Meatless Monday Idea – Strong Bone Stew

The name of this stew comes from its nutritional value, not, as one guest suspected, because it contains bones. This is one of the first dishes I had at Susun Weed’s Wise Woman Centre in upstate New York. It has become a favourite cold-weather dish around here.Kids love it too!

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil or ghee
1 cup chopped onion
1-3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup quartered mushrooms
4 cups vegetable stock or water
4 cups root vegetables (such as sweet potato, carrot, turnip, potato or parsnip) and/or winter squash, cubed
½ cup wakame seaweed (kelp, crumbled arame or nori will also do)
2 tbsp miso
2 tsp tamari
1/3 cup tahini
2 tbsp peanut or almond butter
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

In large, heavy-bottomed pot, heat olive oil. Add onion and garlic, and sauté until onions are soft.

Add vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Add vegetables and kelp seasoning. Simmer for 45 minutes, adding more water or broth if needed.

While stew simmers, mix together miso, tamari, tahini, peanut butter and vinegar in large measuring cup or bowl.

Just before serving, ladle enough hot broth into miso mixture to make it thin enough to pour into stew. Add to stew. Continue to cook on very low heat for 5 minutes.

Serve hot with whole-grain bread, brown rice or cooked quinoa.

Serves 3-4.

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Variation: Try different kinds of mushrooms or miso.