Happy 2019 + Creamy Bean Stew with Herbed Cornbread

Happy 2019!!!!

I’m back and ready to talk plant based food with you!

My posts at the end of the year were a little sparse because it has been a long time since the Hubs and I have lived close to family and now that we are, there were plenty of dinners and parties to attend. Lots of family gatherings means one thing: plenty of cooking.

And with so much time in the kitchen, you can imagine that I over cooking. Completely and totally over it.

Enter, beans. Specifically pinto beans.

Most people hear kidney beans and immediately think about re-fried beans, but that’s not the only thing these beans are good for.

They are a high carb food.

They are cheap as hell.

Low in fat & high in fiber.

Plus they are super easy to cook, especially if you have a slow cooker. Pop them in and cover them with water or stock for 6 to 8 hours and you can separate them, refrigerate them and make whatever you please.

…or you can make stew.

I just love stew because I LOVE a big steaming bowl of vegetables with tons of liquid. Make it thick like stew and I’m even happier. It’s a great way to use veggies before they go bad AND a really good way to make sure you get your daily serving of vegetables. Did I mention that soup is low in calories?

Okay so, I gathered all my ingredients: pinto beans, onion, bell pepper (any color you choose), celery, potatoes and garlic. I always like to saute my vegetables before starting a soup because I think it provides a deeper flavor, particularly when you add a bay leaf or two during the simmer time.

Saute it up and then add herbs & spices before you add the beans to the pot. If you do this in a slow cooker, add everything but the bay leaf in at once and let the slow cooker do all the work. For this recipe, I went old school and did it on top of the stove.

Now what makes this bean and potato stew so delicious is the 2 cups of beans that I set aside until they were cool enough to pop into a food processor. Make sure it’s nice and smooth and then pour it into the broth, and then watch it get nice and thick and creamy. You get all the cream without having to add any additional fat to this recipe.

But if you REALLY need the fat, make some cornbread to go on the side.

I was feeling a little fancy so I added rosemary and thyme to the cornbread recipe but don’t give me too many props because it was a simple recipe with flour, corn meal, plant butter, salt, baking powder and herbs. Bake 12 to 15 minutes and then get ready to get your grub on!

And if you want to kick this awesome vegan meal of cornbread & stew, add a delicious smoked stout to a glass and enjoy your meal!