(Recipe) Italian Vegetable Stew with Cauliflower Rice

1. Prepare the vegetables
   Cut the eggplant into cubes, place in a colander, and sprinkle lightly with salt. Set aside to draw out excess moisture.

Trim the fennel (remove stalks and core) and dice. Peel and finely chop the red onions. Finely chop the garlic and chili pepper (use more or less chili depending on your spice preference).

2. Sauté the base
   Heat a generous splash of olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Sauté the onion for a few minutes until soft. Add the fennel and eggplant cubes and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Add flavour
   Sprinkle in the Italian herbs, rosemary, chopped chili, and garlic. Stir well, then pour in the canned tomatoes. Bring to a simmer and let the stew bubble gently for about 20 minutes.

4. Finish the stew
   Drain the chickpeas and slice the olives. When the vegetables are tender, stir in the chickpeas and olives. Let everything heat through for a few minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

5. Make the cauliflower rice
   Pulse raw cauliflower in a food processor until it resembles rice. Sauté in olive oil for 2–3 minutes with a pinch of salt, a sprinkle of paprika powder, and some mixed seeds or nuts if you like a bit of crunch.

6. Serve
   Tear the mozzarella into chunks and scatter over the warm stew just before serving. Enjoy with your cauliflower rice (for a low-carb version) or regular rice, if preferred.

Serving tip:
This dish makes a great meal prep option — it tastes even better the next day!

Recipe originally from Hofweb, translated and adapted by Dutch Health Store.