Hearty Vegetable Stew (Vegetarian/No-Oil)

Recipe from Cheeky Chickpea 

(Adapted just a bit) Husband-Tested in Alice's Kitchen

Makes about 6 servings

This stew is m-m-good!  Once the veggies are all prepped, the stew will be ready to eat in less than 45 minutes.  Serve with a crisp salad and thick slices of whole grain bread for a real treat of a meal.  

1/4 cup vegetable broth or water (Add more if needed)

1 large yellow onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

3 Tablespoons tomato paste

2 Tablespoons fresh rosemary, finely minced OR 1 teaspoon dried rosemary

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon celery salt or 1/4 teaspoon celery seed

3 medium carrots, sliced (2 cups)

1 small rutabaga, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces (1 1/2-2 cups)

5 medium red potatoes, cut into bite-sized pieces (about 5-6 cups)

1/2 lb. (227 grams) sliced mushrooms

2 1/2 Tablespoons Better Than Bouillon Vegetarian No-Beef Base

1/2 cup beer** (Use gluten free beer to make this stew gluten free.)

1/2 cup red wine

3 cups water (Add more if needed)

1 cup frozen peas (optional)

Stovetop:

Heat a soup pot to medium high.  Add 1/4 cup vegetable broth to the pot.  It will sizzle.  Add the onions and saute for about 5 minutes, adding additional broth if the onions begin to stick to the pot.  Add the garlic and saute an additional minute.  Add the tomato paste and stir it continuously for about 1 minute.  Add the spices and stir for about 30 seconds.  Add the rest of the ingredients except the peas.  Stir and bring to a boil.  Turn down the heat to a simmer and then cover the pot.  Cook for 30-35 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.  Remove a ladle full of stew to a blender and blend until smooth. Add the blended portion back to the stew. This will create a lovely "gravy" like sauce.  (You can also use a stick blender, as I did, and blend just a little of the stew right inside the pot.)   Add the frozen peas, if using, and cook for another 2 minutes or so.  Serve.

Slow Cooker:

Heat a skillet to medium high.  Add 1/4 cup vegetable broth to the skillet.  It will sizzle.  Add the onions and saute for about 5 minutes, adding additional broth if the onions begin to stick to the pot.  Add the garlic and saute an additional minute.  Add the tomato paste and stir it continuously for about 1 minute.  Add the spices and stir for about 30 seconds.  Put the sauteed ingredients in a large slow cooker.  Add the rest of the ingredients except the peas.  Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 5-6 hours.  Remove a ladle full of stew to a blender and blend until smooth. Add the blended portion back to the stew. This will create a lovely "gravy" like sauce.  (You can also use a stick blender, as I did, and blend just a little of the stew right inside the pot.)   Add the frozen peas, if using, and cook for another 2 minutes or so.  Serve.

Notes:  

To make this stew gluten free, use gluten free beer.

Do not add more than 2 cups rutabaga or the stew will turn out too sweet.  The same goes for the carrots.

Add a bit more water or broth as needed if the stew seems too thick to you.

I have another vegetable stew recipe on my blog that is made in the Instant Pot.  I haven't tested the Hearty Vegetable Stew recipe above using the Instant Pot, but I'm thinking the timing would be the same.  High pressure for 10 minutes and then use natural release until the pin drops.  Add the peas and then cook on saute for about 2-4 minutes.

Nutritional Information: (1 of 6 servings without peas) 123 calories; 0.5 g fat; 0 mg cholesterol; 204.9 mg sodium; 22.8 carbohydrates; 8.5 g sugars; 2.7 g protein

Raw Kale Salad with Root Vegetables

Serves 6

Recipe from Vegetarian Times Magazine

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Make this company-worthy, beautiful, tasty salad in stages for easier prep. Make the dressing and the pecans a day or so in advance.  Shredding the veggies in a food processor will also save time.  The mixture for the roasted pecans makes enough to coat at least 2 cups of pecans**, so go ahead and coat and roast that amount, setting aside 1 cup for the salad and then save the rest for another salad or snack.  They are quite delicious on their own!

Salad

2 bunches kale, stems removed

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon Kosher salt

2 cup whole pecans** (You will only need 1 cup for this salad.  Use the other cup for a snack or another salad.)

¼ cup pure maple syrup

2 Tablespoons canola oil

½ teaspoon Kosher salt

¼ teaspoons cayenne pepper

1 medium turnip, peeled and grated

½ medium rutabaga, peeled and grated (Make Roasted Rosemary Rutabaga Fries with the remaining half.) 

1 medium carrot, grated (½ cup)

2 green onions, cut thin on diagonal or 1 large shallot, minced

Dressing

2 Tablespoons lemon juice

1 Tablespoons grated lemon zest

1 Tablespoons olive oil

1 Tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

2 teaspoons agave nectar (honey or maple syrup will also work)

1. To make Salad: Using a food processor, “mince” the kale.  (You can also do this by hand with a sharp knife.)  Place kale in large bowl, and pour olive oil, vinegar, and 1 teaspoon salt over top. Gently massage mixture into kale about 2 to 3 minutes by hand, or until kale starts to wilt. (Wear rubber gloves for this or your hands will turn temporarily green!)  Let rest 30 minutes.

2. Preheat oven to 375°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss together pecans, maple syrup, canola oil, remaining ½ teaspoons salt, and cayenne in medium bowl. Spread nut mixture in single layer on prepared baking sheet; bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until pecans are brown and fragrant, stirring frequently. Cool in pan.  (The pecans can be make several days in advance.)

3. To make Dressing: Whisk together lemon juice, lemon zest, oil, soy sauce, and agave nectar in bowl. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.  (The dressing can be made a couple of days in advance.)

4. Stir turnip, rutabaga, carrot, and green onions into kale mixture. Toss with Dressing. Toss in the pecans.

Turn on the radio and listen to your favorite program while prepping
this delicious salad.  The pecans and the dressing can be made well
in advance of your party.  Use a food processor to shred the veggies.

Nutritional Information per 1-cup serving:  Calories: 321; Protein: 5 g; Total Fat: 24; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 27 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 732 mg; Fiber: 5 g; Sugar: 14 g

How to Prepare Rosemary Roasted Rutabaga Fries

Rutabaga is really easy to prepare. Just peel it and cut it up. You can eat it raw with hummus or add it to soups and stews or roast them. Eating just 1 cup of cubed rutabaga boosts your vitamin C, providing 47 percent of the recommend daily intake. It's also high in fiber and zinc. 

You will need a vegetable peeler and a heavy chef knife to prep rutabaga.  Use a heavy chef knife to cut off the two ends.  Then with the peeler, begin peeling the purplish skin revealing the creamy white flesh underneath.  Rutabagas have a texture like a turnip or carrot. 

Slice the rutabaga and then cut the slices into sticks.

Place the rutabaga together in a pile on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil.  Sprinkle with Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.  Crush 1 heaping teaspoon of dried rosemary and sprinkle over the rutabaga. Toss the rutabaga until well coated with the oil, salt, pepper and rosemary.

Preheat the oven to 425 °F.  Spread the rutabaga out on the baking sheet so that they don't touch.  Bake the rutabaga for 15 minutes.  Flip the rutabaga over and then bake another 15 minutes.