Hearty Vegetarianism

A couple of years ago my friend Rachel had me over for dinner and made this dish.  Despite the fact that this is made with veggies, it is one of the most hearty meals I've ever eaten.  What I love is the fact that a little goes a long way.  It sticks to your gut and keeps you full just like any hearty meat dish.  You can always eat it with rice but if you substitute quinoa not only will you get all the goodness from the veggies, but you will also get tons of protein as well.

Moroccan Stew

 1/3 c. olive oil
 3 c. coarsely chopped onions
 2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
 1 tsp. ground cumin
 1 tsp. turmeric
 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
 1/4-1 tsp. cayenne
 1/2 tsp. paprika
 1 c. sliced carrots
 4 c. cubed sweet potatoes or butternut squash
 3 c. cubed eggplant
 1 green pepper, sliced in strips
 4 c. sliced zucchini or summer squash
 2 lg. tomatoes, chopped
 1 1/2 c. cooked garbanzo beans liquid reserved
 Pinch of saffron
 3/4 c. dried currants or 1/2 c. raisins
 1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley

In a stew pot, heat the olive oil and saute the onions for
2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and spices, stirring
continuously. Add the vegetables in the order given above,
so that the starchier vegetables will cook the longest.
Saute after the addition of each vegetable until it color
deepens. Stir in the garbanzo beans, the saffron, and the
currants or raisins. There should be some liquid at the
bottom of the pot from the cooking vegetables. However, if
the stew is dry, add 1/2 cup of tomato juice, liquid from
the garbanzo beans or water.

Cover the stew and simmer on low heat until all the
vegetables are tender. Add the chopped parsley just before
serving. Serves 4-6.