Hello Beautiful Humans,

There are a few ingredients making themselves very comfortable in my cupboards lately. Chickpeas, tins of tomatoes, sweet potatoes, yoghurt and a growing collection of spices that seems to be taking up more shelf space by the week. Nothing particularly fancy, but they've been turning into some really good dinners.

Back in the Nourish & Flourish kitchen this week, we made a delicious sweet potato and chickpea curry with homemade garlic and herb yoghurt flatbreads. It was full of flavour, wonderfully nourishing and, perhaps most importantly at the moment, incredibly economical to make. With the rising cost of living featuring so heavily in the news, I've been thinking about how complicated and expensive we sometimes make healthy eating sound. Yet some of the most useful ingredients are the ordinary, affordable ones that have been feeding families for generations. A tin of chickpeas, a sweet potato and a few spices can go a surprisingly long way, without any huge fuss. There’s a lot to be said about the ordinary, I’m all for it.

But it wasn't just the curry bubbling away in class this week. We also found ourselves going down a bit of a rabbit hole about the immune system, and why supporting it is quite different from boosting it. It's a distinction that doesn't get nearly enough attention, especially at this time of year when we're being encouraged to buy all sorts of things to give our immunity a little extra kick.

More isn't always better

We're constantly hearing about foods, supplements and remedies that promise to boost our immune system, particularly at this time of year. But here's the thing — we don't necessarily want a more active immune system. We want one that recognises a threat, responds appropriately and knows when to settle down again. An overactive immune response can cause problems of its own.

So rather than trying to boost our immunity, it makes more sense to support it with good nutrition, movement, sleep and rest. Nothing terribly glamorous, I know, but sometimes the most useful things aren't.

And speaking of rest…

We seem to spend an extraordinary amount of time switched on these days. News, notifications, responsibilities, worries — there's always something demanding our attention. And then, at the end of it all, we expect ourselves to climb into bed and switch off on command.

Unfortunately, our nervous system doesn't always work like that.

Sleep is one of the most important ways our bodies recover and maintain healthy immune function. Yet when we're stressed or constantly on alert, it can be difficult to settle into a restful night's sleep.

And perhaps that's something worth remembering as we head into the darker months. Looking after ourselves isn't always about finding more things to do, eat or take. Sometimes it's about giving ourselves enough time and space to rest, too.

Back to the kitchen…

And speaking of the ordinary things that do us good, let's get back to that sweet potato and chickpea curry.

It's a lovely example of how a handful of inexpensive ingredients can make a really satisfying dinner. Sweet potatoes, chickpeas, onions, garlic, ginger and a few warming spices come together in one pot, with very little fuss. There's plenty of fibre, plant protein and flavour, and it's easy to adapt depending on what you've already got in the cupboard.

We served ours with homemade garlic and herb yoghurt flatbreads, but rice would be just as good. It's the sort of meal that's worth making a little extra of, because the leftovers make a very welcome lunch the following day.

And with food prices continuing to put pressure on household budgets, I think recipes like this deserve a regular place in our kitchens.

Sweet Potato & Chickpea Curry with Garlic & Herb Yoghurt Flatbreads

A simple, nourishing and budget-friendly dinner for four.

Sweet Potato, Chickpea & Green Bean Curry with Garlic & Coriander Yoghurt Flatbreads

Serves 4 | Approximately 30–40 minutes

A colourful, gently spiced curry made with inexpensive, everyday ingredients. Sweet potato brings sweetness, chickpeas make it satisfying, and frozen green beans add colour and crunch. The finishing touches of lemon, garam masala and fresh coriander make all the difference.

Ingredients

For the curry

• 2 tsp olive oil

• 1 medium onion, diced

• 2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped

• 4cm piece fresh ginger, grated

• 1 tsp cumin seeds

• 2 tsp ground coriander

• 1 tsp ground turmeric

• ½ tsp chilli flakes, or to taste

• 500g sweet potato, peeled and cut into small cubes

• 240g chickpeas, drained and rinsed (approximately 1 × 400g tin)

• 400g tin chopped tomatoes

• 200ml coconut milk

• 100–200ml water, as needed

• 200g frozen green beans

• 1 tsp garam masala

• Juice of approximately ½ lemon, to taste

• A handful of fresh coriander, chopped

• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the cumin yoghurt flatbreads

• 200g self-raising flour, plus a little extra for rolling

• 160g natural yoghurt, approximately

• 1 tsp cumin seeds

• ¼ tsp salt

For the garlic and coriander oil

• 2 small garlic cloves, finely chopped or crushed

• 2 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped

• 4 tsp olive oil

• A pinch of salt

Method

1. Start building the curry

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle briefly until fragrant, taking care not to burn them.

Add the onion and cook gently until softened. Stir in the garlic and ginger and cook for another minute, then add the ground coriander, turmeric and chilli flakes.

2. Add the main ingredients

Stir in the chopped tomatoes, sweet potato, chickpeas and coconut milk. Add 100ml water to begin with, stir well and bring to a gentle simmer.

Cook for approximately 12–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sweet potato is beginning to soften. Add a little more water if the sauce becomes too thick.

3. Add the green beans

Stir in the frozen green beans and cook for another 5–7 minutes, until they're hot but still have a little bite and the sweet potato is tender.

4. Taste, balance and finish

Now for the important bit! Taste the curry before adding the garam masala, a squeeze of lemon and the fresh coriander.

Stir everything through, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then taste again.

Notice how those final additions bring freshness, aroma and balance to the dish. Sometimes a recipe can be fully cooked but not quite finished.

Make the flatbreads

5. Mix the dough

Place the self-raising flour, cumin seeds and salt in a bowl. Add the yoghurt and mix until you have a soft, slightly tacky dough.

If it feels too dry, add a little more yoghurt. If it's very sticky, dust with a little flour.

Knead briefly, then leave to rest for 10 minutes.

6. Roll and cook

Divide the dough into four equal pieces and roll each into a thin oval or round on a lightly floured surface.

Heat a dry frying pan over a medium-high heat. Cook each flatbread for approximately 1–2 minutes on each side, until lightly puffed, cooked through and dotted with golden-brown patches.

Keep the cooked flatbreads wrapped in a clean tea towel while you finish the others.

7. Add the garlic and coriander oil

Mix the garlic, chopped coriander, olive oil and a pinch of salt in a small bowl.

Brush lightly over the warm flatbreads just after cooking. Adding the garlic at the end keeps its flavour fresh and prevents it from burning in the pan.

To serve

Spoon the curry into warm bowls or onto plates, scatter with a little extra coriander and serve with the garlic and coriander flatbreads. Add a wedge of lemon if you like.

A little kitchen improv…

This is a wonderful recipe for using what you have. Frozen peas or spinach can replace the green beans, and you can adjust the chilli depending on who is coming to dinner.

Don't skip tasting the curry before and after the final seasoning. Those last few additions of spice, lemon and fresh herbs can transform a dish without adding much to the cost.

And if you've never made yoghurt flatbreads before, give them a go. They're remarkably simple, inexpensive and very good for mopping up the last of the curry!

And that's about it from my kitchen this week. A little reminder that looking after ourselves doesn't have to be complicated or expensive, and that sometimes a good dinner and a decent night's sleep are a very good place to start.

Have a lovely weekend. I hope you find time for something delicious, a little rest and perhaps even a lie-in. Mittens certainly intends to.

Irene x