No soup for you; today we’re making stew. The difference? Instead of a brothy base, the ingredients absorb much of the cooking liquid. This leaves us with lots of flavor-packed chewable good stuff and just a bit of simmered-down liquid. It’s nutrient-dense, filling and so, so perfect for chilly nights.

barley + bean tomato stew

ingredients:

• 1 tbsp. coconut oil
• 1 vidalia onion, peeled and diced
• 4 large carrots, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 28 oz. can of organic San Marzano peeled tomatoes
• 8 cups vegetable stock
• 1 tsp. dried basil
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
• 1.5 cups pearled barley
• 1 can organic kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can organic cannelini beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup frozen organic corn
• 3 cups finely chopped kale
• 1.5 tsp. salt (more or less to taste)
• optional topping: nutritional yeast, additional crushed red pepper

directions:

1. Heat coconut oil in a large pot over medium heat. Saute onions for 5 minutes. Add carrots and garlic and sauté for another 2 minutes.
2. Gently mash peeled tomatoes, then add to the pot along with stock, basil, oregano and crushed pepper. Bring to a boil.
3. Add barley, beans and corn, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 40 minutes.
4. Stir in kale and season with salt to taste.
5. Add a sprinkle of nutritional yeast and/or additional crushed red pepper to each bowl when serving.