Stew ala Tomato Italiano

What I like about this recipe is you can swing it your own way - vegan, seafood, meaty or simply poultry. You can even use this recipe to clean up your fridge! The base is what puts the ingredients together. As always, I am keeping it as simple as possible.

The ingredients shown in the picture might seem to be a lot, but that's because I was cleaning my fridge :) By the way, I came about this dish from trying to use all of the over ripened tomato in the fridge...

Note: I hardly ever measure my cooking. Unless you count "eye-balling" and "feeling" as measurements :)

In this pics I was making a lot for 6 people. I will do my best to approximate the quantity, but if you cook, you will know how much you need for how many portion. This dish is really easy. And if you make too much, put it in the fridge for next meal.

Zoodle with Stew ala Tomato Italiano

Servings: 4
Prep and cooking time: about 45 min

The Noodle:
1 large zucchini - julienne long way
(or 2 regular sized ones)

The Base:
2 roma tomato - better when they are ripe or just starting to get soft
2 cloves garlic
1/4 onion
italian herbs - start with 1 tbs then add to taste
sea salt - to taste
black pepper - to taste
(you want heat?) Cayenne pepper  - to taste
(not on detox?) Dry Sherry - 1/4 cup

Veggie: (choose a couple, or all)
1/4 zucchini
kale
celery
bell pepper
parsley - coarsely chopped for garnish and fresh flavor on the cooked dish


Choose your protein(s): 
mushroom - shitake, white, or portabello
tofu
beans - fava, garbanzos, kidney, etc.
chicken/turkey
ground beef/chicken/turkey/pork




Preps:

• Make the zucchini noodle.
• Cut the tomato into large chunks. Diced the onions, minced the garlic.
• Diced small the zucchini, celery, bell pepper, kale.
• Prep your protein accordingly - e.g. For chunky texture, diced large the mushrooms/chicken. If you are using dried beans make sure to soak and pre boil them before using. If using canned, rinse the heck out of them to get rid most of the preservatives.

Cooking: 

On med-low heat, sweat the onion in a large pot with a little olive oil (or spray oil). Add a little salt to draw the water out.  When onion starts to turn transparent, add in garlic. Toss for a minute until you can smell the fragrance of the garlic.

If you are using ground chicken/turkey, add them in at this point. Turn up the heat to high. Stir around until the meat is cooked. 

Add in tomato and other protein, and the Italian herb. Mix them in on high heat until you see the tomato starts softening.

Add the rest of the veggie (except Kale) ON TOP - don't mix them in. Then lower heat to med-high. Cover.

When it starts boiling, open the lid, mix the veggie in with the now soft and all watery tomato base. Change heat to high, stir and bring to boil.

Add in kale still on high heat, cover again for a minute, open the lid, stir the kale in.

Lid open, turn heat to low. Add pepper, salt (more herb if needed) and simmer the stew. If you're adding Sherry, add it in before you turn the heat down.

Cook the zucchini noodle while waiting for the stew to simmer. Boil water, add in the zoodles, it only takes a couple of minute, when the water boils again wait for about 10 sec, turn off heat, drain the water.
At this point the stew should be ready to serve. Garnish with parsley on top and enjoy :)