Greek-Style Potato, Zucchini, and Bean Stew

April days are sunny but April nights are still cold! I made this stew to take the chill off. It's also a great way to highlight newly-on-the-market vegan feta cheese. Of all the cheeses out there, the briny, salty feta was probably my favorite. The one from Sunergia Foods comes close, both in texture and flavor. Sunergia sells it in several varieties, and I used the 'meditterranean herb' for this recipe. http://www.sunergiasoyfoods.com/

For the stew, heat two and a quarter teaspoons over medium-high heat in a large stewpot. Add 1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion and saute for five minutes until golden brown. Add 1/2 cup cubed, peeled baking potato and a 1/4 cup of water. Bring to a boil (it will boil quickly), then cover, reduce heat and simmer for five minutes.

Add one and 3/4 cups of half-inch thick sliced zucchini, one and 1/4 cups of trimmed green beans (use fresh if available, but frozen cut green beans will do in a pinch), one 28-oz can of diced tomatoes, undrained, and 3/4 cup of canned, rinsed Great Northern beans (about half of the can). Cover and cook for 35 minutes.

Add in two tablespoons of parsley, 1/2 teaspoon dried dill, 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano, and a dash of black pepper.

Ladle two cups of stew into each of three bowls. Top each serving with 2 tablespoons of crumbled soy feta cheese. (270 calories per serving).

Cost:
onion $0.70
baking potato $0.76
zucchini $1.87
green beans $1.17
canned, diced tomatoes $1.49
great northern beans $1.69
parsley $1.49
soy feta $3.69