Fruits & Veggies Monday {Summer Vegetable Curry}

Happy Monday folks!  We had a really lovely weekend here in Atlanta, and the farmers market was packed full of seasonal goodies again.  Joining in on @lenasveganliving’s #fruitsandveggiesmonday is just too easy at the moment with all of the fantastic produce available.  I could easily just share glorious photos of all of the beautiful fruits and vegetables (and I may just do that another time), but this week I was inspired to make a special dish that came out as such a perfect homage to summer time that I had to share!

I have to give a credit to @amy-goodrich for the inspiration to make this bowl of goodness.  I had originally thought I might just follow Amy’s recipe for Mango Eggplant Curry (she is a master at delicious and healthy meals), however we have some different produce available here which made me decide to come up with a version using a combination of all local produce with just a few store-bought items to round it out.  Eggplant, zucchini, peppers, and Vidalia onions are all overflowing the stalls at the market.  I had already utilized them in pretty traditional ways so far this season, but I hadn’t gone the curry route in a while.

Though I was happy to pull from my well-stocked spice cabinet, the vegetables still really shined in the final outcome.  I think I may have misspoken recently when I said zucchini didn’t have much flavor on its own because it was quite delicious and prominent in this combination.  Perhaps I just picked out a really high quality one this time. ;)

I often use rice or quinoa to serve this type of meal over, but I haven’t had pasta in a while and I just happened to have chickpea pasta handy.  It is full of fiber and protein, plus it soaks up all of the flavor from the spices and coconut milk.  This one and the red lentil variety are my favorite bean-based pastas to use.  I know some people are picky, but I think they both taste very much like “regular” pasta.

With the fresh jalapeno and bit of crushed red pepper, this had just enough heat for @dksart to enjoy without being too overpowering for me.  I can see why coconut milk is often used in these types of dishes—besides providing the perfect creamy sauce it definitely helps calm down the spice level a bit.  Plus the whole food fat assists the absorption of the vitamins and minerals, including the circumin from the turmeric.  A bit of fresh basil was just the right bit of freshness to garnish the meal.

I had also sprouted more mung beans that were ready to be put to good use.  I am really loving having a constant supply of sprouts to add to my meals.  They supply great crunch and texture, but are also full of nutrients and add a great source of plant-based protein.  I definitely need to keep exploring with other seeds and beans in my sprouting journey!

Summer Vegetable Curry

Makes 6-8 servings

• 1 sweet onion, peeled & chopped
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded & minced
• 1 sweet bell pepper, seeded & chopped
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4-1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
• 2 medium Japanese eggplant, trimmed & roughly chopped
• 1 large zucchini squash, trimmed & roughly chopped
• 1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk
• 1 (8-ounce) box chickpea pasta
• 1 tablespoon light miso (I used chickpea miso)
• ¼ cup chopped fresh basil
• mung bean sprouts to serve (optional)

Heat a large pot over medium heat.  Add in the onion and both peppers.  Cook for about 10 minutes, adding a few tablespoons of water as needed to prevent sticking and stir occasionally.  Once the vegetables have softened, sprinkle in the curry powder through crushed red pepper.  Stir and cook for about a minute.

Next mix in the zucchini and eggplant.  Continue to cook on medium for an additional 10 minutes, once again adding a few tablespoons of water as needed to keep the vegetables from sticking and the spices from burning.  Pour in the coconut milk and then fill the can halfway with water to add to the pan, as well.  Mix everything together, then cover and turn the heat to medium-low.  Let simmer for 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook your pasta according to package directions just to al dente.  Before you drain the pasta, spoon out a few tablespoons of the pasta water to mix with the miso until smooth and incorporated.  It will help the miso mix into the curry without leaving clumps.

Pour the miso mixture into the curry pot and mix together.  Drain your pasta, then add it to the pot, as well.  Let sit off the heat for a few minutes so the pasta can soak up some of the liquid and flavors.

To serve, scoop into a bowl and garnish with the fresh basil and mung bean sprouts.  Enjoy!

I hope you guys enjoy this one as much as we are!  I think it’s going to be even better leftover, because what pasta isn’t? ;)  We are off to head down to the farm to pick peaches and more berries today, so the seasonal joy will continue as long as I can make it last!!  Have a fantastic and healthy week!