Mom’s Vegetable Stew (a.k.a. Goulash)
INGREDIENTS
  • Servings: 4
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
  • 1 dash pepper
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 oregano
  • 1 sliced medium red potato
  • 1 medium sliced zucchini
  • 1/2 cauliflower head separated in pieces (use your fingers, don’t chop)
  • 1 can whole tomatoes (I use low sodium when I can)
DIRECTIONS
  1. Combine water and spices in large pan. Stir.
  2. Add red potatoes. Place lid over ingredients and boil for 15 minutes.
  3. Add remaining vegetables, spread out evenly. Add juice from whole tomatoes (cut tomatoes over vegetables). Tear tomatoes into smaller pieces and add to pan. Stir everything together.
  4. Lower to medium flame, stirring occasionally. Stew is done when vegetables break apart easily.
RECIPE BACKSTORY
Growing up, my mother was always a healthy cooker. She instilled a life of exercise upon us kids and rarely let us have junk food. I’m grateful now, but I didn’t always feel this way. When I was 8 years old, I distinctly remember complaining, “Mom, why can’t you pack Twinkies in my lunch? All the other kids’ moms give them Twinkies…” Without blinking she replied, “Their mothers don’t love them.” No retort, just silence. As my siblings and I got older, we teased Mom every chance we got. After all these years, I have to admit Mom was right.