Creamy Courgette Turmeric Pasta – VeganMoFo Day 15

It’s Day 15 of VeganMoFo 2017, which means we’re pretty much halfway through (already!). Today is the last day of “behind the scenes” week and it’s all about spices. What spices do we use, and do we have any favourites? Well, I like to use a huge variety of spices. I would take a photo of my spice cupboard, but to be honest it is not very organised and probably isn’t very interesting! So we’ll talk about one of my favourite spices instead: turmeric.

Turmeric is actually really good for you. It’s not just “that yellow powder that dyes your counter when you spill it” (though it is that too). It contains curcumin, which is what makes it so yellow, and has anti-inflammatory effects, similar to those found in NSAIDs like ibuprofen, only without the whole stomach upset those can cause (BBC). It’s been shown to be useful in treating pain and swelling in people with arthritis too, and there are trials ongoing with regards to other conditions!

It also looks pretty cool. I feel like Delia Smith could easily serve this at a Norwich City club meal and nobody would bat an eyelid. Look at that bright yellow!

You don’t want turmeric to be too raw as it can have a kind of powdery taste. So, when you put it into the mixture, you let it cook for thirty seconds before doing the next step. This cooks the turmeric and gives this dish a delicious savoury flavour!

I also have white beans in this pasta which add to the creaminess, and give a nice protein boost – making this really very good for you!

Courgette Turmeric Pasta

• Servings: 2
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Ingredients

• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 medium courgettes, sliced into half moons
• 1 tbsp vegan butter (or 1 tbsp oil)
• salt & pepper
• 1 tin white kidney beans, drained & rinsed
• 2 tbsp flour
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 500ml unsweetened milk of choice
• 1 tbsp mustard
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• Cooked pasta

Directions

1. Begin by melting the vegan butter in a large frying pan. Add the onion and garlic, and salt and pepper to taste, and fry until translucent.
2. Add the courgette slices and fry for 5-10 minutes, until turning translucent.
3. Add in the tin of beans, and stir.
4. Next, add the flour and turmeric, and stir over a high heat for thirty seconds.
5. Gradually add the milk, constantly stirring, until the sauce thickens.
6. Stir in the mustard and lemon juice, taste and adjust seasoning.
7. Stir through the cooked pasta, and serve!