30 Before 30: Item 23, Part 1

When the leaves change colors and football is on tv 5 out of 7 days a week, I start to crave soups, late-summer veggies and all thing warm. My first recipe for Item 23: Learn to Cook 5 Meals is Vegetable Stew.

I've made two versions, one Vegan and one with Beef. The vegan version was for me, but I needed to provide my spouse with a little roast beast to really get his tastebugs turned on for veggie soup (not exactly his favorite dish).

See below for my first recipe and some not-to-good photos (it may not look great but it sure was delicious)!!

What You Need:

• 2-3 Carrots
• 2-3 Potatos (or several small taters)
• Handful of Green Beans
• 1 Cup of Barley
• Half an Onion
• 2-3 Celery Stalks
• 2 Cans Veggie Broth (and 2 Cans Beef Broth for the Meat-version)
• 1 Can of Peeled, Whole Tomatos
• 1 Package of Stew Beef
• 2-4 Cloves of Garlic
• Various Seasonings including Pepper, Salt, Garlic Salt, Oregano, Italian Seasoning Mix and anything else you like :)

And Action:

Bring 2.5 Cups of water and 1/8 Teaspoon of salt to boil in large pot. Mix in 1 Cup Barley. Cover and simmer over low heat for 45 minutes until barley is soft but still chewy. Set aside.

Chop all veggies into bite-sized portions and dice garlic, set aside.

For Beef Veggie Stew - In a large pot, add a teaspoon of olive oil,

chopped onions, diced garlic and stew beef along with salt, pepper and other seasonings. Cook until meat is browned. Pour in 2 cans of beef broth. Crush the peeled, whole tomatos and add to broth along with all other chopped veggies. Mix in pre-cooked barley. Salt & Pepper/Season to taste (adding in a shot of Worchestaire sauce really kicks up the beef flavor). Cook for 1.5-2 hours or until meat is tender.

For Vegan Veggie Stew - In a large pot, add a teaspoon of olive oil, chopped onions, and diced garlic. Pour in two cans of Veggie Broth. Crush the can of peeeled tomatos and add to broth along with all other chopped veggies. Mix in pre-cooked barley. Salt & Pepper/Season to taste. Cook for 1-1.5 hours.

The result: Delicious stew perfect for cool fall evenings with a homebrew (or a salad...I recommend the homebrew).