Thick and Hearty Vegetable Stew
Thick and Hearty Vegetable Stew
3 Tbls. Olive Oil
2 Tbls. Smart Balance ( unless you don't do dairy )
1 onion chopped
6 turnips, peeled and cut into small cubes
6 carrots chopped
2 stalks celery chopped
9 potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes (larger than the turnips)
2 Roma tomatoes chopped
1 can French-style sliced green beans
1 can Chopped tomatoes
2 Tbls. Vegetarian - Better than Boullion Veggie Paste
2 Bay leaves
6 cups water (keep an eye on the water, if you need more to cover veggies, add it)
1 bell pepper chopped
4 zucchini sliced about 3/8” thin
8 ounces sliced mushrooms
4 ounces of fresh or frozen chopped spinach
1 can cream of mushroom soup
*
I use a large soup pot and put in the Olive Oil and Smart Balance on low, and then basically I add the ingredients in the order listed. After I get the onion, turnip, carrot, celery and potato in the pot and toss it with the olive oil for about 5 minutes after the potatoes get in there, I add 4 to 6 cups of hot water. Then I put in the bay leaves, the chopped tomato, canned tomato and canned green beans. I add the Vegie Paste (if you don’t have this you can substitute veggie broth for the water and paste, or use veggie boullion cubes.
Simmer on low for about 30 minutes. Then remove the bay leaves. Then I add the chopped bell pepper and sliced zucchini and mushrooms. Cook for another 15 or 20 minutes. Open the can of cream of mushroom soup and stir it with about 1 cup of water, heat it in the microwave, stir well to combine then add to the soup.
Continue simmering for 15 more minutes. If the soup doesn’t appear thick enough, you are looking for a stew, thicker than a regular soup base, then put a few Tbls. of flour in a glass jar with some water then shake it up until completely dissolved and not lumpy. Add to the pot a little at a time until the soup/stew thickens up.
Stew is ready to eat. Place in bowls and season with salt and pepper to taste.
This stew is very good with crusty sourdough or whole grain bread.