Save Your Food Budget Easily And In Satisfying Way

A stew is a combination of solid food ingredients that have been cooked in liquid and served in the resultant gravy. Ingredients in a stew can include any combination of vegetables (such as carrots, potatoes, beans, peppers and tomatoes etc.), meat. Poultry, sausages, and seafood are also used. While water can be used as the stew-cooking liquid, wine, stock, and beer are also common. Seasoning and flavourings may also be added. Stews are typically cooked at a relatively low temperature (simmered, not boiled), allowing flavors to mingle.

To stretch the stew even further, add some cooked pasta or rice near serving time. You can also add a cup or two of cooked vegetables or beans if you have some on hand or substitute them for any ingredients in the stew that you may not have in the fridge, such as seitan. 

Since most of the ingredients are already cooked, this stew comes together quickly, but tastes as rich as if it simmered for hours. If you have leftover gravy from your pot roast, add it to enrich the stew, replacing some of the broth, if desired.

Ingredients For Makes 4 servings 

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 1 cup vegetable stock (page 45)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1⁄2 teaspoon dried savory
• 2 cups diced seitan
• 3 cooked potatoes,
• 2 cups cooked sliced carrots
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
• 1 cup frozen peas, thawed

Method:

1. In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, cover, and cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the broth, thyme, and savory.
2. Add the seitan, potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, and peas, stirring gently to combine. Simmer for 10 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasonings, if necessary. Serve hot.

An easy and satisfying way to save on your food budget is to create an entirely new meal out of a few leftovers. If on any given day your refrigerator holds a container of leftover rice, pasta, or potatoes, make sure to be featured in the dinner menu that night. When I have seitan, potatoes, and carrots left over from a pot roast, I transform them into a wonderful stew.