Sustenance Stew from The Perfect Blend by Tess Masters

Sustenance Stew

Reprinted with permission from The Perfect Blend, ©2016 Tess Masters. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC. 

Tess says: “I’m a sucker for stew, and this one is seriously delicious and so quick and easy. The combination of rich, creamy almond butter, sautéed sweet potatoes, and spices will make you mmmm your delight at every bite. This hearty dish, loaded with protein (the optional greens and seeds add even more), is an alkalizing, immune-boosting, chlorophyll-rich crusader.”

For the Cauliflower Rice:

2 medium heads cauliflower, cut into florets

1/4 cup (60ml) extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon (5 ml) natural salt, plus more to taste

For the Stew:

1 tablespoon (15 ml) grapeseed oil or extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped

2 teaspoons (10 ml) minced garlic (about 2 cloves)

Natural salt

3 cups (720ml) vegetable broth

2 (14.5-ounce/411g) cans whole tomatoes with their juice

1½ tablespoons (22.5 ml) minced fresh ginger

1/4 teaspoon (1 ml) red pepper flakes

4 cups (570g) peeled and roughly diced orange-flesh sweet potatoes

3 cups (210g) chopped broccoli florets

4 cups (120g) Swiss chard, stalks removed, leaves cut into ribbons (about 1 large bunch)

1/3 cup (43g) roasted almond butter

1/2  cup (14g) loosely packed finely chopped cilantro

1 medium avocado, pitted, peeled, and sliced

1/2 cup (80g) sliced raw almonds [I used pumpkin seeds since I ran out of almonds!]

For the optional boosters:
1/4 cup (35g) shelled hemp seeds

1 tablespoon (15 ml) chia seeds (black or white)

1/4 cup (10g) pea greens

To make the cauliflower rice, preheat the oven to 375°F (180°C). Line a large baking sheet with a silicone liner or parchment paper.

Put the cauliflower florets in a food processor and pulse about 5 times, until the cauliflower has the texture of couscous. You may have to process in two batches. Transfer the cauliflower to a large bowl and stir in the oil and 1 teaspoon of salt until well combined.

Transfer the “rice” to the prepared baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Stir with a spatula or wooden spoon and continue to roast for another 15 minutes, until the “rice” begins to brown. Set aside until ready to serve.

To make the stew, in a large pot over medium heat, warm the oil and sauté the onion and garlic with a pinch of salt for about 5 minutes, until the onion is soft and translucent.

Meanwhile, add the broth, tomatoes, ginger, and red pepper flakes to your blender and pulse a few times on low until rustically chopped and combined but not blended. Stir the sweet potatoes and broth mixture into the sautéed onion. Increase the heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil. Lower the heat to medium, add 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and simmer, uncovered and stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes, until the sweet potato is just tender.

Add the broccoli and simmer for another 5 minutes. Stir in the chard and almond butter and simmer for another 5 minutes, until the chard is just wilted. The broth should be absorbed and you should have a creamy vegetable dish. Stir in the cilantro and tweak the salt to taste.

To serve, spoon equal amounts of the cauliflower rice into bowls and spoon the stew next to or over the “rice.” Top with the avocado and sliced almonds and sprinkle with the hemp seed and chia seed boosters. Finish by topping with the pea greens booster. Makes 6-8 servings.

Nutritional facts (per serving, based on 6 servings): calories 126 kcal | fat 9.6 g | saturated fat 1.4 g | sodium 324.8 mg | carbs 8.8 g | fiber 2.8 g | sugars 4 g | protein 3.6 g | calcium 68.6 mg | iron 1.8 mg

Suitable for: ACD All stages; refined sugar-free, gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free, egg free, soy-free, yeast-free, vegan, low glycemic.