Moroccan Vegetable Stew

This recipe is from Speed Vegan by Alan Roettinger. Posted by Gretchen Mora. Served at Feb 2011 Healthy Eating Dinner.

2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 large red onion, coarsely diced

1 large green bell pepper, coarsely diced

3 zucchini, cut into bite-sized pieces

2 carrots, cut into bite-sized pieces

7 cloves peeled garlic, sliced (I use minced garlic from a jar - saves even more time!)

1 Tbsp ras el hanout (more about this spice below)

1 tsp sea salt

1 can (28 oz) peeled Italian tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise (reserve the juice)
I haven't found this exact ingredient in stores, so I buy a can of diced tomatoes with basil/oregano, or a can of peeled whole tomatoes with basil and cut them up. Either works well.

1 can (15 oz) garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained

1 vegetable bouillon cube (I forgot this once and it still tasted great!)

1 large pinch saffron threads

Ras el hanout is a Moroccan blend of spices found at online stores or Whole Foods Market. A small bag makes about 4 recipes worth of stew. Price is about $6 for a bag at Whole Foods.

Put the olive oil in a large pot over high heat. Add the onion and cook and stir until it is lightly browned and beginning to soften, about 4 minutes. Add the bell pepper and cook and stir for 2 more minutes. Add the zucchini, carrots, garlic, ras el hanout, and salt, stirring well to coat the vegetables with the seasonings. Add the tomatoes and their juice, the garbanzo beans, bouillon cube and saffron. Stir well. Decrease the heat, cover, and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. (I put this in a crock pot and left it for some time. It was still great.)
Serve over whole wheat couscous or quinoa for added protein.

Per serving: calories: 256, protein: 10g, fat: 9g, carbs: 28g, fiber: 10g, sodium: 859mg, Omega-3 fatty acids: 0.05g