Roasted Balsamic Curry Fall Vegetables and Cranberries with Kamut

Earlier this year, my cousin’s wife was trying to track down kamut, an ancient wheat. She explained to me that kamut contained less gluten, perfect for her gluten-free adventures.  She searched high and low and could not find whole grain kamut. Kamut flakes and puffed kamut, yes, but not regular old kamut.  Since she was hoping to get rid of gluten, I suggested not trying to track down such a hard-to-find ingredient, especially since it still contains gluten, even if it is a smaller amount.

A few days later, when I decided to reorganize my whole grains, I discovered I had kamut. Turns out I had forgotten all about it. I bought a small amount while in Calgary, since I had never seen it before. Unfortunately, while Community Natural Foods has an online store, I don’t see kamut for sale.  With my curiosity piqued, I decided it was time to try out the kamut.

Nothing fancy, I opted to add it to a bowlful of roasted fall vegetables. More veggies, less grain, please.

The verdict?

First, the kamut. I will admit that it was nice. Similar to wheat berries, they were pleasantly plump yet their shape made it more akin to orzo. A plumpy, chewy orzo. Milder than wheat berries, I rather enjoyed them.  If I had easy access to kamut, I would likely choose it over wheat berries, but since I don’t know where to replenish it in Toronto, I will just have to finish my spelt berries first. Although, I am already on a whittling of the pantry plan, where nothing is being replenished except for my easy-to-find favourites: quinoa, red lentils and chickpeas.

Next, the veggies. Delicious right from the oven, I had a hard time holding back from gobbling everything down. I loved combining the different roasted vegetables for different complementary flavours. The Brussels sprouts were earthy and crispy, contrasting the soft and sweet squash, next to the tart and juicy cranberries. The balsamic-curry dressing was not overpowering, and allowed the natural flavours to shine.

Don’t have kamut? No worries. Simply omit it or add your favourite whole grain or bean. I am thinking chickpeas or white beans would be great here.

If you do have kamut, and live in the GTA, please tell me where you found it. 🙂

This is my submission to this week’s Weekend Herb Blogging, hosted by Brii.

Roasted Balsamic Curry Fall Vegetables and Cranberries with Kamut
Adapted from Shutterbean

1 1b Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
1 medium kabocha squash, cut into 1/2 inch cubes (600g)
1 cup fresh cranberries
1 apple, chopped (optional, but good, I used a Granny Smith)
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 tbsp extra virgin coconut oil
1.5 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon curry powder (I used Penzey’s sweet blend)
sugar, to taste (I didn’t add anything)
salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste
1 cup cooked kamut (from 1/3 cup dry kamut)

1. If you haven’t cooked your kamut, begin by doing so. In a medium pot, add kamut and 2x the amount of water/stock. Bring to a boil, cover, decrease heat and simmer for 30-60 minutes, until cooked through. Once finished, drain any leftover water and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400F. On a large silpat-lined baking sheet, place the chopped Brussels sprouts, squash, cranberries, apple and onions. In a small cup, combine the oil, vinegar and curry powder. Pour dressing overtop vegetables and stir to evenly coat the vegetables. Season with salt and pepper, and add sugar if you like.

3. Bake vegetables uncovered for 20 minutes, stir and roast for an additional 20-25 minutes, until soft and browned.

Serves 3 as a main, 8 as a side.