Zucchini Vegetable Curry (Healthy and Vegan)

One of my favourite Health and Fitness magazines is ‘Women’s Fitness’. It is an Australian based magazine, and I get so excited when I receive my new glossy paged bundle of fitness inspiration on my doorstep every month. In the June 2017 issue there was a recipe for a delicious vegetable curry, which became the inspiration for this amazing light, healthy lunch.  Packed with zesty flavour and healthy spices, this curry will leave you feeling fit and fresh to help kick your goals.

Zucchini: is a summer squash and the star ingredient of this curry. It becomes infused with all of the spices used in this recipe upon cooking, making it taste incredible. As an outstanding source of manganese and Vitamin C, it helps protect against common colds and inflammation. Manganese helps muscles to relax and has been linked to reducing DOMS post a killer training session. This summer squash also contains magnesium, copper, phosphorus, folate and potassium. Additionally, it boasts a high content of omega 3 fatty acids, zinc and niacin. Basically, it contains a variety of healthy vitamins and nutrients to supplement a healthy lifestyle.

Turmeric: is certainly a ‘health craze’ super food at the moment, and receiving a lot of media attention.  It is a spice that gives this curry it’s yellow colour. It contains curcuminoids which are bioactive compounds, that have medicinal properties that help ease inflammation. However, it is poorly absorbed. This can be assisted by eating turmeric in conjunction with black pepper, improving absorption by 2000%.

Quinoa: is another popular superfood, due to it’s high protein content. For vegans and vegetarians, it can be a struggle to find good quality sources of protein outside of dairy and meat. Quinoa is defined as an ancient grain, boasting gluten free properties and the presence of all 9 essential amino acids. It comes in 3 types, red, white and black and is a good supplement to regular grains to add additional protein into the diet.

Ingredients (Serves 2):

• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 Tsp grated ginger
• 1 Tsp ground cumin
• 1 Tsp ground turmeric
• 1 Tsp mixed herbs (sage, oregano, basil)
• 1 Tsp lime zest and juice of 1 small lime
• 1 Tsp sesame oil
• 2 zucchini, cut into batons
• 1 cup vegetable stock, salt free
• 1/3 coconut milk
• Ground black pepper
• Coriander leaves to serve
• 1/2 cup quinoa
• 1 cup water

Method:

1. Rinse the quinoa and place in a saucepan, over high heat with the water. Bring to the boil, stir once then cover with a lid. Turn the heat to as low as possible and simmer for 25 minutes. Allow to stand off the heat for 10 minutes to absorb excess water.
2. Create a curry paste by mixing together the garlic, ginger, cumin, turmeric, mixed herbs, lime zest and juice.
3. Heat the sesame oil in a deep saucepan and then fry off the curry paste for 2- 3 minutes to release the flavours, over medium heat. Add the zucchini to the mixture and coat in the paste for 2 minutes. They should soften slightly.
4. Add the vegetable stock, coconut milk and pepper to the saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium- low and simmer for 10 minutes. Allow the curry sauce to thicken slightly and the zucchini to become soft.
5. Serve with the quinoa and a sprinkle of coriander leaves.

Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post, heck ‘Women’s Fitness’ don’t even know I exist.