Beefless Stew and Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients

5 large carrots scrubbed and chopped into thick pieces

4 stalks of celery chopped

1 onion chopped

3 portobello mushrooms, sliced into large chunks

Half of a small bag of frozen green beans (about a cup and a half)

Quarter of a small bag of frozen peas

A handful of frozen organic corn

2 tablespoons of arrowroot or corn starch

2 cups of apple cider or juice (go for dark and cloudy)

15oz vegetable broth or stock (oil-free)

1 teaspoon of smoked paprika

¼ cup vegan Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon of garlic powder

Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a large stew pot or Dutch oven with lid, get the pot hot, add the onions begin to sauté. Add enough vegetable broth to keep them from sticking. Add the carrots and celery and cook for a couple of minutes. Add more broth if needed to prevent sticking.

Put the mushrooms in and stir to incorporate. Don’t sauté. You want them to be chunky, not reduced.

Sprinkle vegetables with arrowroot or corn starch and stir until everything is well coated.

Pour in all liquids and the rest of the ingredients from apple cider/juice on down and bring to a boil.

Throw in frozen vegetables and stir. Bring it back to a boil.

Cover with a lid and transfer to a hot oven and cook for 40-45 minutes.

Pot will be hot! Remove it from the oven, scape down the sides of the pot, give it a good stir. Serve over mashed potatoes which are just boiled potatoes, milk substitute (I prefer Oat milk) and salt (if you use) mixed with a hand-held potato masher until smooth. Garnish with a tiny bit of fresh rosemary if you like.