Spicy Fusili Stew

A chill in the air means hot soup simmering on the stove.

It doesn’t matter how long your day has been,

what didn’t go as planned,

or how many items didn’t get checked off your TO DO list.

With the smell of this stew wafting through your home, I promise you will find it hard not to smile.

This is a No Pressure Recipe. It really is a bit of an empty out the fridge kind of deal.

Want to add something? Do it. Don’t have something? Forget it. This stew is hearty and can take it. Here is what I had on hand the other day and when dinner was done the only thing I could remember that was left on my TO DO list: Smile.

Serves 6-8

• 6 cups vegetable stock or broth
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 package of vegan sausage (I used Field Roast Mexican Chipotle which added a great flavor)
• 2 cup diced carrots
• 1 cup diced onion
• 2 stalks diced celery
• 2 cups sliced mushrooms
• 1 chopped zucchini
• 6-8 tomatoes diced (about 4 cups diced) or a 28-32 oz can of diced tomatoes (if you used canned tomatoes add in 2 tbsp of agave to cut acidity)
• 2 large handfuls of kale or spinach
• 4-5 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 Tbsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp oregano
• 2 tsp sea salt, more to taste
• 2 cups whole wheat fusilli or pasta of choice (broken spaghetti, macaroni…anything goes!)

Directions:

Heat the oil in your soup pot over medium heat. Once hot, add sausage and onion. Saute until sausage is cooked and onion is tender. Add carrots, celery, mushrooms, zucchini and garlic. Saute for about 5 minutes. Add in tomatoes (and agave if using canned tomatoes), vegetable stock, bay leaf and spices. Turn heat down to a simmer and allow to stew to cook until vegetables are tender. Once the vegetables have become tender remove bay leaf and in add kale or spinach. Turn the heat back up to medium and cook until greens are wilted. Add in fusilli. Cook until pasta is tender, about 8-10 minutes. Serve and Smile