Braised Vegetables

Yield: 6 servings

• 1 head fennel
• non-stick cooking spray
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 each red, yellow and green pepper, seeded and sliced into thin strips
• 4 stalks celery, sliced
• 1 medium carrot, peeled and sliced into thin strips
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4-1/2 cup water
• sugar substitute equal to 1 teaspoon sugar (optional)

Trim off flowery leaves and outer layers of the fennel. Cut off the bottom. Pull apart the rest of the layers and rinse well. Pat dry and slice into thin half-rounds. Spray a large saucepan with non-stick cooking spray. Add oil and place over medium heat until hot. Add fennel and other prepared vegetables and stir until coated. Lower heat; add lemon juice, salt and pepper, sugar substitute and 1/4 cup water. Stir and cook for 10-20 minutes, adding water to prevent vegetables from burning. Taste and correct seasoning. Cover and cook an additional 10 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Garnish with lemon slices, whole peppercorns and/or fresh thyme.

Nutrition Facts: Serving size (cup) 3/4 (oz) 3⅓ (g) 100 Calories 44 Protein (g) 1.5 Carbs (g) 4 Fat (g) 2.5 Sat. Fat (g) 0.3 Cholesterol (mg) 0 Sodium (mg) 32 Calcium (mg) 82 Fiber (g) 1.5 Exchanges: Free vegetable 1 Fat ½