Spring cookbook: Middle Eastern vegetable stew recipe

I served this amazing stew with fresh homemade naan.

The original recipe called for garnish of black olives (which I forgot to get) and toasted almonds (which I couldn't find).

Find the ingredients you need to make this at your local Meijer.

• olive oil
• 1/2 green bell pepper, diced
• 6 baby carrots, sliced
• 1 stalk celery, sliced
• 1/2 T each chili powder and ground cumin or to taste
• 2 small cans vegetable broth
• 1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 small (14 oz) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 zucchini, sliced
• 1 potato, peeled and diced
• fresh mint leaves to taste, torn and divided
• cooked whole wheat couscous for serving

1. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Stir in bell pepper, carrot and celery. Cook til softened, about 10 minutes. chili powder, and cumin
2. Increase to high heat; stir in broth, tomatoes, chickpeas and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium low. Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes, or til veggie are tender. Stir in zucchini, potatoes and a few torn mint leaves. Simmer another 10-15 minutes or til potato is tender. Remove from heat and stir in additional mint to taste.
3. Taste and adjust as desired.
4. I served the soup topped with a scoop of couscous.