Notes:
Delicious hearty vegetarian stew. Much less fattening than beef stew while maintaining a rich, thick flavor. Perfect winter food to enjoy while sitting by the fire, and preserves well in the freezer.

Servings: Varies.

Ingredients:
**Potatoes [variety]; diced
**Sweet potatoes; peeled and diced
**Rutabagas;peeled and diced
**Turnips;peeled and diced
**Carrots; cut vertical and horizontal
Shallots; 4-6 halved
White onion; 1, quartered, chunky
Garlic; several large cloves, rough chunks
**Kale; torn leaves
Olive oil; 2 tbs
Dry red wine; 1 cup
All-purpose flour; enough to coat vegetables
Roasted Vegetable stock; 3 cups [approx.]
Rosemary; fresh or a few pinches
Thyme; fresh or a few pinches
Bay leaf; 1
Cayenne pepper; few dashes
Fresh ground pepper; to taste
Salt; to taste

**There is no set amount of these ingredients, use more of what you prefer, and less or none of what you don't. Feel free to add any other vegetables that strikes your fancy, mushrooms, parsnips, celery, zucchini, bell pepper… whatever fits the flavor of the stew. Make it different each time, have fun.

Directions:
Heat olive oil in a stockpot and add shallots. Mildly caramelize, stir in garlic and continue cooking for 1-3 minutes. Put all vegetables [ex kale] in a large bowl and coat with flour*. Add vegetables and brown. Add red wine and cook until 1/2 liquid remains. Add stock, kale, and seasonings. Cook covered until vegetables are tender, remove bay leaf before serving.

*If the coating of flour doesn't make the stew thick enough, mix approximately 1/2 cup of flower in a small bowl with a bit of water until smooth, avoiding lumps.

Submitted by:
Ashley

Notes:
Traditional dish from Provence, but a lighter version using less oil. Can be eaten hot or cold, as a side dish or main course.  Good with couscous or rice, but still great on its own.  Can be refrigerated and eaten over several days, and, like chili it is even better on the second day. You can multiply the ingredients to make a double batch, then use it when you want something to snack on, as one serving has only 105 cals, or 75 cals if you substitute 1 cal spray instead of the olive oil.

Recipe has also been put into Calorie Counter.

Servings: 4

Ingredients:
2 large aubergines/eggplants
3 medium courgettes/zucchini
2 medium onions
2 cloves crushed garlic
2 red or green capiscums/peppers/bell pepper
4 large tomatoes, or 1 x 400 gm (14oz) tin plum or Italian tomatoes, well drained
2 tablespoons tomato paste (optional)
1 tablespoon olive oil or use 1 cal spray and save 30 calories per serving
6-8 fresh basil leaves, roughly torn, or if you prefer use Herbes de Provence (thyme, basil and parsley)
salt and fresh black pepper

Directions:
1. Wash the aubergines and courgettes as you will be leaving the skin on.

2. Slice the courgettes and aubergines into 2.5 cm (1”) slices. Slice each aubergine slice in half.

3. Put them into a colander or sieve and sprinkle generously with salt. Press them down with a plate that fits inside the colander, and put a heavy weight on top. If you don’t have time to do step 3, don’t worry, however your Ratatouille may be a bit thinner than normal.

4. Stand for about 1 hour – the salt will draw out any bitterness along with excess moisture.

5. Roughly cut up the onion. Don’t cut the onion into thin slices as this is a hearty peasant dish.

6. Deseed the peppers and chop up roughly.

7. If using fresh tomatoes, skin these by putting them into boiling water for a couple of minutes. Then quarter them, take out the seeds and roughly chop the flesh. If you don’t think the tomatoes will have a rich enough flavour (e.g. hot house tomatoes) then add a tablespoon or two of tomato paste.

8. If using tinned tomatoes, chop them into quarters and add. Italian style plum tomatoes give the best flavour. Reserve the juice as you are unlikely to need it in this recipe.

9. Gently fry the onions and garlic in the oil over a low heat in a large saucepan for 10 minutes, then add peppers. Dry the pieces of courgette and aubergine with kitchen paper towel, removing as much salt as possible.

10. Add basil some freshly ground black pepper. stir once really well, then simmer very gently, covered, for 30 minutes.

11. Add the tomatoes, taste to check the seasoning and cook for a further 15 minutes with the uncovered. Don't overcook. Vegetables should be not be mushy.

Note: Although olive oil gives the best flavour, and a normal recipe would have four tablespoons instead of the one tablespoon in this one, you can use 1cal spray to sauté the garlic and onion and save 30 calories per serving.

Nutrition Values

Per Serving (4 servings per recipe using olive oil)
Calories 105
Fat 4.3
Carbs 12.9
Protein 5.55

Submitted by:
Juliette