Since becoming a vegetarian, I still miss some of my favorite meat-based dishes. Beef stew is one of those dishes. Tony and I definitely like meat. No doubt about it. When it comes to types of vegetarians, I find there are three types: the never liked meat folks, the former meat eaters, and the junkatarian. The people who have never liked meat are just like the name suggests, never liked meat. These are the people who will not touch meat for any reason. Many would even say they find it revolting. Tony and I fall into the former meat eater category. We became vegetarians to help the Earth and our health. However, we still eat meat once in a while and won’t badger our friends to follow suit. The final is a term of my own making. The junkatarian doesn’t eat meat, but doesn’t eat fruit or vegetables either. I had a childhood friend who fell into this category. A steady diet of potatoes, pasta, white bread and all types of junk food. I wouldn’t even put them in the vegetarian category, but many junkatarians feel they are. By the name vegetarian suggests eating vegetables, but I digress.

So now on to the recipe. This is a merging of two recipes one meat-based and one non-meat based. I like parts of both so I am merging them into my own creation. The vegetarian recipe is from the Connoissurous Veg and the meat-based version is from the New York Times. I like the cognac and mustard from the NYT and the vegetarian method from the other. Of course I’m going to put my own spin on it with good healthy vitamins and protein as well as low sodium. Here are the stats:

Here is the recipe:

Vegan “Beef” Stew

Serves 8

• 2 tbsp, Olive Oil
• 1 lb(s), Portobello Mushroom
• 1 large, Onions, raw
• 3 Celery Stalks
• 2 medium, Carrots, chopped
• 3 tbsp(s), Thyme Leaves
• 2 tbsp, Rosemary, fresh
• 1 teaspoon, Liquid Smoke
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1.50 teaspoon White Miso Paste
• 4 cups Low Sodium Vegetable Broth
• 1/4 cup Dry Red Wine
• 1/2 cup, Cognac
• 1 1/2 cups Textured Vegetable Protein 
• 0.75 cup Lentils 
• 1 lb, Sweet potato
• 4 large, Red bell pepper
• 2 tablespoons dijon mustard

1. Coat the bottom of a large pot with oil and place over medium heat. Add mushrooms and cook until softened, 5 minutes. Add onion, celery, carrots, textured vegetable protein and garlic. Cook until veggies begin to tenderize, about 5 minutes more, flipping occasionally with a spatula. Add red wine and cognac and bring to a simmer. Allow to simmer until liquid is reduced by about half, about 5 minutes.
2. Add broth, lentils, potatoes, bell pepper, thyme and rosemary. Stir to fully incorporate ingredients. Raise heat and bring to a simmer. Lower heat and allow to simmer, uncovered, until potatoes and veggies are soft, about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add a bit more water to the pot if mixture becomes too thick and starts to sputter.
3. Season with liquid smoke, white miso, dijon mustard and pepper. Serve.