Morrocan Spiced Vegetable Stew with Potato Pancakes

I like a nice hearty vegetarian meal sometimes. I think alot of people think of vegetarian meals as boring, or unsatisfying. WRONG! LOL! This is a super flavorful, hearty and filling dinner. It's actually 3 different recipes put together. I took what I liked about each of them and squished it into one recipe!! And that's that! I hope y'all will give this a try. It's an easy, affordable, flavorful, healthy delicious dinner!!

Moroccan Spiced Vegetable Stew with Potato Pancakes: Serves 4(large servings)

Veg Stew:
1TB olive oil
1c chopped onion
4 cloves garlic ( minced)
1 1/2 tsps grated orange peel
juice of 1/2 a lemon
2tsp cumin
1tsp curry powder
1/4-1/2tsp red pepper flakes
dash of cinnamon
1/4tsp coriander (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
12oz zucchini, diced about 1/2" pieces
1 28oz can diced tomatoes
1 can (15oz) chickpeas (garbanzo beans)drained and rinsed
15 kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
cilantro, chopped

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add your onion, and saute until tender about 5 minutes. Add in your orange zest,garlic and spices saute for about 1 minute. Stir in your lemon juice, tomatoes, zucchini. Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer until the zucchini are tender(about 10 minutes). Add your chickpeas and olives, stir and simmer over low for at least 3 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve on the potato pancakes.

Potato Pancakes:
2lbs russet potatoes, peeled coarsely grated, and squeezed dry in a towel
1/3c grated onion
2TB flour
2TB oil (for frying)
non stick cooking spray
salt and pepper to taste

Mix the first 3 ingredients in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. In a large nonstick skillet sprayed with cooking spray, heat the oil over med-high heat. Using a 1/3c measuring cup, put 3 pancakes in at a time. Flatten each one to about a 3" circle. Cook until the pancakes are brown up to about 5 minutes per side. Keep warm in the oven while you complete the rest of the batches. Serve with the stew.