GARDEIN BEEF, BARLEY, AND SWEET POTATO STEW

This is a great stew that sounded very German to me. I guess it was the barley. I used Gardein Beef Tips. As I have mentioned in earlier posts, I don't eat too many fake meats. I think they are a good transitional food for meat-eaters wanting to go veg, but not nutritional enough to be a main ingredient in my diet. I think Gardein Beef Tips are a really good substitute for beef and I usually rinse them before using in a recipe.

Serves 4

1 tbs olive oil
1 package Gardein Beef Tips (cut each chunk
in half while semi-frozen, rinse)
1 cup chopped onions (plus 1/2 small onion for
flavoring for beef tips)
1/2 cup sliced celery
2 cups veg stock (Better than Boullon is more
like beef broth than other brands)
1 bay leaf
A little less than 3/4 cup hulled barley, rinsed
and drained (original recipe called for 3/4 cup,
so since I cut recipe in half you will need half of
3/4 cup)
2 cups peeled sweet potatoes ( 1" chunks ) About
3/4 lb
1 cup sliced carrots, 1" rounds
3/4 cup cubed parsnips
1/4 tsp vegan Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 14.5 oz can whole tomatoes in juice, broken up
3/4 cup frozen peas

Heat oil in large pot on medium-high. Saute onions
and celery for 5 minutes or until onions are soft.
Add veggie broth and bay leaf. Mix well, than add
the sweet potatoes, carrots, parsnips, Worcestershire
sauce, and oregano. Cover and simmer for about 1
hour or until veggies are tender.

In the meantime, saute 1/2 small chopped onion.
Add thawed Gardein Beef Tips. Half-way through
the stew cooking, add the tips to the stew. I did
the onion thing feeling that it would flavor the
tips more, but this step is optional.

As the stew is approaching completion, add the
tomatoes and peas. Reheat and simmer another
10-15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Recipe adapted from Delicious Living Magazine,
January 2008