Summer Vegetable Cacciatore

There's nothing like the fresh bounty of summer that has you scrambling to find ways to use up all of the fresh produce available. One of the running jokes for summer produce is always what can be done with the 97,000 zucchinis that are in your garden.

Thankfully, I love zucchini. I don't think there's a way it's prepared that I don't like. It's easy to prepare, it's tasty, and it's healthy. I was in desperate need of a quick dinner the other night and wanted to use up the 2 zucchini I had sitting on the counter from my CSA box.

Enter this delicious recipe. It's quick, easy, and can be changed to suit your needs. I used mushrooms and zucchini, but you can easily add onion, asparagus, peppers, or any other vegetable that suits your fancy. You can also feel free to add tofu or seitan to make it a full meal, and carnivores would have no problem dropping a little chicken into the mix. No matter how you make it, this is definitely a quick and easy recipe you'll want to keep on hand to use up all of that delicious summer produce.



Summer Vegetable Cacciatore
Serves 4

1 lb baby bella mushrooms, sliced
2 zucchini, washed and diced
4 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 tsp paprika (use hot if desired)
1/2 tsp crushed fennel seed
1 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp sugar

Heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add zucchini and saute for 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and saute for an additional 2 minutes. Add paprika, fennel seed, and Italian seasoning and stir well to combine. Add tomatoes and tomato paste. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add balsamic vinegar and sugar and simmer an additional 2-3 minutes. Serve and enjoy!