“The two basic items necessary to sustain life are sunshine and coconut milk.”
~ Dustin Hoffman
Sunshine in a Bowl
When I was a little girl, shivering in the winter cold as I waited for the school bus to arrive, I would tilt my face toward the sun, close my eyes, and imagine it was summer on the beach. I would hear the seagulls’ cry and the roar of the waves, feel the coarse sand beneath my bare feet and the tight feeling of my skin where the saltwater had dried, leaving a fine white dust behind. Most of all, I would feel the sun’s rays beating down on my body, warming me from the inside out. This recipe reminds me of those mornings. It’s a bowl of warmth in the winter time, with veggies the color of the rising sun.
Recipe
Inspired by Global Table Adventure
Winter Veggies in Spiced Coconut Milk (Paleo, AIP, GAPS, Wahls, Whole30)
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 servings
Ingredients
- 2 cups coconut milk
- 4 cups cubed butternut squash
- 4 cups cubed golden beets
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 Tbsp. coconut oil
- 3 cloves garlic, pressed
- 1/2 Tbsp. finely grated fresh ginger (I like this ginger grater)
- sea salt, to taste
Instructions
- If you're making homemade coconut milk, make it first and set aside.
- Peel and cube the butternut squash and beets, making the beet cubes a little smaller than the squash. (Tip: if you find peeling butternut squash a challenge, this inexpensive peeler makes it easy!)
- Steam both until almost tender (about 10-15 minutes).
- Melt coconut oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and sauté until soft. Add garlic and ginger and cook another minute.
- Add the coconut milk. Bring to a gentle simmer.
- Finally, add the steamed squash and beets. Cover and simmer until the vegetables are soft and have absorbed most of the spiced coconut milk. This takes about 15 minutes, but you can also turn down the heat and allow it to soak in longer for added flavor.
- Salt to taste. (It doesn’t need much; it’s very flavorful on its own).
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Side Dishes
- Method: Stovetop
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Credit: recipe photograph taken by Christina Feindel
This looks delicious, although I have a hard time finding golden beats where I live. Can I substitute with regular beets? Or what other vegetable do you recommend instead of them?
Thanks!
Hi Omar. You could substitute with regular beets, although it would change the color, turning everything red. That’s not a bad thing – just a different look. If you want to keep the “golden” look, you can substitute sweet potatoes or carrots.
Fantastic! I plan on getting some golden beets this weekend at the co-op. I don’t like red beets much so I think these will be a welcome change in our kitchen.
Added bonus: the more diverse our food, the deeper our nutrition. It’s fun playing with new ingredients in the kitchen.
Yummy looking recipe! Thanks for sharing at Well Fed Wednesday!
This sounds amazing! I’ve been eating lots of coconut milk and coconut oil since for some reason butter, lard, and broth just doesn’t tickle my fancy since becoming pregnant. Strange… anyways, I’ll be making my own version of this tomorrow with butternut squash, coconut oil, onions, kale, ginger, turmeric, garlic, salt n pepper. Thanks!
I love the idea of adding kale. Enjoy!
This sounds great! I have all the ingredients, so I’ll be adding it to dinner tonight!
Awesome! Let me know how you like it.
Oh my gosh this sounds delicious! I just received some coconut in the mail to try my hand at making homemade coconut milk. I think this recipe will be a perfect use for it! Thanks for sharing at what i am eating!