Our friends Shayna and Phil, and another friend, Catherine, have gone vegetarian and/or vegan, and from this I draw inspiration to join the Meatless Mondays movement. Animal processing consumes huge amounts of resources, especially water. The health benefits of eating less meat protein are documented, although the veracity of which are best left for another date and time to research. That said, Dear Husband has been a willing participant and a good sport at tasting the veggie recipes that I’ve found, tweaked and made my own. Thus far we have been impressed and have not left the table feeling hungry. If you are game, here is a fall-time stew that nourishes the soul and delights the taste buds. Legumes (in this case, soybeans) combined with whole grains create complete proteins. Bon appetite!
Egyptian Stew
- 1 10-ounce package frozen shelled edamame (about 3 cups), thawed
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 large zucchini, diced into large pieces
- 1/2 of a cauliflower head, cut into 1” pieces
- 2 Tablespoons minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
- 1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes with juices
- 1/2 to 1 Cup vegetable broth
- Salt to taste
- 1/4 Cup chopped fresh cilantro or mint
- 3 Tablespoons lemon juice
Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add edamame and cook until tender, 4 to 5 minutes, or according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium to medium heat. Add onion and sauté until starting to soften, about 3 minutes. Add zucchini, cauliflower and sauté another 3 minutes or until the onion starts to brown. Stir in garlic, cumin, coriander, turmeric and cayenne until fragrant. Stir in tomatoes, then stir in broth in small increments until a stew-like consistency is reached. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes, adding more broth if needed.
Stir in the edamame and heat through, about 2 minutes more. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro and lemon juice. (Note: I go light on the fresh herbs and lemon juice.)
4 servings. Serve over whole grain rice, quinoa or couscous. Top with crumbled feta cheese, a dollop of plain Greek yogurt and a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg. Yum! Trust.
While waiting for the dish to finish cooking, serve Gin & Tonic cocktails wearing your Lucy Apron and Lucy Hot Pads for a romantic Meatless Monday experience.
Best,
Jamie
cloversue 