Vegetable Medley

Use this dish as a base for the recipes such as the one that follows, eat it with pasta, or spread it over a bread or vegan pizza crust and toast in the oven.

Yield: Makes about 12 cups

• 3 medium onions, chopped (about 4 1/2 cups)
• 2 red bell peppers, chopped (about 3 cups)
• 2 green bell peppers, chopped (about 3 cups)
• olive oil
• 1 large eggplant, unpeeled and chopped (about 8 cups)
• 1 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced (about 6 cups)
• 4 (10-ounce) cans cans mild diced tomatoes and green chiles
• 1/4 cup Greek seasoning

1. Sauté onions and bell peppers in hot olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat 5 minutes. Place onion mixture in large bowl, and set aside.
2. Sauté eggplant in hot olive oil in Dutch oven over medium heat 5 minutes. Add eggplant to onion mixture in bowl.
3. Sauté mushrooms in remaining 2 tablespoons hot oil in Dutch oven over medium heat 5 minutes.
4. Add canned diced tomatoes and green chiles, Greek seasoning, and vegetable mixture to Dutch oven, and cook 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated.
5. Spoon 3 cups mixture into each of four freezer bags; seal and freeze up to one month.

Black Bean Soup: Bring 2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, drained; 3 cups Day-by-Day Vegetable Medley, thawed; and 2 cups veggie broth to a boil. Stir in 1/4 cup lime juice, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, and 1/2 teaspoon chili powder. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 45 minutes. Serve with chopped fresh cilantro and chopped onion. Salt to taste.