Fruits and Veggies Monday - Butternut, Aubergine & Mixed Veg Breyani with zesty Coconut Cream

I was toying with the idea of making a frozen Blueberry dessert for this week's Fruits and Veggies Monday, as we had an unusually hot spell over the weekend.
Everything changed during Sunday night and we woke up to a really cold Monday morning, so that idea got shelved!

A pot of Split Pea Vegetable soup went onto the stove early in the morning and was ready for lunchtime.
I had the most divine little baby Aubergine and gorgeous Butternut Squash, so the idea of making a Butternut, Aubergine & Mixed Veg Breyani for dinner really appealed, and that's what I'm sharing with you all today.

I was quite amazed to learn about the health benefits of Aubergines; I've always wondered whether one should peel them. Don't ever do that as the valuable antioxidant nasunin is found in the purple peel, actually giving it that lovely colour.
Quoting from BBC Good Food:

Aubergines are an excellent source of dietary fibre. They are also a good source of vitamins B1 and B6 and potassium. In addition it is high in the minerals copper, magnesium and manganese.
Aubergines are rich in antioxidants, specifically nasunin found in aubergine skin - which gives it its purple colour. A potent antioxidant and free radical scavenger, nasunin has been found to protect the lipids (fats) in brain cell membranes. Cell membranes are almost entirely composed of lipids and are responsible for protecting the cell and helping it to function. The lipid layer is crucial for letting nutrients in, wastes out and receiving instructions from messenger molecules that tell the cell what to do.

I told you all about the health benefits of Butternut last week when I made my Vegan Butternut & Lentil Lasagne, but here it is again in case you missed it:

Butternut is a great source of potassium, fiber and other key nutrients – improves digestion, blood pressure and a big plus for us ladies, its beneficial for healthy skin and hair!

RECIPE

• 1 cup Basmati Rice - cook in usual fashion but add Turmeric
• 1 cup Brown Lentils - cook in usual fashion
• Spices - Cumin (Jeera), Coriander Powder, Masala, Turmeric, Star Anise, Cloves, Cassia/Cinnamon Bark
• Garlic - crushed
• Ginger - grated
• 1 Onion - diced
• 1 cup cooked Mixed Veg
• 6 Baby Aubergines - diced
• 2 Tomatoes - diced
• 1 Butternut - cubed & steamed till just done, not too soft
• Fresh Dhania (Cilantro)
• Fresh Curry Leaves
• Olive oil

Sautee Onions, Aubergine & crushed Garlic in enough oil to cover the base of a deep cast iron pot.
Add spices and sautee.
Add Tomatoes, Curry leaves and Ginger and cook for a couple of minutes, remove from pot.

Layer ingredients in same cast iron pot in the following order:

• Rice
• Lentils
• Mixed Veg
• Butternut
• Aubergine mix

Cover pot and place in oven at 180C for about 45 minutes.

Zesty Coconut Cream topping

• 1/2 cup Coconut Cream - don't use the watery part
• Grated Lemon Zest
• Fresh Dhania (Cilantro) - finely chopped
  Mix all together.

Serve with a generous dollop of zesty Coconut Cream topping and garnish with Dhania/Cilantro.

Bon Appetit!

A sincere thank you to the creator of #fruitsandveggiesmonday, @lenasveganliving, to our weekly host the lovely @plantstoplanks, both lovely ladies are such an inspiration with their kind feedback and of course the gorgeous food coming from their kitchens!

A massive shout out to @donkeypong for the generous sponsorship and of course that wonderfully talented artist @barbara-orenya for the gorgeous wonkies!

Thank you one and all for giving us this opportunity!

Check out this week's POST, follow the rules 100% and show us your fruits and veggies!

Original Content by @lizelle
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