Technically this first recipe is for Moroccan Vegetable Stir Fry not Moroccan Vegetable Stew, but we had to shift some of the meals around this week and I needed something that could be hot and ready when the family got home from church. Thus it became easier to make this a stew. We have made it as a stir-fry and it is quite delicious.

Here’s the original recipe, for starters:

Moroccan Vegetable Stir Fry with Chickpeas (from Hannaford’s Fresh Magazine, March-April 2009)

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 5 oz. package precut onions [or 1 large chopped onion]

1 tablespoon garam masala or curry powder

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon cayenne (optional)

1-1/2 pounds peeled and chopped butternut squash

1-2/3 cup low sodium vegetable broth

1/2 cup golden raisins

1-1/2 cup water

1 cup uncooked couscous

1 large zucchini, halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/4 inch slices

1 medium red bell pepper, chopped

1 (15 oz.) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro for garnish (optional)

1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add garlic and onion and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, 3 to 4 minutes.

2. Sprinkle garam masala or curry powder, black pepper, salt, and cayenne over onion; mix and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.

3. If squash chunks are large, cut into 1-inch pieces. Add to skillet with broth and raisins and bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until squash becomes tender, 10 to 12 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, prepare couscous. In a small saucepan, bring water to a boil; stir in couscous. Remove from heat; cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with fork.

5. Add zucchini, red bell pepper, and chickpeas to skillet. Simmer, covered, until zucchini is tender, about 5 minutes.

6. Divide couscous among four serving plates. Top with stir-fried vegetables and garnish with chopped cilantro, if desired.

So, instead of making all of this in a pan, I made it in a pot. I more than doubled the amount of broth called for, enough to cover the vegetables in the pot, and I omitted the couscous. I also added a little bit of extra spicing, some salt and lemon juice, and left it simmering for several hours. It smelled amazing and it tasted pretty good, too.

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“Cream” of Cauliflower Soup (from Hannaford’s Fresh Magazine, September-October 2008)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

4 large leeks, (white and tender green) split, washed, and sliced into 1/2 inch slices (about 4 cups)

1 large potato, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes (about two cups)

1 large head cauliflower, broken into florets (about 4-1/2 cups) [we used two bags of frozen cauliflower instead]

1 quart (32 oz.) low-sodium vegetable broth

Water, if needed

1 cup low-fat buttermilk [we substitute with almond milk]

1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus extra for garnish

3/4 cup chopped fresh watercress

1. In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onions and leeks, stir well, reduce heat to medium, and cover. Gently cook, stirring once or twice, until onions start to become soft and translucent, about 10 minutes.

2. Add potato, cauliflower, and broth. Broth should just barely cover the vegetables – if not enough, add water to cover. Raise heat to high and bring to a boil; then reduce to medium and simmer, partially covered for 25 to 30 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.

3. Puree the soup using a hand-held immersion blender. Alternatively, let the soup cool for 10 minutes, and then transfer vegetables and broth in batches to a blender, puree until smooth, and return to pan.

4. Stir in buttermilk [or milk substitute of choice], salt, and pepper, and mix until blended. Reheat until hot if necessary. To serve, ladle into bowls and sprinkle each serving with 2 tablespoons chopped watercress and a few grindings of black pepper.

Eggplant with Butter Beans and Plums (from 1,000 Vegetarian Recipes)

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

6 cups cubed eggplant*

1 cup chopped onions

1.5 cups coarsely chopped fresh plums

1 cup chopped tomatoes

1 tablespoon soy sauce [or Bragg's]

1.5 cups cooked butter beans (cooked from dry; or canned, drained)

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro or parsley [we used cilantro, and I HIGHLY recommend it]

salt, to taste

1. In a 4-quart sauce pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the eggplant and onions; cook, stirring, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the plums, tomatoes and soy sauce. Bring to a boil. Cook over medium heat, uncovered, 15 minutes.

2. Add the butter beans and vinegar; simmer 10 minutes longer. Add the cilantro and salt and simmer 3 minutes longer.

Serve over couscous or rice.

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Now, if you’re like me, you’ll take one look at these ingredients and go Bzuh?

Of all the things I would never, ever have thought to combine, “soy sauce + balsamic vinegar + cilantro + plums” has to be right up there. As it was all simmering away on the stovetop, I updated my Facebook status:

Emily will say this for tonight’s meal: if it’s good, it will be very good…and if it’s bad, it will be horrid.

Mom took one bite and simply said…

“I love Lent.”

*recipe notes: I kept things simple and didn’t really bother to actually measure the fruits and veggies. I chopped up one large eggplant, one large onion, three plums and three plum tomatoes.