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½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Several pinches of freshly ground black pepper

½ cup dry red wine

2 cups vegetable broth

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Preheat a large, heavy-bottomed (preferably cast-iron) skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté the seitan in 1 teaspoon of the oil for about 5 minutes, until browned. Remove the seitan from the pan and set aside.

Saute the onions and peppers and a pinch of the salt in the remaining oil until the peppers are slightly blackened, about 10 minutes. Add the mushrooms, garlic, fennel seeds, thyme, remaining salt, red pepper flakes, and black pepper, and saute for 3 more minutes, until the mushrooms have released their moisture.

TIP

In this recipe you’re going to make what’s technically called a “slurry,” which means you’ll be dissolving starch (flour, in this case) in liquid (broth, in this case) to use as a thickener in the stew. To get the flour dissolved quickly, pour ¼ cup of the broth in a measuring cup, then stir in the flour. When it’s thick and dissolved, stir in the remaining broth.

Add the red wine and bring to a boil over higher heat. The liquid should reduce in about 3 minutes.

In a measuring cup, mix the flour into the broth to dissolve into a slurry (see tip). Lower the heat a bit and add the slurry to the pan. Mix well and let thicken for a minute. Add the seitan back to the pan and let the stew thicken further; in about 5 minutes it should be slightly thickened but smooth and luscious.

Taste for salt and seasoning and serve.

TIP

You don’t need any fancy equipment to crush fennel. Sure, if you’re an old hand at a mortar and pestle, then go ahead and use it. But for the rest of us, unlike many rounder seeds, fennel seed doesn’t mind sitting still on a cutting board and being chopped up by a chef’s knife. Carefully rock your knife back and forth over the fennel until no whole seeds are left.

TIP

To get beautiful strips of bell peppers, slice them from stem to bottom. Tear out the seeds and any large pieces of the white membrane inside of the pepper. Turn them face down and slice widthwise for perfect curved strips.

Moroccan Chickpeas & Zucchini

SERVES 6 •ACTIVE TIME: 15 MINUTES •TOTAL TIME: 1 HOUR

PER SERVING

(⅙ RECIPE):

Calories: 230

Calories from fat: 25

Total fat: 2.5 g

Saturated fat: 0 g

Trans fat: 0 g

Total carb: 45 g

Fiber: 10 g

Sugars: 16 g

Protein: 10 g

Cholesterol: 0 mg

Sodium: 1,010mg

Vitamin A: 110%

Vitamin C: 80%

Calcium: 15%

Iron: 20%

A fragrant, brothy, and soul-satisfying dish, with aromatic hints of cumin and cinnamon, this is a pantry staple for me. It cooks for about 45 minutes, but it’s really super simple with minimal prep or fussiness. The zucchini and carrots become tender and velvety, and the slow-cooked chickpeas turn soft and comforting. Fresh mint is optional, only because this dish becomes more pantry friendly without it, but it does provide another level of flavor. Serve with whole wheat couscous, which is not gluten free.

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 smallish yellow onion, sliced thinly

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

A generous pinch of ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon salt

2 cups vegetable broth

1 cup baby carrots

2 zucchini, sliced into ¼-inch-thick half-moons

1 (24-ounce) can whole tomatoes

1 (25-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint, plus a little extra for garnish

Preheat a 4-quart pot over medium-high heat. Sauté the onions in the oil until translucent, about 4 minutes. Use a little nonstick cooking spray or broth if needed. Add the garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes, and saute for another minute.

Add the remaining spices and salt, and saute for about 30 seconds. Deglaze the pot with the veggie broth and mix in the carrots. Cover the pot and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes. Add the zucchini. Break up the tomatoes