Lush Vegan

Since my last post was on "How to Make Your Own Vegetable Stock," it seemed only fitting that this week I share a recipe with you guys that uses the very same stock. As the weather here in my home town Fort Wayne, Indiana has been very chilly, (-10F) I thought what better to eat than a steaming bowl of some hearty, filling stew? For convenience, I cooked this in the Crock-pot, and let the soup simmer all day soaking up the flavors. However, this is definitely something you could cook over the stove if you don't own a Crock-Pot. So let's get to making this delicious stew! Ingredients:  2 1/2 quarts of vegetable stock  1/2 of a large red or yellow onion (your choice)  3 large peeled carrots sliced thinly 3 stalks of celery diced 3 large potatoes peeled and diced 2 crushed garlic cloves  a few sprigs of thyme 1 Tblsp of salt  1 cup of uncooked barley  Directions:  To start the soup you will need to pour the vegetable stock into a Crock-pot and set

  Since vegetable broth is a staple in most kitchens whether it is a vegan kitchen or not, I thought it would only be fair to share with you my homemade recipe for vegetable broth.  Vegetable broth is an excellent source of nutrients and vitamins without all the calories and added fats. An added benefit to making the broth at home is that the sodium content and calorie content is lower and free of any chemicals. To start the veggie broth you will need a variety of different veggies or veggie scraps.  Ingredients:   Chopped carrots  Chopped celery  Onion peels and slices Chopped garlic cloves Fresh thyme leaves Bay leaves Parsley leaves Olive oil  Salt and Pepper Directions:  To start the broth you will need to heat the oil in a medium/large skillet. Once the oil is hot add the chopped celery, carrots, onions, and garlic. Let this simmer for 5-7 minutes or until they are a mushy light brown color. Then stir in the bay leaves, thyme, and parsley along with a dash