Indian Bean & Dill Casserole with Zucchini & Mushroom

I have typed in my notes that this recipe was adapted from one by Bryanna Clark Grogan. I've had this recipe for a long time and I figure I must have made a few small changes to Bryanna's original recipe as I could not possibly have been so clever as to come up with this wonderful dish.

I love zucchini but hubby doesn't care for it as much as I do. So to make this more palatable for him, I serve this stew with brown rice pasta. Since he loves the pasta, this is how I get away with serving him zucchini.

Also, I think I halved the original recipe as I don't think hubby would go for zucchini leftovers. This recipe can be easily doubled.

1/2 can beans, drained and rinsed (any kind but black beans look good in this recipe)
1/2 large onion, diced
3 - 4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp dry mustard
1/4 tsp red chile flakes
1/2 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes
lots of fresh dill or 2 Tbsp dried dill
2 bay leaves
1 medium or large zucchini, diced
2 - 3 large mushrooms (chopped or sliced)
1/2 tsp paprika
1 tsp curry powder (or garam masala)
salt to taste

Add onion, garlic, cumin, mustard and chile flakes to a heated skillet. Stir fry, adding a little water as necessary to the mixture to keep from sticking and burning, over medium-high heat until the onion softens, about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes, bay leaves, zucchini, mushrooms, drained beans, dill, paprika and curry powder. Mix well and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and cook, uncovered for 15 minutes or so. Taste for salt and serve basmati rice.

Zucchini Pasta Sauce

I found this simple idea on the Internet and of course I had to modify it, mainly because the original recipe called for 1 to 2 Tbsp of oil. Way too much fat.

This is how I made it for my lunch today - for one person. You can double or triple it for more people. The quantities given below would also serve two as a side dish.

1 medium zucchini, shredded
3 cloves garlic, grated
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 cup of dried pasta of your choice (I always use brown rice pasta)
salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbsp nutritional yeast, optional

Steam fry the soy sauce, garlic and chili powder for 3 or 4 minutes. Add a splash of water, if necessary, to keep the ingredients from sticking in the pan.

At the same time, boil some water for the pasta. When the water is boiling, add the pasta and let it cook for 10 minutes (that is if you use rice pasta). Other pastas make take less or more time.

Once you start cooking the pasta, add the shredded zucchini to the first pot and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes. The zucchini sauce and the pasta should be finished cooking about the same time.

Drain pasta and mix the zucchini sauce and the pasta. Add salt and pepper to taste along with 1 Tbsp of nutritional yeast, if using. And if you want to be really wicked like me, add a grated raw garlic clove and mix well.