"No Beef" Vegetarian Stew

Ingredients

• Protein choices (one or the other)
  • 1/2-1 cup textured vegetable protein [TVP] (dry)
  • 1 15oz can black or red beans (drained and rinsed)
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves (finely chopped)
• 1/2 onion (finely chopped)
• 2 large carrots (sliced)
• 1 medium potato (semi-diced)
• 2 tbsp flour, used oat flour
• 1/4 cup red wine (optional, use water or juice in place)
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• a few vigorous shakes dried bay leaves
• liberal use of ground black pepper
• 1 cup frozen peas

Instructions

1. In a large pot, heat oil on medium high. When oil is warm, add garlic, onion, carrots and potato. Cook for 5 minutes, shaking/stirring periodically.
2. [Optionally if you chose TVP] In a bowl, prepare the textured vegetable protein with directions from the packaging. The package I used on this recipe was 7/8 cups hot water per 1 cup dry TVP, and I added a tablespoon of soy sauce. Let soak for roughly 6-10 minutes.
3. Add flour and cook while stirring for an additional minute.
4. Add the wine, and let cook for additional minute or two.
5. Stir in broth, and tomato paste, bring to boil.
6. Add last tablespoon soy sauce, scoop in TVP or beans, bay leaves, and pepper. Reduce heat to medium, stir, then cover for 20 minutes.
7. Add frozen peaces and cover for another 10 minutes.
8. Serve!

Inspired by

I was really craving a good bowl of beef stew, like my grandma makes. So I went to look one up. My local grocer did not have TVP chunks, so I had to make due with just TVP.

Closing

Lots of flavour going on in this bowl! This one is going in the books! I used 1 cup of TVP, but I might use less the next time, or just use beans instead (I am finding that I have really adjusted to the bean texture). I never realized that TVP is just like the “crumbles” meat alternative, just that they are dehydrated. Far more affordable, going down this route. I also might reduce the amount of wine, or forego it altogether, since the wine did have an overpowering taste.

Another alternative I might try is use this as a shepherds pie filling, but leave out the potatoes in the stew and use mashed potatoes for the top.

Overall, this is a pretty quick recipe for a cold autumn or winter day, and I will definitely give it another go… maybe even next week, probably doubling it! ;)

Have a spoon yourself!

[Edit 2018.10.19] I prepared this recipe again, by halving the original recipe’s wine and used beans instead of TVP and I really enjoyed this more. So, use beans, they’re good with this and flavour was not overpowered by the wine. TRY IT!