

Ingredients

• 4 apples, peeled, cored and sliced
• 1 punnet raspberries
• 1/4 cup coconut sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• Zest of 1/4 orange
• Juice of 1/2 orange
• Pinch sea salt
• 1 tbsp flour

For the Crumble

• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1 cup plain flour
• 1 cup desiccated coconut
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• Pinch sea salt

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180C.
2. In a large bowl, combine apples, raspberries, coconut sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, orange zest, orange juice, sea salt and flour. Mix to coat fruit evenly.
3. Transfer to a greased baking dish and spread into an even layer.
4. In another bowl, mix oats, flour, coconut, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking powder and sea salt.
5. Pour melted butter over and mix until it resembles coarse crumbs.
6. Spread the crumble topping evenly over the fruit.
7. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the top is golden and the filling is bubbling.
8. Let cool slightly before serving. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream if desired

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