What's Cookin' Sunday

This week, I did a recipe I've made multiple times, a recipe that is completely new to me and then I also made some more Indian Rice as I was starting to run low.  First, let's cover the completely new-to-me recipe.

MOROCCAN BEEF STEW

Ingredients:
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 lbs beef, cut into cubes
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 3/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/8 tsp pepper
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1 can (14.5 oz) reduced sodium beef broth
• 1 cup pitted prunes, chopped
• 1 cup dried apricots, chopped
• 3 cups spinach

Directions:
• heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.  in a bowl, toss beef cubes in flour, 1/2 tsp of the salt and the pepper.  add half of beef to pot.  brown on all sides, about 4 minutes.  remove to a plate with a slotted spoon and repeat with remaining beef.
• reduce heat to medium and add onion to pot.  cook 3-5 minutes to soften.  sprinkle with cumin, cinnamon and cloves.  cook 1 minute.  add a splash of the beef broth; cook 1 minutes, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of pot.
• add remaining broth and bring to a boil.  return beef to pot along with any liquid.  cover and simmer 1.5 hours over low heat.
• uncover pot and stir in prunes and apricots.  cover and cook 15 minutes.  uncover and stir in spinach.  cook, uncovered, 5 minutes.  season with remaining 1/2 tsp salt.
• serve over couscous.

**couscous nutrition info not included in the info for this recipe**

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ROASTED EGGPLANT PARMESAN W/ SPAGHETTI SQUASH

Ingredients: 
• 2 spaghetti squash (flesh yield of about 3 lbs)
• 2 eggplants (about 1.75 lbs)
• 2 cups no salt added marinara sauce
• 1.5 cups part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1/2 cup shredded parmesan
• olive oil cooking spray
• 1/2 tsp sea salt

Directions:
• preheat oven to 350°.  cut spaghetti squash in half and remove seeds and place flesh side down on baking sheet.  add half cup water to pan.  bake for 30 minutes, remove from oven and allow to completely cool.  shred flesh with a fork.
• preheat oven to 400°.  peel and slice eggplants into 1/2 inch discs.
• lay eggplant discs on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and spray with olive oil cooking spray and lightly sprinkle with sea salt.
• roast eggplant for 20 minutes and remove from oven.
• spoon the marinara sauce onto each disc evenly, then sprinkle the mozzarella and parmesan on top of the marinara and place back in oven for 5-10 minutes.

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**the Indian Rice recipe can be found here.