Zucchini and Potato Bake

This yummy veggie meal is perfect for mid-autumn. Taken from Best-Ever 400 Bargain Recipes, edited by Lucy Doncaster. You need:

• 1 1/2 lb zucchini, sliced
• 1 lb potatoes, cut into chunks
• 1 onion, finely sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, sliced
•  14 oz. chopped tomatoes
• 1 large red bell pepper, seeded and cubed
• 150 mL (<2/3 cup) hot water
• 150 mL (<2/3 cup) extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, plus a few extra to garnish
• salt and pepper to taste

Serves 4

Tip: The recipe says you need peeled potatoes, but I hardly ever peel my potatoes. Most of the non-starchy nutrition is stored just below the skin, so skinning usually removes a lot of that. However, you must thoroughly brush your potatoes and other unpeeled root vegetables so that they are clean to eat.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F while preparing the above ingredients. Place the zucchini slices in a large baking dish. Mix in the potatoes, onion, garlic, red pepper, and tomatoes. Mix well, then stir in the olive oil, hot water and oregano. Season with salt and pepper if desired (I didn't).

Bake for 30 minutes, then take out and stir in the parsley. (Here I used cilantro, instead).

Return the dish to the oven and bake for another hour. In the last 15 minutes, raise the temperature to 400 degrees. The recipe says to garnish and serve immediately, but I recommend letting it cool off at room temperature for at least 10 minutes before eating.

Very good with grilled meats. I had this with grilled chicken breast. I removed the skin from the breast and rubbed the chicken with olive oil, honey, and rosemary.

Tip: If you're cooking the chicken inside, don't add too much olive oil. Olive oil has a low smoking temperature compared to other oils, and at high temperatures, enough olive oil (and it's not a lot) can set off your fire alarm.

For me, the breast was so large that after 15 minutes of grilling on the stove, I put in the microwave for 5 minutes to cook the inside.

I also recommend some bread with this, as the bake is extremely flavorful.

Overall Rating: Yummy!