Moroccan Vegetable Stew

Warm dishes are always in demand when the weather gets cold and this one does not disappoint! Chock full of nutritious vegetables, this stew comes together quickly, boasts a lovely aroma and works for a variety of dietary needs.

As we prepare for our upcoming Bones & Biome workshop with Julie Newbold we are prepping some tasty bites and creating a starter meal plan for attendees. This dish would make an excellent addition to a bone-friendly meal plan. With plenty of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants to support your microbiome, this is an easy to digest meal that offers adequate (primarily or exclusively plant) protein, healthy fat and complex carbohydrate. Serve with some dark leafy greens (kale, arugula, etc) for added vitamin K, which helps aid calcium absorption. Your bones will thank you.

And the best part is...it's doable! All you need to do is a little chopping. Now queue the relaxing music and zen out...

All you need is just a handful of (mostly pantry staple) ingredients:

onion

garlic

organic ground turkey, optional

spices (cinnamon, cumin, corainder, turmeric, chili flakes)

dates

carrots

sweet potato

organic bell pepper (preferably yellow or orange)

crushed tomatoes

broth of choice

chickpeas

Leafy greens, lemon, green olives, yogurt, optional for topping

Prep ahead! Make this easy dish come together even faster by prepping your vegetables ahead of time so you're ready to go!

And gather the rest of your ingredients (note there are not too many!):

Now let's get cooking!

Moroccan Vegetable Stew

Serves 6-8

Prep time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

· 1 TB avocado oil, coconut oil, ghee (or sub 2-3 TB broth of choice)

· 1 cup diced onion (~1 small onion) or sub shallot

· 2 tsp ground cinnamon

· 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin

· 1 1/2 tsp ground coriander

· ½ tsp ground turmeric

· ¼ tsp dried chili flakes (use less or more for desired heat)

· 2 cloves garlic, minced

· 1 lb. organic ground turkey (omit for vegan version and reduce liquid by 1/2 cup)

· 2 Medjool dates, pitted and chopped

· 2 organic carrots, scrubbed and diced

· 1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced

· 1 organic yellow, orange or red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and diced

· Sea salt & freshly ground pepper to taste

· 1 28-oz can organic crushed tomatoes (preferably fire-roasted)

· 2 cups vegetable stock (sub 1 cup chicken bone broth + 1 cup filtered water)

· 2 cups cooked chickpeas (or 1-14.5 oz. can)

· Mixed greens, pitted green olives, lemon zest and slices, yogurt, brown rice optional for serving

Directions:

1. Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the oil, ghee or broth and swirl around pan. Add onions and sauté, stirring occasionally until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add spices and garlic, stir and cook another minute until fragrant.

2. Add ground turkey and continue to cook, while breaking up with a spoon, until just browned but not completely cooked through.

3. Add dates, carrots, sweet potato and sweet peppers and stir. Season lightly with salt and pepper.

4. Add tomatoes and broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10-12 minutes, until the carrots and potatoes are tender.

5. Add the chickpeas and cook another 1-2 minutes.

6. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Add more broth or water if too thick.

7. Serve over brown rice or with Naan and top with yogurt, lemon zest, fresh lemon slices and green olives.

8. Store any leftovers in the fridge up to 3 days and in the freezer for up to one month.

Make it Vegan: Omit the organic ground turkey and reduce broth/water by 1/2 cup.

Make it Ahead: This recipe is an excellent one for making ahead and freezing. It will last in the freezer easily up to one month (three months if you make it vegan).

DID YOU MAKE THESE RECIPES?

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