Healthy Dinner: Creamy Vegan Vegetable Curry

I've been experimenting with a raw diet this week, which has yielded good and bad results: some bloating, some boredom with the local produce selection in a chilly April, some frustration and cravings; but also some unexpected energy, and a general feeling of wellness in choosing foods with all their nutritional content intact. But after a few days, my body wasn't only craving something cooked, per se, but something warm--the kind of meal that fills your soul as much as your stomach. For me, that food is usually some kind of curry. Despite my history of failed attempts at South Asian cuisine, I've had a pretty good run with curries in the past. The ingredients tend to be bright in flavor and color, easy to get year-round, and, minus the fact of their being cooked, packed with the kind of vitamins and minerals I was getting with my mostly raw, most alkaline diet: coconut, dry spices, and no gluten. The execution also couldn't be simpler: add to pot and stir. What I like about this recipe, too (adopted from Active Vegetarian), is that it uses a home-made curry paste that's easy to have on hand and a lot cheaper than buying it in the store--where it's most likely processed in some way or another. Adding the sprouted chickpeas helped me feel a little raw as well--and I admit to snacking on some during the prep, they're just so superior to canned or even dried-and-cooked chickpeas. Although this curry takes a little longer to prepare than other recipes I've tried, it's worth it to be able to enjoy such a healthful combination of vegetables and protein in the creamy but light base. And because it makes a large amount, you'll have plenty leftovers to enjoy for a few days afterward (curry does keep well in the freezer, too, if you get sick of it--though I doubt you will).