Vegan One Pot Zucchini Pepper Stew

This is an easy, simple and delicious one pot stew I just have to share with you. I almost ate the whole thing in one day. It can be served over rice or as a filling for a sandwich or a turnover.

For flavor I relied on the chilies in the can of diced tomatoes and green chilies and the Turkish spice rub (recipe). Of course the taste imparted by the combination of the vegetables used also contributed to the addictive deliciousness of the stew. Do try this recipe. You will love it.

Vegan One Pot Zucchini Pepper Stew

• 2 tbsp coconut oil or water
• 1 onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 -10 oz can diced tomatoes with green chilies
• 1 -15 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1/4 cup vegetable broth
• 1 cup baby carrots
• 1 stalk celery, sliced
• 1 red pepper, sliced
• 1/2 cup raisins (optional)
• 1/2 tsp salt or to taste
• 1/2 tsp Turkish spice rub (recipe)
• 2 zucchinis, sliced into 1/2 inch cubes

Heat the oil or water in a saute pan at medium heat.  Add the onion and garlic and saute till the onion is transparent. Add the tomato paste and heat through.

Add the rest of the ingredients except the zucchini and heat through till the vegetables are cooked but still crispy.

Add the zucchini at the last 5 minutes of cooking and heat through.

Serve over rice or as a filling for a sandwich.

Vegan Pantry Friendly Black Olive and Corn Stew

I really liked the dish I posted recently, Mediterranean Chickpea Ragu which I shared with a friend of mine and the rest I ate by myself for breakfast, lunch and dinner and in between meals too.  It was that good. My friend Kathy's husband Joe gave a glowing review in his thank you email. The combination of the different ingredients made it pretty haunting and made me craved it.  However I did not have time to chop fresh vegetables so I decided to use canned foods in my pantry for a variation of the recipe.  

Differences can be gleaned from the recipes of the two versions as well as similarities but this pantry friendly one is just as good. I added corn and substituted black olives for the green ones since I found the latter too salty for my taste.  

My picky taster, my husband Bob, gave this latest version two thumbs up. By the way he never got to eat the original version since I ate what was left at home. I did use fresh green pepper in this pantry friendly version, which you have to cut into cubes, but roasted red pepper from a bottle will work well too. Other than that you just need to open cans of food in your pantry and you are good to go.

Vegan Pantry Friendly Black Olive and Corn Stew

(inspired by this past post)

• 1-15 oz can chickpeas or any beans, drained and rinsed
• 1-15 oz can diced tomatoes, drained
• 1-15 oz can corn, drained
• 1- 6 oz can black olives, drained
• 1 green pepper, cubed or 2 pieces roasted pepper from a jar
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp dry onion flakes
• 1 tbsp dry garlic flakes
• 2 tbsp soy sauce 
• 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tsp dry oregano (optional)

Combine all ingredients in the saute pan and cook till most of the liquid evaporates and the sauce thickens.  If you want it to have a thinner sauce just heat the mixture through till the flavors blend and skip evaporating the liquid off.  I like mine to have a thick consistency.  Serve over rice or quinoa or bread or tortilla.  Endless possibilities.

Mediterranean Chickpea Ragu

This is the Mediterranean sister of the plant based version of the Filipino Menudo that I published in this blog many months ago. I added olives, oregano and paprika to the ingredients to attain the flavors characteristic of the Mediterranean dishes. The rest of the other ingredients are very similar.  I skipped the catsup that was in the Filipino version which I would have added in this Mediterranean version and instead tried to mimic what I thought might be in the catsup like vinegar and sugar.  I wanted a more purist approach to the preparation. It was that kind of day.  Instead of using the slow cooker, I used my skillet and just evaporated the liquid out to concentrate the flavor of the sauce coating the chickpeas.  I ate this over rice but it could easily land in a tortilla or bread or pastry and baked as a turnover.  This is filling, comforting and satisfying. You would like this to welcome you at the end of the day or greet you for breakfast with your toast.

Mediterranean Chickpea Ragu

• 1 tsp olive oil or 1 tbsp vegetable broth and more as needed
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup grape tomatoes
• 1 green or red or yellow pepper, chopped into small cubes
• 2 cans (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and washed
• 1 small can tomato sauce 
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1/2 cup olives with pimento centers
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp salt or to taste
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp dry oregano
• 1/8 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 zucchini, cubed

Place 1 tsp olive oil into a saute pan or you can use a tbsp of vegetable broth and heat it at medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, grape tomatoes and green or yellow pepper and saute till the onion is transparent. If using broth add more as needed to prevent burning of bottom of mixture.  Also stir once in a while to prevent this to happen.

Add the rest of the ingredients except the zucchini and heat through with stirring until most of the liquid has evaporated. Add the cubed zucchini at the end and just heat through.  You want this vegetable crisp and not soggy.

Serve over rice or bun or tortilla.  Enjoy!

Plant Based Filipino Tinola

Chicken Tinola is one of the most popular comfort food in the Philippines.  Filipinos love the pungent taste imparted by the ginger in this stew.  It is the heart of the dish.  Chicken is the protein of choice and as far as the vegetables are concerned potatoes, cabbage and chayote or sayote are the popular options.  

Chayote or sayote (see picture below) is a green vegetable which belongs to the squash family.  It is hardier than a zucchini and has to be boiled as long as the potatoes.  It has a large seed in the middle which is removed while the skin is left intact during the cooking process. It tastes like the zucchini but has a sturdier texture which makes it ideal for stews.  

Chayote or sayote

I found chayote or sayote in the Patel Indian Store in Monroeville and happily used it when I felt a craving for Tinola.  Being plant based I skipped the chicken and just relied on sauteed ginger, garlic and onions to enhance the flavor imparted by the familiar vegetables used in tinola, cabbage, potatoes, and the chayote.  I wanted more green and nutrition to the dish and added spinach.  In the Philippines, they would have added dahon ng sile or leaves of small chilis.  Instead of this one could add for that spicy kick, if desired, one whole banana pepper.  For seasoning, fish sauce or patis is traditionally added to the stew while cooking as well as a side condiment to dip the chicken in while eating.  Again being plant based I just added salt and some pepper and skipped the fish sauce.  

This plant based version really satisfied my cravings for Tinola.  I got the ginger flavor from the soup and heartily savored the vegetables including the chayote with brown rice.  Life was really good while I savored this Filipino comfort food sans the chicken.  

Plant Based Filipino Tinola

• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp ginger, cut into small strips
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1/2 cabbage, cored and cut into bite sized pieces
• 2 potatoes, cut into large cubes
• 1 chayote or sayote, cut into large cubes (available in Asian Stores)
• 4 loosely packed cups spinach
• 1 whole banana pepper (optional)
• salt and pepper to taste

Heat 1 tsp oil or 1 tbsp water in a pot in medium heat and add to it the onion garlic and ginger.  Saute till the onion is translucent.  Add the vegetable broth, cabbage, potatoes, chayote and whole banana pepper if using into the pot.  Allow to boil till the potatoes and chayote are tender but not mushy.  Then add the spinach at the last 5 minutes of cooking. Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Enjoy with rice.