Yet another example of a stew/soup experiment that turned out so well, I had to put a recipe together!

This stew started out as a kind of “get out of my fridge” project after Thanksgiving. We get a big produce delivery every Monday and by Sunday I’m often trying to figure out a dish to use up as many veggies as possible. I also like to make a really big batch of something and we often have it as our lunches or a quick dinner during the week.

Aside from being just the kind of hearty, hot dish you want on a cold night, this stew is packed with vitamins and minerals and the French herbs pair beautifully with the veggies and navy beans. By the time the cooking is done the yams melt and the result is a thick, golden stew dotted with kale, parsley and carrots.

My favorite version is the one that is given, with lots of kale and fresh parsley. I’ve made a variation, pictured, with fresh thyme and white cabbage because that’s what I happened to have on hand that week. The cabbage & thyme variation is also really lovely, but I find it a bit sweeter.

The Stuff

• 3 cups dry navy beans
• 2 large leeks, whites only, sliced in quarter-inch rounds
• 2 medium red onions, half-inch dice
• 4 cloves garlic, diced small
• 3 large carrots, diced
• 4 large stalks celery, diced
• 4 small yams, diced
• 1 t Herbes de Provence
• 1 t dried thyme
• 2 large Bay leaves
• 8 cups water
• 1/3 c nutritional yeast
• 1 T champagne vinegar
• 1/2 c chopped, fresh parsley
• 1 large bunch of kale, stemmed and chopped up
• 2 T white miso
• freshly ground black pepper
• sea salt, to taste

The Making

Pressure Cooker Method:

Pre-cook navy beans in pressure cooker while you prep all the other ingredients. Plan to under cook the beans, only 14-15 minutes at full pressure. Let the pressure release normally. Drain and set aside.

While the beans cook prep all the vegetables.

After the pressure cooker is free, rinse out, dry and put back on stove on medium-high heat. When the pot is hot again, lightly spray bottom with canola oil and add the onions. Saute 5 minutes, until translucent, add garlic and saute another few minutes until the garlic becomes very fragrant.

Add the celery, carrots and leeks into the pot. Continue to saute in the pan for an additional five minutes. Add the yams, thyme, Herbes de Provence, and Bay leaves. Stir together well. Add in par-cooked beans and water, stir once more, and seal the pressure cooker.

Once cooker is at high heat set timer for 7 minutes. Use the release valve to reduce pressure and unlock the lid (it is also fine to just let it come down & unlock naturally).

Stir in the nutritional yeast, pepper, salt, vinegar, parsley and kale. Simmer on low heat for five minutes. Remove from heat and mix in the miso.

Stove-top Method:

The main difference is that you’ll soak the beans overnight and drain them. Once you add them back in, you’ll need to reduce the heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes, or until the beans are tender. Then follow the steps to add in the kale, fresh parsley, etc.

Serve in a big bowl and add some kind of grainy thing if you want. Rice, whole grain bread, crackers…

Makes 20 servings (freeze some, give some away!)

Nutrition Details

Serving Size: 1 cup
Calories: 188
Total Fat: 1.2g
Sodium: 146 mg
Carbohydrates: 36g
Dietary Fiber: 11g
Sugars: 3g
Protein: 11g

Ingredients:

• 1.5 lb cream “cheese” (“Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese”–Non-Hydro is what I use)
• 3 tbsp canola oil
• 2 tbsp brown rice syrup
• 2 tbsp minced garlic
• 1 tbsp powdered garlic
• 1 tbsp cider vinegar
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
• 1 tsp dill
• 1/4 cup filtered water
• Fresh chives to taste (about 2g worth)

Add all ingredients to a food processor and blend on high to combine.  Refrigerate over-night for flavors to meld and spread to thicken.  For a dip instead of a spread, double the water to 1/2 cup, or until desired consistency is reached.

Used this in a “chick’n” burrito last night. This is very “Taco Bell”-ish, which is actually what I was going for.

• 1 cup Vegenaise (use soy-free version)
• 2 tbsp brown mustard (I used smoky brown, which was nice)
• 1 tsp granulated garlic
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp smoked chipotle powder (to taste)
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika (optional)
• 1 tsp lemon juice

Whisk all together. There you go…

This is surprisingly good, and damn accurate as far as I can remember. The only thing I want to do differently next time is to add in some (read: a dozen or so) roasted mashed garlic cloves, and back off the granulated garlic a bit.

• 2 TBSP + 1tsp Wondra(R) gravy and sauce maker
• 2 TBSP Earth Balance (soy-free, if needed or preferred)
• 1 TBSP nutritional yeast
• 1 TSP granulated garlic
• 1 cup almond milk

Heat Earth Balance in a saucepot on med low until melted. Add in Wondra and yeast make a light roux. Start whisking in almond milk. Add in granulated garlic to taste. Just before pouring over pizza, whisk in an additional tsp of Wondra and pour over prepared pizza. This last bit of Wondra will “set up” in the heat of the oven, not in the sauce pan, thereby allowing you to pour it on, which is handy.