Beef-less Stew

This beef-less stew from StraightUpFood.com is one my new favorite meals.  Cathy from StraightUpFood makes vegan whole food plant-based meals that are free of sugar, oil, and salt -- a diet I aspire to for health reasons -- and she makes some of the best dishes that meet this criteria that I've found.

When I gave up meat, beef stew was one of my favorite dishes that I never learned how to make vegetarian.  Seitan makes for a kind of weird texture, and the same goes for tofu, but portobello mushroom chunks are a surprisingly simple solution.  My version of the recipe has a couple minor spicing changes, but the original is at the link above.  It's a very forgiving recipe, like most soups and stews, and adding extra vegetables works great, especially if you have something you need to use up.  It's also a really good source of vegetables and starch (the potatoes) and protein (the peas and green beans).  I'll probably be making this once a week come autumn.

Ingredients

• 1½ large yellow or white onions, chopped into ¾-inch pieces
• 3 ribs celery, chopped into ¾-inch pieces
• 3 medium carrots, sliced lengthwise and cut into ¾-inch pieces
• 2 portabella mushrooms (about ½ pound), cut into ¾-inch pieces (I like to use even more, depending on how much I have on hand)
• 1½ tablespoon finely chopped garlic (5 to 6 cloves)
• 5 cups water (amount varies depending on if you add more veggies like me -- just use enough to cover the vegetables)
• 2 pounds white potatoes (I use about 3 large Yukon Gold), cut into ¾-inch pieces (peeling is optional, but I buy organic and just give them a scrub and leave the peels in tact)
• ¼ cup tomato paste
• 1 1/2 tbs herbs de Provence (or herb blend of your choice -- I like this one because it has sage, rosemary, and thyme, among other things, without letting the rosemary be overpowering like it tends to do)
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 tbs dried parsley 
• 1½ cups green peas (frozen is fine)
• 1 cup green beans (optional -- I use frozen)
• 1 tsp Bragg's Liquid Aminos (optional, but I like the relative saltiness)
• Ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Heat a large soup pot on high with 1 tablespoon of water. When the water begins to sputter, add the onion, celery, and carrot, and cook for 7 to 8 minutes, stirring frequently as the edges of the onion browns slightly, and adding a little water as needed to prevent sticking.
2. Stir in the mushrooms and garlic, and continue to cook while stirring for an additional 5 minutes, adding water as needed.
3. Add the potatoes, tomato paste, dried herbs and spices, and cover with water. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to a low boil. Cook covered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the peas and green beans, and cook for 5 minutes more, or until the carrots and potatoes are tender.
4. Place about one fifth or one quarter of the stew (broth and vegetables) into a blender, and blend under very smooth. Stir this back into the pot to thicken the stew. Season with a few twists of ground black pepper and Bragg's Liquid Aminos (or low-sodium tamari or soy sauce) to taste.