Who needs meat? To make this tasty stew, we use only oven-roasted, rosey-colored New potatoes mixed with zucchini, red peppers, tomatoes and onions. The parsley and fresh basil - added during cooking and then again afterward - freshen the marvelous flavors. This ragout is delicious when served with a crisp, green salad and hot, crusty bread.

1 lb. red-skinned New potatoes, quartered
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 med.-sized yellow onions, cut into 1/2 inch dice
6 cloves of garlic, coarsely chopped
4 zucchini (about 6 oz. each), halved lengthwise and cut into 1 inch pieces
2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded and cut into 1 inch pieces
6 plum tomatoes, cut into 8 pieces each
2 tsp. dried oregano
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/2 c. chopped parsley
1/2 c. chopped fresh basil leaves
Finely grated peel of 1 lemon
1 sm. clove of garlic, finely chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add potatoes; cook for 15 minutes, or until just tender. Drain and reserve. Remove peels if desired.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a non-stick skillet. Add the onions and coarsely chopped garlic to skillet; cook over low heat for 5 minutes. Remove to an oven-proof casserole. Add remaining olive oil to skillet; add zucchini, raise heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes. Remove zucchini to the casserole. Add peppers to skillet and cook for 3 minutes; remove to the casserole.

3. Add the plum tomatoes, oregano, salt and pepper to taste, half of the parsley and half of the basil to vegetable in casserole. Stir to combine; bake, covered, for 30 minutes. Gently fold in reserved potatoes and return the casserole, covered, to oven for 15 minutes. Remove cover, stir once and bake, uncovered, for another 15m minutes.

4. Mix the remaining parsley and basil with lemon peel and finely chopped garlic; stir into the cooked vegetables and adjust seasonings. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Serves 8. Per serving: 114 calories, 4g fat, no cholesterol.

NOTE: You can vary this basic potato ragout by substituting your favorite vegetables - eggplants, parsnips, rutabagas, and carrots, for example - or, if you love peppers, use not only red ones but also green and yellow.