Impromptu Mexi-veggie Stew

I recently got a root canal in one of my front teeth due to a sporting accident when I was teen, long story.  Well, unfortunately, it means I can't eat anything that needs my front teeth to bite, rip or chomp. So soup, a lot of soup.  Today I brought a can of wonderful gluten free soup that I enjoy at home when I can add cheese and spices but in my office directly out of the can and heated in the microwave was less than uplifting.  Instead of moping, I took action and swung by the grocery store and concocted a fun filling easy to chew chunky stew on the spot...and it was delicious!   The photo to the right is really bland looking because I stewed it for extra long to make sure everything was nice and soft.  Chop off 15 minutes and the veg will be brighter and crisper.

I'm calling it Mexi-veggie Stew because I was in the mood for Mexican, although, I will admit, that there are several at least 2 items in the stew that are not very Mexi at all.



In a large pot, I added the following in order on medium-high.  There is a lot of acid in the stew at times so be aware that using a metal pot can leave a metallic taste to your stew.  I used a ceramic french oven that I love using for stews.  I crock pot could also work but this is not a slow and steady recipe.  It only takes 90 minutes from start to finish (less time if you don't need the carrots to be extra soft for a busted tooth).

Unless stated otherwise, almost everything below I chopped chunky but chopping things finer will speed up the soup but also add on chopping time.  I was in a hurry and didn't want to spend too much time perfecting my dicing technique.

-3 tbs of extra virgin olive oil
-1 whole yellow onion
-4 cloves of garlic, diced
-1 green bell pepper (upgrade to jalepeno if you want a bit more kick)
-1 yellow bell pepper (a bit of sweet, a bit of color)
-1 large carrot (adds a nice mellow sweetness and balances the acid well)
-2 tbs of lime juice (keeps it nice a fresh)
-1 cup of veggie broth
-8 dashes of tabasco
-salt and pepper
-5 medium tomatillos (I love the different dimension they add to dishes)
-a good handful of fresh cilantro
-3 cups of hot water
-1 large can of diced tomatoes in juice (not sauce, and not with basil or oregano!)
-1 quarter cup of coconut milk (I know, weird, but it makes it less acidic, a bit creamy and better than a heavy cream for your health)
-1 large can of black beans
-1 can of corn
-1 cup of skim milk

Now let that stew for about 60 minutes on medium high with the lid on, stirring every 15 minutes to prevent burning.  At this time I made two cups of white rice in my rice cooker. Brown rice would also be delicious but I have a history of not getting brown rice to finish properly in my rice cooker and was too hungry to risk it.

After 60 minutes, take the rice and fold it into the soup along with:
-1 cup of veggie stock
-another bunch of cilantro, to your desired cilantro tastes
-3 cups of julienned spinach leaves and a bit of the stalks

Taste the soup.  Does it need salt?  heat?  more cilantro? more milk?

Let it simmer for another 15 minutes and you are done.   You now have a hearty delicious soup to enjoy for days...it may even be good cold but I'm not a cold soup person so someone else will need to tell me.

We topped our with a bit of sour cream.  I also plan on topping it with avocados once the ripen in a couple of days.  A cheese would also be nice but not necessary.

Like all of my recipes, you can add things and take things out.  Kale instead of spinach.  Toss in asparagus. Add tequila!

It was a last minute decision bred from a distaste of some bland canned soup...but it was a great addition to my arsenal.  Plus, I now have a great healthy soup for the rest of the week's lunches!

Enjoy!