I love curry dishes, but curry powder typically contains chili peppers (a nightshade vegetable). If you are following the Elimination Diet and craving curry, try this stew! It's warming, though not as spicy as a typical curry would be. I use garam masala powder, cumin seeds, and turmeric powder to create a flavorful dish without chili peppers. I know it's not authentic at all, but it is totally satisfying if you are on a nightshade-free diet or elimination diet!

Consuming nightshades (potatoes, peppers, eggplant, tomatoes, goji berries) can trigger joint pain, migraines, skin rashes, acne, GI upset, and inflammation in SOME people. Are you sensitive to nightshades? Please share your experiences in the comment section below. If you think nightshades might be an issue for you, the best way to determine that is to do an Elimination Diet.

Garam masala is a staple spice blend at our house. I use it a lot to flavor roasted vegetables, or garbanzo bean dishes. Garam means warm, and Masala means spice blend. Garam masala typically contains cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, cumin, black pepper, and coriander.
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Masala Chicken and Vegetable Stew (Nightshade-Free)


The days are getting shorter, colder, and busier! Having simple, nourishing meals ready to eat when you get home from work or school is so important. Now that the weather has changed, I've been using my slow cooker more often. This chicken curry recipe is so simple that I almost didn't post it! I've made it a number of times in the last few weeks. Too many actually, because now my children are starting to complain!

Today I forgot to add the tomatoes which caused the stew to lack some flavor and "oomph!" Adding something acidic, like tomatoes, helps to balance flavors. A little freshly squeezed lime juice can remedy a lack of tomatoes though!

You can add different vegetables to the pot if desired, just make sure to cut them large enough so they maintain their shape and don't turn to mush during the long cooking time. Try sweet potatoes, rutabagas, potatoes, or chunks of peeled and cubed pie pumpkin! If you want to add zucchini or red bell pepper then add them in during the last 30 to 60 minutes of cooking (less time if you have your slow cooker set on high, more if it is set on low).
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Simple Slow-Cooked Chicken Curry


Our pantry and refrigerator are brimming with root vegetables this time of year. What better way to enjoy them than with a savory curry sauce? This recipe is vegan though it could be modified to add chicken or beef if desired. Another option would be to add a few cups of cooked garbanzo beans. Mmmmm, yum!

To continue on with the spirit of the giving season I am giving away another wonderful cookbook today. Stephanie O' Dea has written a bestselling slow cooker book entitled, Make it Fast, Cook it Slow. It is the perfect book if you are looking to eat healthier, are on a gluten-free diet (yes, all recipes are gluten-free), and don't have much time to prepare home-cooked meals. I have one signed copy for one lucky winner! Just leave a comment below to enter.

If you would like to preview some of her recipes you can go to her very popular blog, A Year Of Slow Cooking, which began in 2008 as a resolution to cook everyday that year using her slow cooker! Stephanie also has a new cookbook being released later this month, More Make it Fast, Cook it Slow: 200 Brand-New, Budget-Freindly, Slow-Cooker Recipes. The following curried vegetable recipe is one of mine, though Stephanie has a number of fabulous-looking curry recipes in her book.
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Curried Root Vegetables