Best Winter Veggies for a Stew Recipe

Hello there. It's cooking time. And it's winter too. Today I'll be teaching you how to make these fantastic winter veggies for stew. Are you ready? Well, come along then. 

What is the Preparation Time for this Recipe? 

It takes an hour to prepare this recipe. It takes 4 hours to handle everything in total. You get 8 servings from this recipe. 

Ingredients

You would need the following ingredients:

● 5 lbs chuck beef

o You need to remove all excess gristle and fat and then cut it into around two-inch chunks. 

● 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour 

● Ground pepper and coarse salt to taste

● 2-3 tbsp vegetable oil

● Onion, chopped coarsely 

● 2 sliced celery stalks 

● 2 smashed garlic cloves 

● 1/4 cup of tomato paste 

● 1 cup of merlot wine

● 28 oz crushed tomatoes

● ½ tsp dried thyme 

● 2 dried Bay leaves 

● 3 lbs vegetables (parsnips, turnips, carrots, and potatoes, cut and peeled into half-inch chunks) 

Steps in Cooking This Recipe 

The First Step 

You need to mix your beef using flour and then season everything using pepper and salt. Using a large pot or oven, heat about 2 tbsp of oil on medium-high. Work this into two batches and then shake off all excess flour and then sear all of your beef on every side until it looks brown for around 8 to 10 minutes. Make sure you make use of extra amounts of oil when frying for the second time. After you’re done, transfer your beef inside a plate and then set it aside. 

The Second Step 

Add in ingredients like garlic, celery, and onion to your pot. Then you cook and stir gently until everything softens. It takes around 3 to 5 minutes. You can now add in your tomato paste, cook, and occasionally stir until everything darkens for roughly 1 to 2 minutes. You can now add your wine and then scrape off brown bits from the bottom of what you used to cook. That's either the oven or the pot. Don’t stop till the liquid has reduced by half for around 2 to 3 minutes. 

The Third Step 

Add in other ingredients. Make sure they boil and reduce the heat to medium-low, and then simmer. Occasionally stir for two hours. If the liquid reduces, then make sure you add some more water. 

Then you transfer your beef to another bowl, a large one, and then pass all the remaining contents through a fine-mesh sieve. Keep stirring and tasting till it tastes like fine veggie winter stew is ready.

You can consume your stew using anything you like. It could be bread, rice, or chicken. If it remains, you could keep the rest in the fridge. 

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How to Make Old Fashioned Bean Cakes

Finger foods that can be made from leftovers are not only energy saving but practical. Bean cakes are no exception, whether you have leftover cooked beans or you make them fresh they are delicious and can be eaten with any topping of your choice. For this particular recipe, I recommend good old dried pinto beans. They are amazing and packed full of the needed nutrition.

Nutritious Value of Pinto Beans

Fiber: High in fiber, pinto beans are a welcome addition to your daily food intake. Fiber is an indigestible carbohydrate that is good for the body, as it promotes weight loss, proper digestion, gets the heart beating properly, and improves regulation of blood sugar.

Antioxidants: Pinto beans are packed full with antioxidants like polyphenols and flavonoids, specially kaempferol, which help suppress free radicals that contribute to diseases in the body. Kaempferol, according to recent research, reduces the risk of stroke and inflammation.

Asides these many benefits, pinto beans are chock full of nutrients such as protein, fat, sodium, thiamine, iron, magnesium, and calories. All good stuff, I assure you. Now that we know what is going into our systems, let's get to the nitty-gritty of how to make old fashioned bean cakes like grandma used to make with our own little twist.

Old Fashioned Bean Cakes Recipe

•                Pinto beans

•                Water

•                Onion

•                Black pepper

•                Salt

•                Any seasoning of your choice

•                Red and yellow bell pepper

•                Green onion

•                Cilantro

•                Lime juice

•                Salt

•                Flour

•                Egg

•                Peanut oil

If you are particular with measuring the ingredients that go into your food, I sincerely apologize for the chaos, this is an old fashioned bean cake recipe, and you have to make it from the heart, measuring with your intuition as you go, and trust me you won't be disappointed.

Instructions:

•                Pick out any dirt or broken beans before rinsing.

•                Bring to boil in a big pot, making sure the water tops the beans by an inch or two.

•                After an hour add the onion and black pepper while it is still cooking.

•                Add the seasoning and salt when it is almost tender.

•                Remove from heat and let it cool at room temperature before refrigerating overnight.

•                Mash the beans in a large bowl. This can be done manually or mechanically using a blender or food processor.

•                Add the green onion, salt, lime juice, cilantro, flour, and egg, and stir properly.

•                Pour peanut oil into a skillet over medium heat and allow to heat.

•                Using a tablespoon drop the mixture bit by bit into the oil and let fry until golden brown, and then turn the other side for the same effect.

•                Remove and place on a paper towel-lined plate to drain and serve with any topping of your choice.

This is by far one of the easiest recipes ever made, right? It can be enjoyed while entertaining guests or at the breakfast table with your family.  There is no way you won't score points with this recipe, as it has been around for a very long time, and aside its numerous nutritious values, it is quite delicious and easy to make. I hope with this little effort you now know how to make old fashioned bean cakes.

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Photo by Henry Be on Unsplash

DIY Root Beer Float Recipe

Summer is the time for parties on the deck, refreshing beverages, and of course – ice cream! Few things say summertime as well as a tall, frosty, root beer float. The problem is that most mass-produced root beers stray far from the original recipe, which was comprised of lacto-fermented fresh herbs, and natural sugars.

Have you ever seen a cowboy in a western movie sidle up to the bar for a ice cold sarsaparilla? These original drinks were both nourishing and refreshing, full of probiotics that boosted both health and hydration. If you want to replicate these old-school health drinks for your family, you’re in luck. Today we’re giving you all the info you need to whip up your own homemade, healthy root beer float. Add a scoop of ice cream, and you’ll have every kid on the block lining up for a healthy dessert that’s sure to become a summertime favorite.

Old-Fashioned Sarsaparilla Root Beer Float

Ingredients:

●     ½ cup sassafras root bark

●     ½ cup sarsaparilla root

●     ½ tsp of wintergreen leaf

●     1 tiny dash of ground cinnamon

●     1 dash allspice

●     10 cups filtered water

●     1 cup unrefined, natural cane sugar

●     ¼ cup molasses

●     2 tsp vanilla extract

●     ¾ cup homemade “ginger bug”

Directions:

Believe it or not, lacto-fermentation is a process that refers not to milk, but to the process in which Lactobacillus bacteria convert sugars into lactic acid, creating fermentation and fizz. This process can be used for pickles, veggies, and health drinks like the one we’re making today.

Step 1. Put the sassafras root bark, sarsaparilla root, wintergreen leaf, cinnamon and allspice in a large pot on the stove, add in 10 cups of filtered water, bringing it all to a boil.

Step 2. Simmer for roughly 15 minutes

Step 3. Strain the mixture through some cheesecloth or a fine mesh strainer.

Step 4. While your mixture is still hot, stir in your cup of sugar and your molasses. Ensure that it dissolves and mixes in completely.

Step 5. Allow your liquid to cool until warm, but no longer hot.  Then add in your ginger bug. This will be your fermenting agent, don’t skip this step!)

Step 6- Transfer your liquid into jars or bottles with tight fitting lids and set aside in an undisturbed area.

Two Days Later: Check for fermentation and fizz. If you’re satisfied with the carbonation, move your homemade root beer to the refrigerator to chill! Once it’s icy cold, transfer to tall glasses and get ready to enjoy something truly fantastic.

Adding Ice Cream: Most store bought ice cream is a far cry from the original recipes which consisted of mainly cream, sugar, and natural flavors. Don’t add a store bought “non-dairy dessert” to your homemade root beer float! Rather be sure you select an all natural product by reading labels until you’re satisfied. Alternatively, If you have an ice cream maker at home, whip up your own ice cream and even whipped cream for a delicious root beer float that’s scratch-made from beginning to end!

Do you make your own fermented, summer health drinks? Share your secrets and favorite recipes in the comments section below!

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