Plant Based, Vegetable Beef-free Stew

As the weather turned from summer to fall and fall to chilly winter, I started looking for new soup/stew ideas. There is nothing like a good stew/soup after playing out in the snow with Izzy.

So, typically the way I go about creating a new recipe and going on Pinterest and searching. I searched for beef stew, plant based stew, & gluten free stew. From my searches I found a bunch I thought would be yummy. I picked and pulled ingredients I thought might be fun together. This is how I pretty successfully come up with new recipes. Some are a bust, but for the most part, you start to learn what ingredients go best with others and maybe even learn about new ingredients to try together. If you are looking to get creative in the kitchen, thats a great way to see what flavors go well together and invent your own recipe!

This veggie stew was a big hit in our house! I hope you guys enjoy it as much as we have multiple times already this winter.

Ingredients

2-4 tbsp olive oil

3 large garlic cloves crushed

1 red onion diced

2.5 cups diced mushrooms

1/4 cup soy sauce

4 carrots chopped

4 celery stalks chopped

2 cups baby yukon gold potatoes sliced into fourths

1/2 cup chopped baby spinach (optional)

1/3 cup dried red lentils

3 bay leaves

2 thyme leaves

2 rosemary leaves

2 14.5 oz cans of fire roasted tomatoes

3-4 cups of vegetable broth

1/4 cup water

1 tbsp cacao powder

Recipe Directions

In a large pot, add 2 tbsp olive oil, the crushed garlic and diced red onion. Stir and cook down for 1 minute. I use an enameled cast iron pot.

Now add 1-2 tbsp olive oil & the mushrooms. Stir and cook down for another minute, then add the soy sauce and continue to stir and cook down for 2 minutes.

Next add the carrots, celery, potatoes, tomatoes, 3 cups vegetable broth, 1/4 cup water, baby spinach, rosemary leaves, bay leaves, rosemary leaves, cacao powder and red lentils.

Stir and put on low heat for 2 hours or until the lentils and potatoes are cooked through. Stir occasionally as it cooks. If the stew needs more broth once the veggies are cooked down, add 1/4 cup vegetable broth at a time. Taste and check ratio as you add the broth. I also add some vegetable broth to the stew, when reheating it.

I hope you enjoy my yummy, gluten free, dairy free, plant based, vegan friendly stew! Serve alone, on rice, or dip some bread in it!

XO Eryka