I am settling in well to the new kitchen and let me tell you, there is going to be some creative endeavors going down in this pink kitchy kitch. One of the first are my favourlicious Curried Sweet Potato Dumplings. This is my ‘back-in-my-new-home-cool-wind-blew-in-with-September’ comfort-food.
Now this raises an interesting question. What is comfort food? For me, it is foods that are warm, grounding, creamy, and easy. Comfort food is such an interesting topic that I actually have a whole class based on the principals of healthy comfort food.
How do we define comfort food?
Typically it is inexpensive, uncomplicated, and easy to prepare. For most people, there are certain types of food that we associate with comfort and happiness growing up – although depending on ethnicity and cultural background, we might have a slightly different take on what our ideal “comfort food” is. Whether it’s ice cream, macaroni and cheese, or chocolate chip cookies, the term “comfort food”, is generally defined as food that gives a sense of emotional well-being, or any food or drink that one turns to for temporary relief, security or reward.
I am curious, since comfort food is the food we were raised on, if I started feeding my little ones Brussels sprouts as early as possible, could I magically make that their comfort food? I’ll let you know in 15-20 years.
One of my go-to comfort foods is mashed sweet potato with coconut oil and some sea salt. This isn’t much of a recipe so for the purpose of making this interesting, I jazzed it up a little. And if you are taking part in the 5 Days Vegan group challenge coming up on September 15th, add this goody to the list of vegan delights.
Sweet Potato Dumplings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Keywords: saute steam appetizer side dinner lunch dairy-free gluten-free low-sodium nut-free soy-free vegan vegetarian carrot kale sweet potato zucchini whole food fall winter
Ingredients (Serves 6-8)
- 1 sweet potato, steamed
- 2-3 kale leaves, shredded
- 1 carrot, grated
- 1 zucchini, sliced
- 1 tsp coriander seed, ground
- 1 tsp, cumin seed, ground
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp ginger, grated
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1-2 Tbs coconut oil
- 6-8 large round sheets of rice paper
- Sea salt and cayenne to taste
- Flax oil to drizzle
Instructions
In a pot, heat 1 Tbs of the coconut oil. Add spices, ginger and garlic and sautee until aromatic without burning.
Add in kale, carrot and zucchini and stir together with spices. If too dry or sticking to the pot, add water, about 2 Tbs at a time until moistened.
Keep oven on low and stir vegetables occasionally.
While veggies are cooking, add sweet potato and coconut oil to food processor or Vita Mix and whir together until smooth. You may need to scrape down the sides for even mixture.
Once veggies are cooked and sweet potato is mashed/pureed, mix them all together, adding salt and/or cayenne as needed to taste.
Now, you can eat this just as it is, or wrap it up in a rice paper dumpling.
For the Dumpling Formation
Heat water in a pot or kettle- enough to cover about 3 inches of a shallow bowl or dish.
Place hot to trot water into the bowl or dish and drop in a rice paper wrap.
Allow to soften, about 60 seconds and remove from water.
Late flat on a clean, dry surface and dollop some of the sweet potato curried veg mixture into the centre (about 1 1/4 cup of the mixture).
Fold in the two opposite sides of the rice paper and than the two remaining sides.
Place aside.
Serve with a fresh sprinkle of sea salt and a drizzle of flax oil.
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Yum! I see dumplings in my future…
I see myself making this in the very near future!
I love sweet potatoes! These sound awesome. I will have to make this for the family. Thanks for the post and ingenuity.
this sounds great… easy to pack for lunch as well… I will be cooking for a visiting vegetarian for a month in the near future, and I think this will go down well…
These look beautiful! I love sweet potatoes! Mmm!
Can’t wait for your blog post on CSL tomorrow!!
Whoot!
Those look utterly delicious and comforting!
I think the definition of comfort food changes quite a bit. Take the brussels sprouts example, for instance. While I never ate them growing up, they’ve become one of my comfort food staples. Also, I do know someone whose kids request to eat brussels sprouts–it can be done! I for one love to snuggle up to a steaming bowl of vegetable pot pie smothered in biscuits.
OMG! These are brill! Yes. Yes. Will make them soon.
What a great idea! And I have everything at home!
Don’t you love how making something a dumpling automatically makes it more charming?
Thanks Meghan!
just to be sure… you mean ‘sweet potatoes’… not yam? i get them confused all the time… mind you i guess they are interchangeable.
I was sitting at work on my computer when I saw these delicious yellow cutelings (because the word dumpling is adorable). So I bought some kale and made them tonight for dinner as an appetizer for my veggie curry soup. Amazing! I didn’t have flax oil to serve them with so I drizzled some sesame oil instead. The flavor was great with the curry taste. Thanks!
[...] Sweet Potato Dumplings [...]
I just made this for dinner by accident and it was friggin DELICIOUS. sweet potato mash with coconut oil is one of my top comfort foods too, I had a big ol’ bowl of it ready to eat when this recipe popped into my head, so I dumpling’d it up. total yummers.
Yes. Yes it is!
I know this is an old post, so you may not get this message, but I want you to know that, YES, your kids will eat brussel sprouts (or brussels sprouts, there seems to be no consensus on which it officially is) if you introduce them early and insist the kids at least try them. My 10 year old now absolutely LOVES brussel sprouts (and kale and asparagus) and actually gets excited when I make them. My older son also eats almost everything with no complaints. Most kids have too many unhealthy choices available at all times, so why would they eat a brussel sprout?
I think it has to do with the word dumpling. How can you not love something called a ‘dumpling’.
Both would work!