Harmony Stew

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I was watching a rerun of Alton Brown’s “Good Eats” and saw again a story he told of the 3 Sisters, corn, beans and squash. The 3 are grown together so the corn stalk can grow tall for the beans to climb up and in the process the beans support the corns stalk from being blown over. The squash grows on the ground around them to keep out the weeds and to keep the soil moist. Wouldn’t it be nice if all the world worked in such harmony? This stew uses the 3 sisters and their tastes, textures and nutrients to create perfect harmony in your bowl. The beans provide a hearty fiber and protein, the corn a sweetness and the squash besides being nutritious is used as the thickener. Try this stew and put a little harmony in your life.

Kristy

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 ounces cremini mushrooms, diced
• 1 tsp sea salt or to taste
• 1 tbsp parsley
• 1/4 tsp sage
• 1/4 tsp rosemary
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1/4 cup white wine (optional)
• 2 cups low sodium vegetable broth
• 1 cup cooked cranberry beans (canned is fine, kidney beans or pinto beans work well also)
• 1 cup frozen corn, thawed
• 1 cup cooked squash, pureed

Preparation:

1. Heat the olive oil in a dutch oven or large pot on medium-high heat. Add the onions and celery.
2. Cook for 4-5 minutes or until tender. Add the garlic and cook 1-2 minutes more.
3. Add the mushrooms and salt. Cook until the mushrooms are tender.
4. Season with the parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme (and if you are old enough to get this seasoning combination hum along with Simon and Garfunkel as you do this).
5. Carefully pour the wine into the pan to deglaze. If not using wine skip this step.
6. Add the broth, beans and corn and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low.
7. Add the squash puree to thicken the stew.
8. Simmer until everything is heated through. Season with additional salt if needed.
9. Serve and enjoy.

Nutritional Info:

Makes approximately 6 cups.

Serving size 1 cup.

Nutrients per serving:  Calories: 165, Cal. from Fat: 43, Total Fat: 5g, Sat. Fat: .6g, Carbs: 28g, Fiber: 8g, Sugars: 3.5g, Protein: 8g, Sodium: 380mg, Chol: 0mg

Notes:

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The stew may also be frozen for several months.

A bit of trivia about the seasonings mentioned in the Simon and Garfunkel song Scarborough Fair. It is said that the lyrics are about a man trying to attain his true love. In Medieval times, the herbs mentioned in the song represented virtues that were important to the lyrics. Parsley was comfort, sage was strength, rosemary was love, and thyme was courage. (songfacts.com)