We were looking for something to warm us up on a chilly fall day. Don’t be afraid to think about creative ways to use what you have in your refrigerator! This hearty vegan stew started out with a bunch of ingredients and spices that we just happened to have on hand. We supplemented with a few frozen vegetables for the items we were missing!
Ingredients
Spices
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp oregano
2 tsp thyme
2 tsp pink (or green) peppercorns
1 ½ tsp onion powder
1 ½ tsp garlic powder
3 bay leaves
For the stock
8 cups water
3 cloves black garlic, diced
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 large turmeric root, roughly cut
1 cup cremini (or other) dried mushrooms
½ lemon, sliced
½ medium onion, sliced
3-4 carrots, roughly cut
2 cups spinach
For the stew
3-4 carrots, thickly sliced
3-4 medium potatoes, thickly cubed
2 stalks celery, thickly sliced
½ medium onion, diced
½ bell pepper, diced
½ cup frozen peas
½ cup frozen cauliflower
2 tbsp corn starch
4 tbsp water
Preparation
Stock: Combine all ingredients in a large pot, bring to a boil, cover and simmer for at least 2 hours. Salt to taste. Drain off stock and discard vegetables.
Stew: Add all ingredients to stock except for bell pepper and celery. Cook over low heat until vegetables are tender, or approximately 30 minutes. Add bell pepper and celery and cook to desired tenderness (we preferred some vegetables that were a little crunchy).
In a small bowl, combine corn starch and water. Slowly add to stew, stirring, until desired consistency.
Serve hot with bread and butter.
The Vegan Trough 