Babcia Stew

If you have Polish roots, your Grandma might be called your Babcia (“bob-cha”).

This recipe is a simply delicious “Babcia stew” with potatoes, cabbage, carrots, onions, chick peas, rice, dill, thyme, and a bit of plant-based ground meat to bring it into modern times.

It tastes like a beautiful bowl of grandmotherly love.

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Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 14 oz ground plant-based meat or TVP
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp thyme
• 5 medium yellow potatoes, diced
• 5 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 small cabbage, chopped
• 1/2 cup brown or white rice
• 6 cups vegetable broth or water
• 1 can chick peas / garbanzo beans, drained
• 2 Tbsp dill

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Directions

In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onion and cook until nice and brown, then add the plant-based meat, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper. Stir to cook until the “meat” is all broken up and starting to brown.

Next, add the chopped potatoes, carrots, cabbage, rice, vegetable broth, and chick peas. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down, cover the pot, and simmer for about 20 minutes to cook the potatoes and rice. The longer you have to simmer it, the better it will taste! Just give it a stir occasionally.

When you’re ready to eat, turn off the heat and stir in the dill. Taste and adjust for salt and seasonings. Serve hot and enjoy your loving bowl of Babcia stew! ❤️🤗

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Inspiration

For today’s inspiration, we look to Polish-born scientist Marie Curie, who said:

Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less.

Her words still ring true. Let us understand ourselves and each other, so that we can live in love instead of fear.