Multi Bean Stew

It's Cold and snowy on this last day of January so a perfect day for some stew and bread making.   Yesterday at the market I browsed through the bulk foods section and saw these super colorful bean mixes and knew that they would make a great stew.

This also reminded me to start keeping a jar for when you only have a few beans left and not enough for a whole recipe- why not just toss them together and make your own mix.  That's probably what the store does to stretch their profit a little.  It's frugal and a great idea.

The Liquid smoke and veggie crumbles give this almost a chili taste.

Soak the beans overnight or use the following quick soak method in a pressure cooker.  Add 5 cups of water and 2 cups of beans in a pressure cooker.  Bring to pressure then remove from heat and let stand 15 minutes.  Drain liquid.

Ingredients:

3 Quarts Veggie broth

1 Onion diced

3 stalks celery sliced

4 medium carrots diced

2 Bay leaves

Salt and Pepper to taste

2 Cups mixed bean mix, soaked overnight

dash of Liquid smoke

1 tsp. Kitchen Banquet sauce

1 pkg Veggie crumbles

Sprig of fresh rosemary

In a 4-6 Qt. Dutch oven saute the onions, carrots, and celery together until the onions become translucent.  Add the broth and bring low boil.  Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a low boil, then reduce to a simmer.

Simmer for about 1 hour or until beans are tender.  Beans will soak up a lot of flavor so add salt and pepper at the end.  You will probably need about 1-2 TBSP salt. Serve hot with fresh bread.