Cozy Irish Stew

On a chilly day, there’s nothing like coming home to a bowl of warm, cozy Irish stew.

I like to imagine my great-grandmother Katherine making something like this in Ireland long ago.

Here’s a plant-based version that nourishes your spirit and sticks to your ribs.

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Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup gluten-free oat flour or brown rice flour
• 2 cups vegetable broth or water
• 1 cup Irish whiskey or bourbon
• 3 carrots, chopped
• 1/2 pound mushrooms, chopped
• 1/2 small cabbage, chopped
• 3-4 medium potatoes, chopped
• 2 cups cooked white beans (from dry, or about 1 can)
• 1/2 cup crushed tomatoes
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 Tbsp coconut sugar
• 1 tsp thyme
• Salt and pepper to taste

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Directions

In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add in the chopped onion and garlic. Stir and cook for about 5 minutes until the onion softens and starts to turn brown.

Next, stir in the gluten-free flour to coat the veggies and cook for another minute. Then slowly add in the vegetable broth and whiskey, scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon as you mix it in.

Once the liquid is all mixed in, add in the carrots, mushrooms, cabbage, potatoes, beans, crushed tomatoes, bay leaves, coconut sugar, thyme, salt and pepper. Cover the pot and bubble gently for 10-20 minutes until the potatoes are tender and can be poked with a fork.

Remove the bay leaves and serve your Irish stew nice and hot. Leftovers are excellent the next day as well.

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Inspiration

Today’s insight comes from watching the Dalai Lama Summit: all living beings are interconnected.

So if we harm other beings, we create pain for ourselves. And if we are kind to others, we create happiness for ourselves.

“Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible.” – Dalai Lama