Even vegans need to stay warm...

Oh yes indeed. The weather here in NC has been a bit nuts. The nights and mornings are super cold, while the afternoons are like a mild summer. Doesn't makes sense, and is not helping my allergies one bit. Because the hubs gets home a bit late, our dinner is late as well. So we need something to keep us a bit toasty for awhile. Insert a wonderful warm and rustic stew. We will call it a White Bean Stew. Oh yea, this baby is super hearty and really warms you up. Best part? It's made in the Crock-Pot! Whoo hoo! Easy meal alert! My inspiration for this meal came from Pinterest (of course) which led me to this pretty lady. She is so awesome! I love going to her for inspiration. Her recipes are really easy and super yummy-even for non-vegans! So here is my version of her recipe for Chickpea and Wild Rice Soup.


White Bean Stew

1 can chickpeas (rinsed)
1 can white beans (rinsed)
1 half red onion (chopped)
3 organic carrots (peeled and chopped)
1 half turnip (grated)
1 3/4 cup brown rice
2 cans vegetable broth (low sodium is best)
1 cup water
1 cup non-dairy milk (soy, almond or hemp would be best.) *non-vegans may use regular dairy milk
1 tbs non-dairy butter (Earth Balance or Smart Balance Lite) *non-vegans may use regular butter
1 tbs black pepper
1 tbs thyme
1 tbs sage
1 tbs cumin
4 garlic cloves (minced) *the more garlicky the better!
2 tbs nutritional yeast *optional
1 tbs tumari sauce
2 tbs flour
2 tbs flax meal

Throw everything into the Crock-Pot except milk. Cook on low for about 6-8 hours. The last two hours, add the milk.

That's all there is to it! Very rustic and warm. Great served with an artisan bread and a spread of Earth Balance. Love it! A wonderful hearty winter meal!


*This will not have the consistency as a soup-like The Domestic Vegan's. This is more stew like and very rich. If you want to more soup-like, than add about 2 cups more water.