Happy Hippie Veggie Stew

So how did I come up with this name? It just popped into my mind while I was cooking this stew, and it stayed there. When I think about it, the idea is really not that far fetched: this stew is colorful with down to earth ingredients, peaceful, because only veggies go into the pot, and you can definitely feed a commune with it – well, at least six people with maybe some extra servings. And because it’s so tasty, flavorful, nutritious, and filling our hippie couldn’t be anything else but happy. There’s your explanation, and here’s the recipe 😉

Ingredients:

• 4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large sweet onion, diced
• 1 tsp cumin seed (whole)
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1/2 tsp celery seed
• 2 generous lb (1 kg) red skin potatoes, cubed (don’t peel)
• 1 cup (190 g) dried lentils, checked for little rocks, rinsed
• 6-7 cups (1.4-1.7 liters) veggie broth (preferably homemade)
• 1 lb (450 g) tomatoes (about 4 medium sized), diced
• about 1 lb (450 g) broccoli florets and stems, ends removed, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 leek, root end and the very dark green, leathery parts removed, sliced
• 1 large carrot, sliced
• 1 large sweet potato, peeled, cubed (mine weighed 13.5 oz/380 g)
• 1 cup (170 g) cooked chickpeas (I used frozen)
• 4 Tbsp nutritional yeast (optional but very yummy)
• freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Celtic sea salt to taste (the amount highly depends on the saltiness of your broth)
• 3 stalks celery, diced
• cilantro or parsley, chopped

Preparation:

Wash, clean, and cut your vegetables.

Preheat a large pot on medium heat. Add olive oil, then sweet onion, and sauté for about 10 minutes until soft.

Add cumin, turmeric, and celery seed. Stir a few seconds to combine, then add potatoes and lentils. Stir well again, then add the veggie broth. Start with the least amount, you can add more later. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat a little and cook for 10 minutes.

Now add tomatoes, broccoli, leek, carrot, sweet potato, and chickpeas. Bring back to a boil, reduce heat again, and cook for 10 – 15 minutes. Stir occasionally.

When lentils and potatoes are soft, add more broth, if necessary. Bring the stew back to heat and season to taste with Celtic sea salt and black pepper.

For a little crunch, add diced celery at the very end (don’t cook), and garnish with as much cilantro/parsley as you like. Enjoy the ‘Happy Hippie Stew’ with your favorite crowd! 😉

Notes:

• This stew is the perfect way to use up all the veggies in your fridge that need to go. Swap one for another, consider approximate cooking times, and give this stew your personal touch.
• Frozen green peas or beans, corn, garlic,…. are great candidates to join this stew.
• If you don’t have a crowd to feed – this stew is perfect to freeze in smaller portions. Thaw overnight in the fridge, and warm up slowly. My husband uses a mini crock-pot to warm up leftovers for lunch at work.