Curried Summer Vegetable Stew

With the days thankfully cooling off over here, I've been dying to make a stew.  So when I saw a recipe for a summer vegetable stew, I was all about it.  Add in the fact that I've been getting all the summer vegetables at our local farmer's market and I was doubly excited for this meal!  The original recipe is here, I tweaked it quite a bit.  The most notable change is the lack of true coconut milk.  Not only did I not have any on hand (on purpose), but my version with faux coconut milk is just so much healthier.

This serves about 6, but to stretch it to feed us all twice, I bulked it up by serving it over some millet.  You could easily serve it over quinoa, too, or just eat it plain.  Any way and you can't go wrong.  Seriously.  Even my little guys (who are growing like weeds, I might add, and eating almost as much as their mother!) ate full bowls with no hesitation!  Serve with a green salad and you're golden.

Curried Summer Vegetable Stew
Serves: 6

• 2 T olive oil
• 2 c chopped sweet onion
• 1 T minced garlic
• 1 med eggplant, cut into 1/2 inch chunks.  5 cups
• 1 med yellow squash, cut into 1/2 inch chunks. 2 cups.
• 1 med zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch chunks.  2 cups.
• 1 t ginger powder
• 1 t gram marsala
• 1/2 t cumin
• 1/2 t turmeric
• 1 can chickpeas, rinse and drain
• 1 cup broth (veg or chicken would be best)
• 2 c tomato sauce
• 1 c faux coconut milk (1 cup almond milk + 3/4 t coconut extract), or the real deal if you don't mind the fat and calories
• 1 T dry cilantro
• cooked millet or quinoa (optional)

-- Heat the oil in a dutch oven or stock pot.  Saute onion until soft and translucent.  Add garlic and saute another 3 minutes.
-- Add in vegetables and cook until almost all soft. (to speed this process up, I nuke my veggies for about 5 minutes to just start the process going.)
-- Add in spices and stir for a couple minutes to release all the aromas!
-- Add in chickpeas and all liquids.  Bring to a boil, reduce and simmer 5-10 minutes until the vegetables are completely soft (but before they get mushy!)
-- Add the cilantro and stir to incorporate