ROCKIN’ MEATLESS MONDAYS
This week I taught an “Entertaining for Everyone” class, and the star was the tagine. There were plenty of audible oohs, ahhs, and yummy sounds when it was served. This Moroccan stew is so full of flavor that nobody will miss the meat, or the butter, or anything else. I served it with quinoa for the gluten-free crowd, but also for the added protein. The warming spices work beautifully with the dried fruit, which serve as natural thickeners. As long as you taste as you go, you can’t go wrong here. There’s a fair amount of veggie prep, but worth it, and you don’t have to be fussy about it. Don’t let the long-ish list of ingredients deter you! The lazy cook in me simply slices ginger thinly and throws it in, warning guests to watch out for it – or gobble the firmly bits.
You may have been hearing about “aquafaba” recently, and this is another reason you’ll want to make this. The liquid from a can of chickpeas can be used as an egg substitute for any number of recipes. Nobody was more surprised than I at how good a meringue made sans egg could be! I would never have known. Yes, cooking them yourself renders a better bean, but a wholesome dinner on the table quickly is nothing to sneeze at.
Take leftovers for lunch and make your coworkers jealous – er, inspire them to cook for themselves!
Don;t let the longish ingredient list deter you! This classic stew is naturally fruit thickened and full of wonderful warm spices. Perfect for a crowd – I often make it the star of my holiday party. I prefer the flavor of fresh ginger, but ground will also work. You can use just about any veggie you like, just keep cook-time in mind. If you have adventurous guests, you may want to up the spices. Just remember, you can always add more, but once they are in, they’re in! I prefer the flavor of Ceylon cinnamon. I am partial to the color of dried cranberries here, although they are't traditional.
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 3 cups vegetable broth, or as needed
- 1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 parsnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 cup dried fruit: apricots, prunes (chopped), cranberries
- 2 tsp. coriander
- 1-2 Tbsp. ground cumin
- 1 Tbsp, ginger
- ½ tsp. cinnamon
- 1 zucchini, cut into half-moons
- 1, 15 oz. can chickpeas, drained
- ½ bunch Italian parsley, chopped
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 2 cups quinoa, cooked
- 1 bunch scallions, chopped
- ½ bunch cilantro, chopped
Instructions
- In a large pot, sauté the onion for 5 minutes or until golden.
- Add the spices and garlic, then cook another minute, being careful they don’t burn.
- Add the celery and tomatoes, stir and let cook another minute.
- Add 2 cups vegetable broth, sweet potato, parsnips, carrots and fruit. Season with salt, then stir well. Cover, reduce the heat, and simmer for 10 minutes.
- When the veggies are nearly tender, add the zucchini and chickpeas, and stir. Cover and let simmer another 5 minutes or until the every thing is tender, adding more broth if needed.
- Taste and adjust seasoning, then add parsley and lemon juice.
- When ready to serve add the scallions.
- Serve cilantro on the side for guests to add themselves.
