Sun-Dried Tomato Meatballs with Yumyum Marinara Sauce

I found these recipes on various blogs, and put them together to create this amazingly flavorful dish.  I love ground poulty (you may sense a theme, here), so I've been whipping up meatballs and meatloaves like it's my job. I guess it is my job, now that I think about it. Anyway, I put together the sauce, first, and it seemed watery beyond words. I almost dumped it out and tried another version of marinara, but I'm so glad I stuck with this one. It was so delicious. Lots of herbal flavor, and actually, it thickened really nicely, as it simmered. I dumped the meatballs in the sauce, about 45 minutes to a hour, before serving. Oh man... it was good. Really good. Both recipes are easy, but of course, if you want to make the sauce, you have to be home for a while. I ate this over steamed broccoli (I know, you're shocked), and the kids and Kevin ate it over pasta. I was shocked that my lil' wee ones like this, because the basil was strong, but apparently, they are starting to come around, to eating food that actually tastes good. Anyway, I thought we'd have leftovers galore, but we ended up with only a small container, with a few meatballs inside. I give it 4 bowls... Maybe 5. No, 4. I think the only thing this is missing is... well... sugar. Sigh. I will make it again. That's fo' sho'.

Yumyum Marinara (adapted from primalprimos.com)

Ingredients

• 1 large onion (chopped)
• 5 cloves garlic (chopped)
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 28oz fire roasted crushed tomatoes
• 6oz tomato paste
• 7 cups water
• 3 tablespoons italian seasoning
• 2 tablespoons dried basil
• 1 teaspoon honey (prob adds nothing - I'll skip it next time)
  
• 1 pinch crushed red pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper

Directions

In a large pot over medium heat, add olive oil and sauté onion, shallot and garlic until the onion becomes transparent.

Next, add crushed tomatoes, water, tomato paste, seasonings, wine and honey.

Let it simmer for 2-4 hours, adding salt and peppers after the first hour.

Sun-Dried Tomato Meatballs (adapted from The Preppy Paleo)
1 lb. ground chicken breast
2 tbs. fresh chopped basil
1 tsp. dried oregano
3 minced garlic cloves
1/3 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil (I spoon-drained these, because I wanted more tomatoes, and less oil)
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Roll into 1 inch balls. If cooking on stove top, heat 1 tbs. olive oil in a large skillet. Brown meatballs on all sides and then add to pot of sauce or cook completely in the skillet. If you add them to the pot of marinara, let them simmer for another 45 minutes (or so).

Eat. Them. All.


 

I love anything with sun-dried tomatoes. I mean, seriously. Anything.

Mine.

His.

Roasted Vegetable-Rosemary Chicken Soup

First of all, I am so sure I've posted this recipe before, but it bears repeating, since it's really delicious. I made this for the first time, when Kevin was sick with a bad cold, about a year ago. He was a huge fan. I've made it several times since then, always with good reviews. The nice thing about it, is that you can modify it, by adding more veggies, or taking out the things you don't like. This time, I added potatoes, which, in retrospect, wasn't the best idea. My fam still liked it, but they gave the potato addition a thumbs down. Oh well. Live and learn. I'll continue to make it. It's easy and has a great flavor balance. The roasted vegetables add that nice, charred sweetness that gives this a bit of a unique chicken soup taste. Make it!





Make this. It's a great "Sick Soup." 5 Bowls!

Roasted Vegetable-Rosemary Chicken Soup

Ingredients

• 1 cup (1-inch) cubed carrot
• 1 cup (1-inch) cubed onion
• 1 cup coarsely chopped mushrooms
• 1 cup (1-inch) pieces celery
• 1 cup (1-inch) pieces red bell pepper
• 2 tablespoons extravirgin olive oil
• 1 cup water
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 (14-ounce) cans fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 cups uncooked whole wheat rotini pasta

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375°.

Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; drizzle with oil, and toss well to coat. Arrange vegetable mixture in a single layer on a jelly-roll pan lined with foil. Bake at 375° for 50 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally.

Combine water and next 5 ingredients (through chicken) in a large Dutch oven; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes. Add roasted vegetables; simmer 30 minutes. Bring soup to a boil. Add pasta; simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Nutritional Information

---

• Amount per serving
• Calories: 176
• Calories from fat: 25%
• Fat: 4.8g
• Saturated fat: 0.8g
• Monounsaturated fat: 3g
• Polyunsaturated fat: 0.7g
• Protein: 17.9g
• Carbohydrate: 15.5g
• Fiber: 2.3g
• Cholesterol: 33mg
• Iron: 1.5mg
• Sodium: 450mg
• Calcium: 45mg

---

Cooking Light JANUARY 2006

Chicken and White Bean Soup

My camera is officially broken... forever. I have been using the bigger cam, though, so I'm going to start posting again. The past couple of weeks have been a bit of a whirlwind, as Kevin was on vacation from work (during which he insisted that I NOT cook), and then my daughter had her birthday party, which added another level of complexity to my life. But anyway...

I got the new issue of Cooking Light last week, and I didn't find all that much that excited me. Boo. This recipe caught my eye though, and although I knew I'd have to make some modifications, I figured my family would enjoy it. Cooking Light often uses bacon in their soup recipes, and I always omit it, but this time I figured I'd try to find a substitute. I'm not exactly sure what flavor bacon is supposed to add, but I am thinking it's some sort of smoky and salty undertone, so I threw a tablespoon of smoked paprika into the pot. I definitely think it added a subtle smokiness, but I think I'd add even more, if I make it again. In fact, I might even add hot smoked paprika, instead of sweet, because that might add a nice oomph to the soup.

Anyway, this is a nice, solid recipe. My family really liked it. It's definitely basic, super easy to make, and easy to whip up, with whatever substitutions you have on hand. There were no complex flavors, and it wasn't one of those dishes I ate, and constantly thought, what is that amazing undertone?! I might have felt differently, if I had used the bacon, or if I had used chicken thighs, like the recipe suggests. This would be a great dinner for a house full of sick people, you know? A nice, comforting soup, a la Mommy. I'm sure I'll make it again, but I didn't really think twice about it, after dinner that night... 3 Bowls!



Chicken and White Bean Soup

Cannellini beans, native to Tuscany, work beautifully in this rustic soup because they hold their shape after simmering in the flavorful broth. Serve with a crusty Italian bread, such as ciabatta, and a salad of bitter greens.

Other Time: 40 minutes minutes
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 1/4 cups)


2 smoked bacon slices, chopped (I used a tbl of smoked paprike, instead)
12 ounces skinless, boneless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces (I used a pound of chicken breasts)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup chopped plum tomato (I used canned)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano (I used a tsp of dried)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups water
2 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
2/3 cup uncooked orzo (rice-shaped pasta) (I used brown rice)
1 (15-ounce) can organic white beans, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Cook bacon in a large saucepan over medium heat 7 minutes or until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving drippings in pan; set bacon aside.

2. Add chicken to drippings in pan; sauté 6 minutes. Remove chicken from pan. Add onion and garlic to pan; cook 4 minutes or until tender. Add tomato, oregano, and pepper; cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Return bacon and chicken to pan. Stir in 2 cups water and broth, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Bring to a boil. Add orzo, and cook for 9 minutes or until al dente. Add beans; cook 2 minutes or until heated. Remove from heat; stir in parsley, vinegar, and salt.

CALORIES 335 ; FAT 9.9g (sat 2.8g,mono 2.5g,poly 1.5g); CHOLESTEROL 61mg; CALCIUM 64mg; CARBOHYDRATE 35.4g; SODIUM 530mg; PROTEIN 26g; FIBER 5.1g; IRON 3.2mg

Cooking Light, APRIL 2011

Chicken and Cashews

Sometimes I make a meal, and I am very sure that one of us (either Kevin or I) will really dislike it. This time, I was quite sure I would love this, but I knew Kevin wouldn't dig it. He is never a fan of nuts in his meal (something about the texture), but I love them, so I made this anyway. My baby sis sent me the recipe a couple of weeks ago, along with her glowing review, and her strong encouragement to make the dish immediately. Of course, I cannot pass up a rave review, so I made it soon after.

First of all, this is an easy-to-make dinner. The recipe says that it takes 30 minutes, but that's never really right. In reality it was more like 45 minutes to an hour, but that was fine by me. I always like to saute my onions and other veggies for a little longer, so they get nice and soft. Anyway, it comes together quickly and beautifully, and the rice "recipe" at the bottom is a simple but flavorful addition. The flavor of this is actually really mellow - as in, not overly salty or sweet - but it's really complex and has a nice blend of spicy and sweet, with a nice ginger soy undertone, that doesn't overtake the dish. The cashews add such a lovely nutty flavor, and I think they are really essential to making it a unique dish, as opposed to having a generic Chinese food flavor.

At first Kevin said, "Does this have nuts? Oh, I really dislike nuts in my food." After about 15 minutes though, he said, "You know what? This is actually delicious. I take it back. I don't even notice the actual nuts. It just tastes... GOOD."

Score!


Ingredient note: I used to be a tad intimidated by recipes that called for fresh ginger. I have bought it and done the right thing, by peeling and grating it into my dishes. I realized, however, that I never use up the ginger before it goes bad. Now, I buy bottled, grated or minced ginger. You can find it in the produce section, with the bottled, minced garlic. It's such a great ingredient to have on hand. I always skip the "oyster sauce" in these types of recipes, but I wouldn't dare skip the ginger. It really adds great flavor to our Asian inspired dinners. Try it bottled - it's a great time and energy saver!




Try this. It's absolutely delicious, and oh so easy to make. 4 Bowls!

Chicken and Cashews


Preparation Time: 30 minutes minutes
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: about 3/4 cup)


3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce, divided
2 tablespoons dry sherry
4 teaspoons cornstarch, divided
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons sesame oil, divided
3/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup chopped green onions (about 3 green onions)
1/4 cup chopped unsalted dry-roasted cashews

1. Combine 1 tablespoon soy sauce, sherry, 2 teaspoons cornstarch, and chicken in a large bowl; toss well to coat. Combine remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce, remaining 2 teaspoons cornstarch, broth, oyster sauce, and honey in a small bowl.

2. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken mixture to pan; sauté 3 minutes. Remove from pan. Heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil in pan. Add onion, celery, and bell pepper to pan; sauté 2 minutes. Add ginger and garlic; sauté 1 minute. Return chicken mixture to pan; sauté 1 minute. Stir in broth mixture. Bring to a boil; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Sprinkle with green onions and cashews.

Rice pilaf: Heat 1 tablespoon canola oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 1/2 cup chopped onion and 2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger to pan; sauté 2 minutes. Stir in 1 cup water, 1/2 cup long-grain rice, and 1/4 teaspoon salt; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 12 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat; stir in 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro.

CALORIES 257 ; FAT 9g (sat 1.9g,mono 4.2g,poly 2.3g); CHOLESTEROL 63mg; CALCIUM 45mg; CARBOHYDRATE 17g; SODIUM 584mg; PROTEIN 26g; FIBER 1.9g; IRON 2mg

Cooking Light, MAY 2009

Classic Roast Chicken with Julienne Glazed Carrots and Peas

How do you know when a meal is really good? For me, it's a feeling of wanting the flavor in my mouth all evening, or the fact that I can't stop thinking about the food, when dinner is over. Truth be told, I have never roasted a whole chicken. The idea of it has always given me the heebie jeebies, and I just never wanted to bake anything with the skin on it, nor did I want to reach inside and grab out any giblets. Blech. My little sis has recently been encouraging me to try my hand at roasting, as she's been using "Ina's Perfect Roast Chicken" recipe for a couple of months now. I decided not to make Ina's recipe, mostly because I didn't have all the ingredients (fennel, a whole bulb of garlic, and fresh thyme were all missing from my fridge). I found this "Classic Roast Chicken" recipe on the Cooking Light website, and it looked right up my alley. It was much easier than I thought it would be. First of all, it's really not that gross or slimy. Phew. The rub is really easy to throw together and apply to the chicken. Almost immediately after throwing the old bird in the oven, my house started to smell... Amazing. Yes. Totally and incredibly wonderful. I'd make this again, just to smell it.

Anyway, I made this almost exactly as directed in the recipe, and the taste was out of this world. Never has Kevin so quickly exclaimed, "THIS IS DELICIOUS! 5 Bowls!!!" This roast chicken has the most amazing herbal flavor, and it extremely juicy and tender. I put lemon wedges and rosemary inside the bird, which supposedly contributes to the moisture content. The gravy, which I also made exactly as the recipe stated, was truly delicious. I served this with roasted taters, and also added a recipe for Julienne Glazed Carrots, to which I added peas, to up the veggie content. In the end, I wished I had done ONE thing differently - I wished I'd gotten a bigger chicken, so we could have had more leftovers. Honestly, this recipe is just so good. I want to try other roast chicken recipes, but I can't imagine liking another one any more than this one. It was that good...




Glazed Julienne Carrots


Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1/2 cup)


2 tablespoons reduced-calorie margarine (I used a lot less)
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar (I used a couple of tablespoons)
4 cups (2-inch) julienne-cut carrot
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
*1 Cup of Frozen Peas (Just throw them in with the carrots)

Melt margarine in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat; add sugar, stirring until melted.

Add carrots, salt, and pepper and cook 10 minutes, or until carrots are crisp-tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Stir in parsley.

CALORIES 57 (30% from fat); FAT 1.9g (sat 0.4g,mono 0.8g,poly 0.6g); IRON 0.5mg; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 22mg; CARBOHYDRATE 10.1g; SODIUM 123mg; PROTEIN 0.6g; FIBER 1.9g

Cooking Light, NOVEMBER 1996

Make this. It is a perfect go-to recipe for roast chicken. 5 Bowls. No question.

Classic Roast Chicken with Gravy

Be sure the butter is softened so it combines thoroughly with the herbs.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 5 ounces meat and about 1/4 cup gravy)


Chicken:
1 (3 3/4-pound) whole roasting chicken
1 tablespoon butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 carrots, peeled and halved
4 stalks celery, halved
1 onion, quartered
Gravy:
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons water
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 375°.

To prepare chicken, remove and discard giblets and neck from chicken; trim excess fat. Starting at neck cavity, loosen skin from breasts and drumsticks by inserting fingers, gently pushing between skin and meat.

Combine butter and next 5 ingredients (through pepper) in a small bowl. Rub seasoning mixture under loosened skin and over breasts and drumsticks. Tie ends of legs together with twine. Lift wing tips up and over back; tuck under chicken. Place carrots, celery, and onion in a single layer in a roasting pan. Place chicken, breast side up, on top of vegetables.

Bake at 375° for 40 minutes.

Increase oven temperature to 450°, and bake an additional 20 minutes or until a thermometer inserted in the meaty part of thigh registers 170°. Using tongs or insulated rubber gloves, remove chicken from pan, tilting slightly to drain juices. Let stand 15 minutes. Remove vegetables from pan with a slotted spoon; reserve.

To prepare gravy, place a zip-top plastic bag in a 2-cup glass measure. Pour wine into bag; add drippings from pan. Let stand 2 minutes (fat will rise to the top). Seal bag; carefully snip off bottom corner of bag. Drain drippings into measuring cup, stopping before fat layer reaches opening; discard fat.

Return vegetables to pan. Add wine mixture and broth to pan; cook 10 minutes over medium heat, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Remove vegetables from pan using a slotted spoon; discard. Combine flour and water in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk to form a slurry; add slurry and 1/4 teaspoon salt to pan, stirring constantly. Simmer 1 minute or until slightly thick.

Remove skin from chicken; discard. Carve chicken, and serve with gravy.

CALORIES 287 (39% from fat); FAT 12.4g (sat 4.4g,mono 4.3g,poly 2.3g); IRON 2.4mg; CHOLESTEROL 114mg; CALCIUM 35mg; CARBOHYDRATE 4.4g; SODIUM 721mg; PROTEIN 37g; FIBER 0.9g

Cooking Light, MAY 2006

Quickie Moo Shu Chicken

This is easy, tasty, and FAST. It also doesn't require all that many ingredients. If you have hoisin sauce and chicken breasts, it's easy to throw it together, with other leftover produce. I have to admit - I was a tad skeptical, because the idea of grinding chicken breasts in my Cuisinart sounded... well... gross. It actually worked really well, though. I ended up skipping the egg, as the reviews said it didn't add much, and I also served this over rice, because all I had was corn tortillas, which didn't go all that well with the Asian flair of the recipe. Anyway, I will definitely be making this one again, on an evening when I'm pressed for time.

We tried them on corn tortillas, but the flavors didn't mesh very well!


Try these. I give them 3 bowls, because they are tasty, but not quite extraordinary enough for a special occasion!

In-a-Pinch Moo Shu Chicken

Authentic Chinese moo shu uses thin homemade pancakes. Flour tortillas make a fast substitute. Serve with fresh fruit.

Yield: 5 servings (serving size: 2 tortilla wraps)


Cooking spray
1/2 cup egg substitute
1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
4 cups packaged cabbage-and-carrot coleslaw
1 cup chopped zucchini
3/4 cup chopped green onions
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 cup hoisin sauce
10 (6-inch) flour tortillas

Heat a small nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons egg substitute; cook 1 minute or until done. Remove egg to a cutting board. Repeat procedure with remaining egg substitute. Cut egg into thin strips; set aside.

Place chicken in a food processor; pulse until finely ground. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, garlic, and ginger; cook 3 minutes, stirring to crumble. Stir in coleslaw, zucchini, onions, salt, and pepper; cook 3 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Stir in hoisin.

Warm tortillas according to package directions. Spoon 3/4 cup chicken mixture down center of each tortilla; top each with about 1 tablespoon egg strips. Roll up.

CALORIES 322 (20% from fat); FAT 7.2g (sat 1.6g,mono 2.1g,poly 3g); IRON 3.1mg; CHOLESTEROL 50mg; CALCIUM 111mg; CARBOHYDRATE 36.1g; SODIUM 762mg; PROTEIN 26.6g; FIBER 2.5g

Cooking Light, MAY 2003

Hawaiian Chicken with Moroccan Chickpeas and Zucchini

I know it's been a while since my last post, but we've had to work on our leftovers. Man oh man, we had a lot of leftovers. After we finished them, I chose to make a couple of dishes I'd made in the past so that we could feast on some oldies but goodies. It was nice to come to the table, knowing we'd love the food.

Tonight was a different story. I decided to try this Hawaiian chicken, from the January issue of Cooking Light. The issue is full of chicken recipes, and so far, we loved all the ones we've tried. This was no exception. It marinated for about 4 hours in the fridge, and the end result was a juicy, sweet and sour chicken, that tasted really delicious. We aren't pineapple lovers in this house, but the pineapple juice, mixed with the soy sauce, and the sweet and spicy ginger, just really made for a nice, mellow flavor. The only issue I had with this one, was that I attempted to cook it on the stovetop, without a grill pan (I can't deal with the smoke from my grill pan), and I ended up popping it into the oven after about 10 minutes, because it just refused to cook through. It wasn't such a biggie, but it prolonged dinner a bit.

Anyway, I was going to serve this with an orzo veggie toss, but at the last minute, I decided to make a chickpea and zucchini stew. I adapted the recipe, from Isa Chandra Moskowitz's new book, and I was NOT disappointed. This is dish has a really rich, comforting flavor, that I just loved. I served it over brown rice, and it was a really nice blend of spicy and salty, with a robust tomato richness. I didn't think it would coordinate very well, with the chicken, but it was actually perfect. I cut up the chicken and ate the 2 together, which added a great depth of flavor, and a really lovely sweetness.

You know dinner was good, when you think about it for the rest of the night...


Make this. It's sweet. It's salty. It's juicy. 4 Bowls.

Hawaiian Chicken


Other Time: 4 hours, 23 minutes minutes
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 breast half and 1/2 cup rice)


1/4 cup pineapple juice
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons lower-sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons minced peeled ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
Cooking spray
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups hot cooked long-grain white rice
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1. Combine first 5 ingredients. Reserve 1/4 cup marinade; place remaining marinade in a zip-top plastic bag. Add chicken to bag; seal. Chill 4 hours.

2. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Remove chicken from bag; discard marinade in bag. Sprinkle chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Add chicken to pan; baste with 2 tablespoons reserved marinade. Cook 6 minutes. Turn chicken over; baste with 2 tablespoons reserved marinade. Cook 6 minutes.

3. Combine rice, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and cilantro.

CALORIES 247 ; FAT 1.8g (sat 0.5g,mono 0.4g,poly 0.4g); CHOLESTEROL 68mg; CALCIUM 26mg; CARBOHYDRATE 25.2g; SODIUM 674mg; PROTEIN 29.9g; FIBER 0.5g; IRON 1.9mg

Cooking Light, JANUARY 2011

Make this. It's good. Really good. 4 Bowls.

Moroccan Chickpeas & Zucchini

Adapted from Appetite for Reduction
1 tsp olive oil
1 small yellow onion
4 cloves of garlic (I use bottled)
1 tbl of minced, fresh ginger
1 bay leaf
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp of salt
2 cups of veggie broth
1 cup of carrot chunks or baby carrots
2 zucchini, sliced
1 large can of crushed tomatoes
1 15oz can of chickpeas
1 15 ounce can of cannelini beans

In a large stockpot, saute onion in olive oil, over medium high heat, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Use a little Pam or broth if needed. Add the garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes, and saute another minute.

Add the remaining spices and salt, and saute for about 30 seconds. Deglaze the pot with veggie broth and mix in carrots. Cover the pot and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat, and simmer for about 10 minutes. Add zucchini and tomatoes, and mix in beans.

Cover the pot and bring to a slow boil. Cook for 15 minutes. Then adjust lid, to partially cover, and cook for another 15 mins, as liquid reduces a little. Turn off heat and let it sit for 10 minutes to let flavors blend. Remove bay leaves and taste for salt.

Serve over couscous or brown rice.