Prepare vegetable stew ahead to enhance flavor

This African Vegetable Stew is a great do-ahead dish. Make the stew the day before and refrigerate overnight. Not only does this save time later, it gives the flavors a chance to blend and intensify.

The recipe is flagged low-calorie, low-fat, low-cholesterol and high-fiber in "Betty Crocker's Healthy New Choices" (Macmillan, $25), a recently published cookbook that is subtitled "A Fresh Approach to Eating Well."

This recipe from the chapter on meatless main dishes would be suitable for many vegetarian diets.

African Vegetable Stew

• 2 tablespoons margarine
• 1 large onion, chopped (1 cup)
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 5 cups water
• 2 medium carrots, sliced (1 cup)
• 1/2 cup dried lentils (4 ounces), sorted and rinsed
• 1 cup uncooked regular long grain rice
• 15-ounce can whole tomatoes, undrained
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 10-ounce package frozen green peas
• 9-ounce package frozen sliced green beans
• 3 sprigs mint, chopped
• 3/4 cup plain fat-free yogurt

Melt margarine in Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, parsley, garlic, cinnamon, turmeric, pepper and ginger and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is tender. Stir in water, carrots and lentils. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover, simmer 25 minutes.

Stir in rice, tomatoes and salt, breaking up tomatoes. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 20 minutes.

Stir in peas, green beans and mint. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer about 5 minutes or until peas and beans are tender. Serve with yogurt.

Makes 6 servings.