Here’s a warm and comforting vegetable stew made easy with the help of your freezer. Keep the ingredients on hand, and you’ll have a hearty meal ready in minutes with almost no effort.
Use the vegetables called for in the recipe or substitute any others you have on hand using the recipe as a blueprint for quantities.
Helpful hints
• Any type of shredded cheese can be used.
• The heat is up to you, add more hot pepper flakes if you like it hot.
Countdown
• Assemble ingredients.
• Start stew.
• While stew cooks, prepare avocado slices.
Shopping list
To buy: 1 container frozen diced onion, 1 container frozen corn kernels, 1 container frozen lima beans, 1 can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, 1 bottle ground cumin, 1 bottle hot pepper flakes, 1 small avocado, 1 lemon, 1 bunch fresh cilantro and one package shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese.
Staples: olive oil, salt and black peppercorns.
Easy Colorful Vegetable Stew
2 teaspoons olive oil1 cup frozen diced onion2 teaspoons ground cumin2 cups canned no-salt-added diced tomatoes with the juice1 cup frozen corn kernels1 cup frozen lima beans2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro1/4teaspoon hot pepper flakesSalt and freshly ground black pepper1 small avocado cut into wedges1 tablespoon lemon juice2 tablespoons reduced fat shredded Cheddar cheeseHeat oil in large skillet over medium high heat. Add onion and cook 1 minute. Stir in cumin. Add tomatoes and their juice. Stir in the corn and lima beans. Cover with a lid and cook 5 minutes or until lima beans are tender. Add the cilantro, hot pepper flakes and salt and pepper to taste. Meanwhile, toss the avocado wedges with the lemon juice in a small bowl and set aside.Divide the stew in half and serve in two bowls. Top with the avocado wedges and sprinkle cheese over the stew.Yield 2 servings.Per serving: 425 calories (39 percent from fat), 18.6 g fat (3.2 g saturated, 9.7 g monounsaturated), 5 mg cholesterol, 14.6 g protein, 58.3 g carbohydrates, 17.2 g fiber, 124 mg sodium.Linda Gassenheimer is the author of more than 30 cookbooks, including her newest, “The 12-Week Diabetes Cookbook.” Listen to Linda on www.WDNA.org and all major podcast sites. Email her at Linda@DinnerInMinutes.com.
