HEARTY VEGETABLE STEW (Serves 6)

This nourishing stew is a snap to make because you can chop some of the vegetables while it’s cooking.  The stew will be almost ready by the time you’re finished chopping.

Ingredients:

            2 Tbsps. olive oil                                             2 onions chopped

            2 celery stalks, chopped                                  2 carrots chopped

            2 cloves garlic, minced                                    1 Tbsps. Balsamic vinegar

            1-1/2 lbs. squash (butter squash preferably)    8 ounces green beans halved

            3-1/2 cups Vegetable broth or                         ½ tsp. rubbed sage

            1 red bell pepper, chopped                              2 shiitake mushrooms

            1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard                                                1 Tbsp. honey

Procedure:

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat.  Add the Onions and celery and cook until lightly browned, 3 minutes.  Add the carrots and garlic and cook for 2 minutes.  Add the vinegar and still to break up the brown bits, 1 minute.

• Add the squash, beans, broth, and sage and bring to a simmer.  Cook until the squash is almost tender, 15 minutes.  Add the bell pepper and mushrooms and simmer until the vegetables are tender, 5 to 10 minutes.

• In a small bowl, whisk together the mustard and honey. Stir into the stew until well blended.

NOTE:  Nutritional information:  170 calories, 4 g protein, 30 g carbohydrates, 7 g fiber, 5 g total fat, 1 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 325 mg sodium.