I love a good bowl of stew.
Not only is it one of my favourite cold weather foods (note: frost), but it is also one of the most comforting foods to eat.
Simmer some stew on the stovetop or in a slow cooker for a few hours and your house will be filled with the comforting aroma of herbs, spices, vegetables, and broth.
The experience of stew begins long before you even sit down to eat it.
Blanket Stew in a Gravy Broth
This stew is the equivalent of wrapping yourself in a warm, fuzzy blanket in front of the fireplace (note: hot flash below). It can be customized to whatever you have lurking in your fridge or cupboards. I basically threw in whatever veggies I had to use up and it turned out wonderful!
Ingredients:
Gravy Broth
- 9 cups vegetable broth
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp yellow mustard
- 1 tbsp tamari
- 3 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot powder
- 2 tbsp tahini
- 1.5 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1.5 tbsp blackstrap molasses
- ½ tsp agave nectar (optional)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Directions: In a food processor combine all broth ingredients except vegetable broth and puree until smooth. In a pot on medium to high heat, mix the vegetable broth with the processed mixture and stir well. Bring broth to a boil and then reduce to low heat. Add in chopped vegetables and grains (below).
Vegetables + Grains
You can customize this any way you like it!
- 2 small potatoes, peeled and chopped
- 1/2 acorn squash, peeled and chopped (butternut would work well here too)
- 1 large can of corn, drained and rinsed
- 1 large tomato, chopped
- 1 large red onion, chopped
- 3 stalks of celery, chopped
- 3 carrots, peeled and chopped (I didn’t have any)
- 1/2 cup uncooked brown rice, rinsed
- 1/2 cup uncooked lentils, rinsed
- Optional spices to stir in: 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp chili powder
- Black pepper and sea salt, as necessary
Directions (continued): After broth has come to a boil and is now simmering on low heat, add in chopped vegetables and rinsed grains. Stir well. Bring to a boil again and then reduce to low heat. Add in optional spices if preferred. Simmer on low for 1.5-2 hours, making sure to add more vegetable broth if it gets too thick. Serve with a big hunk of bread!
Make the gravy broth (loved it!) and chop the veggies…
This stew is great for those times when you have veggies on their last legs that need to be used up!
Side note: I despise peeling and chopping acorn squash. I felt like chucking it out the window, but I resisted.
Rinse your lentils and brown rice…
And dump everything into the big pot of goodness!
I love one pot meals I tell ya. Especially after a loooong day of baking.
Stir it up!
After about 1.5 hours of cooking on low it was thick, rich, and flavourful. Mmmm.
The house smelled good enough to eat!
I enjoyed a bowl with a sprinkle of ground black pepper and paprika. It would also be wonderful with a dollop of sour cream or hummus.
I was SO warm after this bowl, I almost had a hot flash. I had to remove a layer. ;)
It also kept me full for hours and hours. Actually, come to think of it, I am still quite full as I type this!
Good to the last bite.
You might want to also check out my most popular soup recipe- Holiday Soup for the Soul.
What are your favourite cold-weather comfort foods?
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{ 71 comments… read them below or add one }
That soup looks amazingly cozy and delicious. I make this butternut squash with chickpea stew during the cooler months which warms my belly.
I also enjoy a good mug of hot cocoa French style by pouring very hot almond milk over a piece of dark chocolate.
Whooooaaaaa I love that hot cocoa idea. Must try asap!
I so enjoy a hot cup of cocoa and have been hoping to find a healthier alternative. I will definitely try this. Thanks!
Ah stew is definitely a perfect “warm up to the bones” meal! And this one looks AMAZING!
I think my fav cold-weather comfort food is chicken pot pie or hot cocoa with marshmallow fluff on top :) mmm…
I made an eggplant ‘stew’ tonight!! Gosh, what a comfort food.
I love stews in cold weather too! Also… mac and cheese and mashed potatoes!
THat looks like one big pot of YUM!!!! Its strange to see ‘your’ side of the world start cooking comfort food when we are moving into light summery food over here!
This looks so good! I love stews and really chunky soups when its cold and grey outside!
We’re supposed to be heading into Spring in NZ but we’ve hit another cold snap so stew might just be in order! I love using my slow cooker, chucking everything in and then leaving it all day…coming home to a house that smells amazing! Or making old fashioned vegetable soup, although I ususally add far too much barley and it ends up like a stew lol
What a beautiful, thick stew!
I love me some good soup in the winter :) I tried to eat salad yesterday and I about froze to death!
Soup & stew are so comforting after walking outside in cold weather!
Gravy broth? SIgn me up.
My favorite cold weather foods are stew, coffee, and seitan pot roast!
That gravy probably made the stew so thick and hearty. Great idea. :D
I’m a total soup fanatic.
Try parsnip with dissolved coconut cream instead of stock… Add a couple of teaspoons turmeric with the onions n’ celery to start, and blitz it in the pot for a spoon standing up purée ….
my fav cold weather food is chili. hands down. so so good with corn bread mmmmm :) i’m really excited to try a veggie chili as it is my first winter as a vegetarian!
I’ll happily trade your frost for my 90 deg Cali weather!
Love stews and chili and soups…it just screams comfort food to me. And the more veggies the better =)
OMG! This sounds SO warm and comforting. I love making a stew in the crockpot when it gets chilly at night. I have one in the works right now… just have to wait for it to get cool again ;P I really like that you did a broth gravy.
that looks purely sinful – i <3 it!!!
I love a big bowl of chili on a cold day1
Stews are wonderful comfort foods :)
I love making chili or making soup + grilled sandwiches. I already have that planned for dinner tomorrow!
Oh, that just looks amaaaaazing. I think I have a request for dinner when I get home tonight… My mom doesn’t make stew often. But this might convince her. :D
Your stew looks fantastic! My favourite cold-weather comfort food would definitely be chili (which can easily be made vegan :) )! I find a big, steaming bowl of chili full of beans so comforting, especially with fresh, warm bread on the side to dip in.
This looks awesome….
One pot
Easy
Uses up whatever you have on hand
And it uses lentils. I JUST made soup last nite and told my husband it was for him, i.e. no beans or lentils or anything I was trying to “sneak in there” on him. LOL But yeah, should have used the lentils after seeing your soup :)
Hi! I’ve been reading your blog for awhile now, and I thought I should finally comment. Every time I read your posts, I drool. Your food plus photography skills make for growling stomach. :) I’m so impressed on how creative you are, especially with your vegan ingredients. Thanks for the wonderful posts and recipes!
AGREED!!!
We must have been on the same wave-length today because I totally was craving homemade soup, too! Your’s look delcious; so thick and hearty :)
That sounds sooo comforting and amazing!
This looks delicious! And I am a huge fan of one pot meals – just dump it all in and you’re done!
My favorite cold weather food is….hmm…coffee? Does that count? It’s what I crave the most during cold season.
Glad you were able to finally get warm today!
Mmmm the stew looks so yummy. I can’t wait till it actually cools down enough here for that!
I love the way your camera picks up the colours of the veggies. They look so bright and clear!
My go to comfort foods are roasted veggies with balsamic reduction, baked apples with maple syrup, and chili. I could go on and on really! I love fall :)
Soups and stews are perfect for cold weather, specially paired with some good bread or grilled cheese…
But also, hot milk and some cereal is also awesome :)
Love such a hearty stew! I get on a serious chili kick in the winter. Stew will be a nice change.
Looks delicious! I love a good stew and stew + winter = bestfoodever. ;)
I love all those bright veggies going in.
mmmmmmmm…………….stand your spoon up in it pea soup with buttered Irish soda bread on the side.
Stew might be on the menu tonight! Thanks :)
That stew looks so good! I usually eat a lot of chili in the winter. I haven’t had stew in ages, but yours looks so tasty and hearty that I may have to try it.
Mmm, love the looks of that stew!
Stews are definitely up there with my favorite winter comfort foods. Chili is similar, but also up there- I love a nice mug of hot cocoa, a big piece of corn bread smothered in earth balance, or a hot casserole-type meal. or lasagana. mmm, lasagna. :)
xo
Kris
You know, I’ve been looking for a good vegetarian gravy so I’m definitely going to have to give this one a shot!
I LOVE veggie chilli in the cold months! YUMMY!
Yum! What a great way to get in a huge serving of veggies.
The pics of the chopped vegetables are beautiful!
Yum! What a great way to get in a huge serving of veggies.
The pics of the chopped vegetables are beautiful!
Soups and stews are easily my favourite things to eat. This looks delicious! Yum!
Cold weather usually drives me to steaming bowls of soup, or huge servings of squash (spaghetti, kobchoba — sp?, acorn, butternut. . .). I can easily eat a whole squash all by myself — which suits my husband just fine, as he only like “crunchy” vegetables. I also like a very simple meal of spinach stirred into piping hot just made quinoa, topped with whatever I have on hand. It is my go-to meal, when I stumble home late from work. . .
I love roasted sweet potatoes with a cup of hot tea. MMMMM
Yum! that looks so warm and comforting right now as I sit in my cubicle all chilled.
My favourtie comfort food woud have to be chili. After seeing frost 2 mornings this week so far, i think I’m going to have to make a big batch of it this weekend!
I love a big bowl of chili… mmmm kidney beans!
This looks so good ! I have a question about your Homemade Pumpkin Butter. I really want to make it, but I have apple cider and no apple juice. I think it would work just fine but how would I adjust the spices & sugar ?? Thanks!
Roasted winter squash is my winter comfort food go-to. Love it.
this stew look fabulous! i love lentils so much! :) they are so yummy and they are a great protien option for stews and soups.
The blogging world got me addicted to pumpkin spice lattes at satrbucks and now I think it’s trying to get me addict to is Lentils! They are everywhere! Excuse me while I go buy some Lentils……
Jamie, that’s so funny! I JUST fixed myself a pumpkin spice latte and sat down to read the blogs! It’s great stuff , isn’t it ????
Soup definitely makes me feel good during winter. And hot cocoa!
I just made a stew inspired by yours’ Angela and holey smokes, it’s awesome! I basically made the same broth base (only I used date paste because I don’t have molasses haha) and I chopped up: onion, sweet potato, bokchoi (the stems), tomato and green beans, and I threw in wild rice and blackeye peas (a lot, by accident haha). It is so amazing.
Could you tell me if it matters a lot what kind of pan you use though? I used a saucepan since that’s all I have, and the bottom burnt a little. Also, my stew was boiling a lot, and I wasnt sure if that was a bad thing. Your stew ingredients are still fairly recognizable in the end, mine kind of blended together and I think this was because I couldn’t keep it under boiling point.
I’d appreciate any advice you (or someone else) gave on this.
love, sabine
This looks hearty and delicious! I can’t resist a spicy veggie chili packed with beans and of course, lots of veggies. Also love a good lentil soup. Mmmm.
What a good looking autumn dish! Stew is so perfect now that it’s starting to get a bit cooler out. Yum!
what is nutritional yeast or what can be used instead of it, I never heard of it, from Ireland here ha ha
You can leave it out all together. I didnt have any last night and it was fine without it :)
oh great thanks Angela :)
That looks wonderful!
As it starts cooling down (which is not very cold in So Cal!) I love when we get a little rain cause my favorite thing to do is make CHILLI! I had the opportunity to make it last week and for the first time made a VEGAN version :) and I love homemade cornbread with chilli – SO GOOD!
I love making chili on a cold day, really warms me up and I love leftovers! I always make too much! Your stew looks great!
I love stews! I recently made a tomato-pumpkin stew and it was fabulicious :)
Yum! I think I might have to make some of this myself today – the weather in Calgary is slowly starting to turn (thankful it’s been slow – what a beautiful fall we’ve had like you!) and this stew looks like it would hit the spot. Great photos too – so neat to enjoy the process step by step. :)
I have an acorn squash and a bag of lentils I need to use…I haven’t broken out my crock pot yet but this recipe may have just inspired me to do so!
I love the idea of gravy as the base of a stew! Very smart. Sounds delicious.
I love the thick “gravy sauce” idea!
That’s one delicious bowl of comfort.
i am soooo making this!! finally bought nutritional yeast , so i’m excited for the gravy broth!
Beautiful recipe!
My cold weather comfort foods are hot chocolate, 3 bean veggie chili, all winter squash, and soups of all kinds. ;)
This stew sounds great! I love meals that clean out your fridge, but taste amazing and are comforting! Great recipe!
I made this last night and my daughter and I loved it! :D
I made a pot of this last week and ate it all up within a couple of days! So… I’ve got my second batch simmering now. I’m totally addicted to this stew. Just really amazingly good!
How many is this recipe to serve?
This turned out AMAZING.
Just curious, how would you suggest to adapt the recipe to be made in a slow cooker? (I’m always so antsy when something needs to simmer for over an hour!)
I’ve had a really bad cold the past couple of weeks so I made this today. I instantly felt better and I could genuinely eat this every day! Thanks for sharing. <3