Stuffed aubergines with two color rice and Detox juice

  All seasons feed our imagination with their peculiar charms but by this time, with the arrival of my favorite season, the charm of the birds and of the plants inspires me in a special way.

  Spring also brings more vegetable varieties and a greater diversity of options for making delicious dishes, producing the energy and creating a proper atmosphere to experience healthy meals.

  To reduce (or to eliminate) the consumption  of animal and dairy products, increasing the eating of raw vegetables and green juices, helps us to strengthen our immune system that, at this time of the year, can be more sensitive.

  To celebrate the first Sunday of the season I prepared a detox juice and a dish based on  aubergines and rice.

  A few days ago I had this desire of eating aubergines and when I found these on sale, I bought them! Stuffed with seitan and white sauce, served with two color rice and a green salad, they were delicious!

Ingredients for the juice:

2 medium carrots

2 small oranges

2 small beetroots

1 slice of ginger

1 slice of lemon

Drink it with empty stomach and after 20 minutes, if necessary, eat something healthy.

Ingredients for the meal:

(Serves 4 people)

4 aubergines average size

200 g of seitan

1 onion

3 garlic gloves

1 bay leaf

4 medium tomatoes

3 tbsp olive oil

1 dl vegetable broth

1 tsp of cinnamon powder

breadcrumbs

salt

For the white sauce:

1.5 dl of oat milk *

40 g of vegetable butter (I used vitaquell)

25 g of whole flour

pinch of salt

pinch of nutmeg

* I used what I had done: 150 g of oat flakes, hydrated in mineral water overnight. After that, they were drained and rinsed under running water and then blended with 150 ml of mineral water and a pinch of salt. When I got the consistency I wanted, I strained and squeezed all the liquid to get the milk.

For the rice:

6 hands of basmati rice

1 beet

Start by washing the rice and place it in a container with water to cover. Let it stand for 1 hour.

Wash the aubergines and cut them into two halves. Let them stand for 20 minutes while you begin to prepare the seitan.

Place the olive oil in a pan and heat. Add the onion, cut into quarters, let it brown and add the chopped garlic. Stir it well and add the peeled tomatoes. Let it ascertain for 5 minutes on medium heat and add the bay leaf and the seitan cut into cubes. Add the vegetable stock and simmer for 10 minutes while you remove the inside of the aubergines and cut the flesh into small pieces.

After 10 minutes, add the aubergines, season them with salt and cook for 5 minutes more. Add cinnamon and cook for 1 minute more. Remove it from the heat and blend until you get a creamy paste.

Preheat oven to 200 º

Begin to prepare the white sauce: place the butter in a saucepan, on low heat, to melt. Add the flour and stir quickly to engage fully. Add the milk and stir until thickened. Season it with salt and nutmeg.

Add the white sauce to the seitan paste, stuff the aubergines, sprinkle them with breadcrumbs and bake in the oven for 30 minutes.

Prepare the rice:

Cook 4 hands of rice in plenty of water and salt for 5 minutes. Drain and let it stand for 5 minutes.

Wash the beets, remove the peel and grate them . Put water in a pot and when it starts boiling, add the beets and simmer for 5 minutes. Add 2 hands of the remaining rice, season it with salt and cook for 8 minutes. Drain and let it stand.

Serve the aubergines with white and rose rice. Add a green salad.

Bon appétit!

© veggie delicious food, March 2013