Hearty Vegetable Stew

Recipe from Cook's Illustrated The Best Light Recipe and tested in Alice Wootton's Kitchen.
Serves 8

I served this stew at a party. My vegan/vegetarian buddies really liked this and said that it was chunky and "meaty" tasting. I agree. It's also low calorie, low-fat and high in fiber, but it has great flavor and is very satisfying. (Per Serving: 180 calories; 1 gram fat; 0 grams saturated fat; 0 mg cholesterol; 34 carbohydrates; 7 grams protein; 5 grams fiber) You can get portobello mushrooms and lovely organic veggies at the Lost River Market & Deli.

Ingredients
2 medium onions
1 medium celery rib, minced
1 medium carrot, minced
4 large carrots, halved lengthwise and cut into 1 inch lengths
1 teaspoon olive oil
Kosher salt
9 medium portobello mushrooms (stems discarded, gills removed, caps halved and tehn sliced 1/2 inch thick)
10 oz. white mushrooms, stems trimmed and mushrooms halved
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary or 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 cup dry white wine
4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 1/2 to 2 cups water
1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes (I used "Muir Glen Organic Fire Roasted Tomatoes" available at the Lost River Market & Deli.)
2 bay leaves
1 1/2 lbs. red potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
freshly ground black pepper

Procedure
1. Combine the onions, celery, carrots, oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large pot. Cover and cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, until the vegetables are softened, 8 to 10 minutes.
2. Add the portobello and white mushrooms. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook until all the liquid they release has evaporated, about 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic, rosemary and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the wine, scraping up any browned bits; cook until the wine has reduced by half, about 2 minutes.
3. Add the broth, 1 1/2 cups of the water, tomatoes with their juices, bay leaves, and potatoes. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; partially cover, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer until the stew is thickened and flavorful, about 1 hour. If the stew seems too thick, add the remaining 1/2 cup water.
4. Off the heat, stir in the peas; cover and let stand until the peas are hot, about 4 minutes. Stir in the parsley and vinegar, and discard the bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Serve with a nice crusty bread to soak up the flavorful broth!