Spice Up your New Year 5:2 Diet Weight Loss
Spinach, Lentil & Sweet Potato Curry
(244 Calories)
With HUGE apologies for my absence, it was a week ago that I last posted a recipe and a review, but, things have been pretty hectic over the last ten days culminating in a nightmare journey back on Sunday morning, which didn’t see me arrive home until Monday afternoon – yes, I WAS one of those unfortunate people caught up in the recent Eurostar “fire in the tunnel” fiasco, which ended in a surprise hotel stay (in Lille) after being stranded there with no onward connections back home on Sunday evening…….but, it’s all okay now, albeit that I’m desperately trying to catch up with a backlog of work. But, here I am with a LOVELY new 5:2 diet recipe that will certainly spice up your weight loss plans this New Year.
My latest 5:2 diet recipe is gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan, as well as being low in calories; in place of flour to thicken the curry sauce, as is usual, I have added healthy lentils which add bulk and flavour. This Spinach, Lentil & Sweet Potato Curry recipe is a VERY low 244 calories per person per serving, and if you are cooking this for just one person, than I advise you to make the full recipe amount and freeze it in handy individual portions for future low-calorie “fast days”. It freezes very well once cooked and defrosts in about 3 to 4 hours at room temperature. If you have 300+ calories spare, then you can add a Weight Watchers mini naan bread (as I have done in the photos) for a total meal count of 352 calories.
This curry is packed with flavour and is quite spicy, so if you are not a spice lover, than do adjust the heat accordingly. I added a curry leaf and dried red chilli for extra fragrance, taste and heat, and as they are not eaten, they have no calories to add. The combination of the spinach, sweet potato, lentils and mushrooms really works well and as well as being uber-healthy and low in calories, this curry also has three of your five a day in it. There is NO need to serve it with rice on a fast day, which would add lots of extra calories, and if you aren’t a naan bread lover, then it stands up perfectly well by itself in a bowl – like a curry-cum-stew-cum-soup, although it is much thicker than a soup.
I also enjoyed my bowl of curry with a dollop of lime pickle, which I am very fond of, but, I have shared some other ideas for low to medium calorie additions below, as a curry does taste even better with a few “sambals”
30g dry roasted peanuts = 166 calories
1 tablespoon lime pickle = 29 calories
1 tablespoon mango chutney = 48 calories
2 teaspoons desiccated coconut = 60 calories
2 tablespoons chopped cucumber = 4 calories
2 tablespoons low-fat yoghurt = 40 calories
100g serving cooked white rice = 130 calories
1 mini garlic and coriander naan bread = 108 calories
DO try this curry whether you are dieting or not, and I WILL be back a lot sooner with some more recipes, reviews and some new giveaways. Have a great week, Karen
Low-Calorie Spinach, Lentil & Sweet Potato Curry
Print recipe
| Serves | 4 |
| Prep time | 10 minutes |
| Cook time | 35 minutes |
| Total time | 45 minutes |
| Dietary | Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian |
| Meal type | Lunch, Main Dish, Snack |
| Misc | Freezable, Pre-preparable, Serve Hot |
| Occasion | Casual Party |
| Region | Indian |
| By author | Karen S Burns-Booth |
Ingredients
- 2 medium onions, peeled and roughly chopped (80 calories)
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and diced (10 calories)
- 100g fresh or frozen mushrooms, chopped (22 calories)
- 1 large sweet potato, peeled and roughly diced (about 120g to 130g - 110 calories)
- 4 tablespoons hot curry paste (I used Patak's Hot Curry Paste - 280 calories)
- 1 x curry leaf
- 1 x hot dried red pepper
- 1 teaspoon turmeric (5 calories)
- 900mls vegetable stock (made with Marigold Swiss Vegetable Bouillon - 20 calories)
- 1 x 285g packet frozen leaf spinach (65 calories)
- 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes (35 calories)
- 100g red lentils (350 calories)
Note
A simple, spicy and very nourishing curry that is very low in calories but full flavoured. PERFECT for anyone following a low-calorie diet such as the 5:2 diet or Weight Watchers. (This recipe serves FOUR people and the total calorie count is 976 calories and EACH individual portion is 244 calories a or 352 WITH a Weight Watchers naan bread)
Directions
| Step 1 | Put the onions, garlic, mushrooms and sweet potatoes into a wok type pan with a little water, and cover with a lid; heat over a low to medium heat for about 10 minutes or until the vegetables are soft and nearly cooked. |
| Step 2 | Turn the heat up and add the curry paste, curry leaf, red pepper and turmeric, then cook stirring all the time until they start to release their aromas, about 2 top 3 minutes. Add the stock and stir well, it should start to simmer after a few minutes. |
| Step 3 | Add the rest of the vegetables, stir well and continue to cook for 5 minutes before adding the lentils and replacing the lid and simmering over a medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes or until the vegetables and lentils are cooked. |
| Step 4 | Season to taste with salt and pepper and ladle the curry into 4 warm bowls and serve with low-calorie naan breads on a fast day or with rice and naan breads on a non-fast day. This recipe serves FOUR people and the total calorie count is 976 calories and EACH individual portion is 244 calories a or 352 WITH a naan bread. |
| Step 5 | Weight Watchers Mini Garlic & Coriander Naan Breads have 108 calories on each naan bread. I used Patak's Hot Curry paste in this recipes that has 70 calories per tablespoon - green and red Thai curry pastes have only about 20 calories per tablespoon, so you can adjust the calorie count. |
More Lavender and Lovage 5:2 Diet Recipes:
Moroccan Harissa and Chickpea Potage Recipe (5:2 Diet)
Salmon and Spring Onion Gratins (250 Calories)
5:2 Diet Recipe: Garlic, Herb and Parmesan Crusted Chicken Schnitzels
Paleo 5:2 Diet Recipe for Pepper Steak with Pan-fried Onions, Tomatoes and Spinach
Butter Bean & Chorizo Stew with Tomatoes
Curried Leek and Apple Soup Recipe (5:2 Diet)
Low-Calorie Cauliflower Crust Pizza: Gluten Free, Paleo and 5:2 Diet Pizza Recipe
Bacon, Wine and Risotto on a Diet! Easy Baked Bacon and Mushroom Risotto Recipe (5:2 Diet)
Smoked Haddock and Spinach Gratin (200 calories)
New 5:2 Diet Recipe: Minced Beef and Mint Kheema Keema
French 5:2 Diet Fast Day Recipe and Monday Meal Plan: Provençal Chicken and Fennel Braise
Easy Cheesy Family Fish Pie Recipe for the 5:2 Diet (300 calories)
The Fast Diet, Meal Planning Monday and Tiger Prawn Curry with Basmati Rice (5:2 Diet)
oh my word I need a bowl of this NOW… i’m eating some sad salad with veggie sausages which is nice but not as glorious as this looks and healthy too… love it!
VERY healthy Dom but tastes delicious and not like diet food at all! 😉 The way I like it!
I was showing this recipe to my colleagues at work and they all agreed it looks super scrumptious! I’ll give it a go very soon 🙂
I HOPE you do give it a try Sylvia, it is très lush! Karen
Mmm, that is right up my street Karen. Great combo of flavours, yum!
Janie x
Thanks Janie – this is a favourite of ours now for low calorie days!
This looks wonderful. Great flavours and spices, a really tasty 5:2 option. Did you have to pay for the overnight stay or did Eurostar stump up for the hotel? The train must have been heaving too. GG
THANKS for your kind comments! I was put up courtesy of Eurostar GG, thank goodness as otherwise it is insurance claims and excess paperwork! Karen
Just made this tonight for dinner, absolutely delicious. Substituted frozen spinach and reduced the stock by 300ml. Now off to look at the rest of the website for 5:2 recipes. Thanks Karen.
Thanks so much for letting me know Michelle and I may adjust the stock to allow people to choose a thicker OR more “soupy” texture! 😉 Karen
I could so do with a bowl or two of this right now Karen.
Me too Bintu, it is VERY cold here!
Have just had the sweet potato and lentil curry – absolutely delicious! So good, it’s very hard to believe it’s low calorie!!
Thanks Karen – all your 5:2 recipes are really inspiring, and also so easy to make.
Now don’t get me wrong, I am not on a “diet” of any kind (except of the cheese and wine variety!) but this curry looks epic! Almost good enough to turn me veggie :-S
What a gorgeous looking curry. I know what I’m making for supper tonight! 🙂
Thanks so much, it’s tasty and healthy, so a win win recipe! Karen
I am p planning to cook something for dinner that has potato. I just became fond of it lately and I was looking for a new recipe. I am very glad that I was able to read this post. Awesome job there Karen. Thanks for sharing!
Just wanted to say a big thanks for all your careful work on your recipes.
I have just made this curry again and it was loved by everyone. Found your site whilst looking for some low calorie ideas for fasting days. This curry really doesn’t feel like fasting. I used a home made curry spices mix rather than bought this time and it really brought out the flavours . Bit of a faff roasting the spices but once done you have enough for 5 or6 curries. I’ll definitely be adding this recipe to our favourites board. Thanks Jennifer
Thanks so much for your lovely comments Jennifer, I am so pleased you enjoyed this curry – it is a favourite here too! Karen
This looks lovely! Certainly my type of style of cooking. I love experimenting with food. Some great tips and tricks here!
Thanks so much Laura!
BRILLIANT – this is a new staple added to my 5:2 – well actually now in my Michael Mosley Blood Sugar diet as I need a fast track back to 5:2 maintenance … reduced the calories in total by 210 by using 1 tablespoon of Patak’s madras paste instead – still a good kick – we love this one (even visiting non vegetarian teens – I just added rice, naan and samosa treats to theirs …Thank you
Fabulous! Thanks so much for letting me know Eleanor and I’m chuffed that you were able to adapt it for non-veggie teens too!
I made this today. I added 100g broccoli & 100g tofu. One thing to note, the calories were incorrect for 400g tin tomatoes. I had 2 supermarket brands in & both came in double your 35cals. Unless you use ones I don’t know about, with less cals. Curry is delicious. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for letting me know and I am pleased you enjoyed the curry! I used an online calorie app, so will check that now, Karen
in the picture it looks like potatos and not sweet potato
Well I can assure you it was sweet potato, which I may add, comes in many colours, and not just the deep orange.
Tastes better than an Indian takeaway and no oil!
I put Yellow Curry paste into my curry and it was delicious
First time making a veg curry and It wont be my last!
So pleased to hear this Siobhan and thanks for letting me know too! 🙂 Karen