Aunt Rocky’s Low Carb Ciambotta (Italian Vegetable Stew)

Slice or chop all needed ingredients.

In a 4-quart Dutch oven or large pot, heat olive oil until it shimmers. Add onion, fennel, celery, and mushrooms. Cook on medium heat until tender and lightly browned, stirring often.

Add garlic and red pepper, and cook another 5 minutes or so, until pepper is just crisp-tender.

Add tomatoes, turnips, zucchini, salt, and Italian seasoning. Bring mixture to a boil, and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer covered for about 20 minutes, or until zucchini and turnips are fork-tender. (Don’t overcook, or these will get too mushy.)

Stir in most of the basil shreds, reserving some to use as garnish when the dish is served. Garnish further with cheese, if using.

Leftovers may be frozen.

Yields aabout 6 cups of vegetable stew, or 12 servings of about 1/2 cup each.

Notes:
1. In Italy, Ciambotta is served as a complete meal with crusty Italian bread, or as a side with any meat dish. In order to keep the carbs to a minimum, I am dividing into smaller portions for a side dish. Serve with a high fat protein or side to improve macros.
2. I get no kickback for products used in my recipes. Brand names are included to assure more accurate nutritional estimates. Nutrition information is based on My Fitness Pal’s online recipe analyzer. The recipe is stored there and available to MFP users for logging in their food diaries.
3. For more Atkins/low carb/keto recipes and cooking tips, look for Aunt Rocky’s Low Carb Recipes & Tips Group on Facebook, or follow me on Pinterest at auntrocky2.

Each 1/2 cup side serving: Calories 62, Saturated Fat 1 g, Sodium 267 mg, Potassium 249 mg, Total Carbohydrate 7 g, Dietary Fiber 2 g, Net Carbs 5 g, Sugars 4 g, Protein 2 g. Macros: 58% fats, 13% protein, 31% carbs.

© April 4, 2018 Roxana Lopez for Aunt Rocky’s