What’s For Dinner? Vegetable Stew w/Pesto Toast
Isn’t Dinner the Worst?
There’s never time to cook, the kids are ALWAYS HUNGRY, and no one ever likes whatever dinner you’ve cooked. Even if you enjoy cooking, there’s something about preparing dinner for the family that can evaporate every bit of your joy.
In this post, we’re going to work through dinner the best we can. In fact, let’s start a dinner series, yes? We are going to make a meal that my family ate (by will or force), accomplishing the mission of nourishing their bellies. Now, I’ll be 100% with you. No one likes every dinner. You simply have to choose your battles and rest assured that you did your best to provide your best. Need proof? Keep reading and you’ll find my family’s honest opinion of this dinner.
Go ahead and download the shopping list for this dinner.
Let’s simplify this a bit by including a shopping list for this dinner. This list assumes you already have dinner prep basics like salt, pepper, and olive oil on hand; if that’s not the case, be sure to pick it up at the store. Also, you’ll find there’s extra space at the bottom in case you need to list additional items for pick up at the store.
Vegetable Stew
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 6–8 servings 1x
Description
This hearty vegetable stew is packed with nutrient-rich ingredients simmered in a flavorful broth. Loaded with vegetables and spices, it’s a comforting, wholesome dish perfect for a cozy, nourishing meal any time of year.
Meat-free and can easily be adapted for dairy-free and gluten-free diets.
Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
2 carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 shallot, diced (or 1/2 onion, diced)
1 bag (12 oz) frozen green beans
1 bag (12 oz) frozen corn
2 yukon gold potatoes, diced
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes (preferably seasoned with basil & oregano)
1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
1 carton (32 oz) vegetable broth
1 tbsp Better Than Bouillion, vegetable flavored
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp celery salt, plus more to taste
1 tsp black pepper, plus more to taste
Instructions
· Add olive oil to a large pot, and place on stove at medium-high heat.
· Add carrots, celery, and shallot, along with 1 tbsp Better than Bouillion. Allow to cook until highly fragrant, around 4-5 minutes.
· Add diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, and bay leaves. Stir well and allow to come to a boil.
· Reduce heat to medium, and add frozen green beans, corn, potatoes, tomato paste, celery salt and black pepper. Stir well, cover pot and allow stew to simmer for 10 min, or until all vegetables are tender.
· Stir well and adjust taste with additional celery salt and pepper if needed.
Serve alongside Pesto Toast.
Notes
- Yukon gold potatoes cook rather quickly. Cooking time may lengthen if using a different kind of potato.
- Remember you can always substitute vegetables. I LOVE okra, but no one else in my household enjoys it. Therefore, I used green beans instead of okra. If your kids don’t like potatoes, try pasta or rice. Despise corn? Perhaps cauliflower is a good option. There are endless possibilities for seasoning to your tastebuds. Can’t find bay leaves? The dish will still be delicious though it will lack the irreplaceable depth of flavor that bay leaves provide.
- This vegetable stew is my mom’s recipe. The only difference is she used chunks of beef stew meat for added protein and heartiness. If that’s your preference, brown meat lightly in olive oil, then remove before adding first set of vegetables. Add beef back in along with the potatoes and simmer until vegetables are tender and beef has reached doneness.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 30 mins
Pesto Toast
- Total Time: 6 minutes
- Yield: 1.5 cups 1x
Description
Crispy toast topped with vibrant & creamy pesto – simple and flavorful. A perfect accompaniment to the Vegetable Stew.
Ingredients
3 oz fresh basil, no need to chop or remove stems
1/2 cup parmesan (dairy or non-dairy)
1/2 cup walnuts
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste
1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
1/2 tsp black pepper, plus more to taste
1 1/2–2 cups olive oil
Instructions
Add all ingredients to a food processor. Puree for 2 minutes, then slowly drizzle in 1 cup of olive oil while pureeing another 2-3 minutes. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, and lemon juice if needed. Puree briefly to mix; drizzle in more olive oil for a creamier pesto until desired texture is reached.
Serve pesto over freshly toasted bread.
Notes
Traditional pesto calls for pine nuts, but pine nuts are EXPENSIVE! The use of walnuts is deliberate to cut down on cost and to add texture without losing flavor.
- Prep Time: 1 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
Oh – what did my family think about dinner? Glad you asked. I’ve prepared a chart to illustrate their feedback. To add credibility to this “study,” you’ll see feedback from an unbiased adult (thanks K!). Hopefully this helps you realize that no one gets it right, and rarely is there a dish that everyone (including the kids) willingly eats and enjoys…no matter how delicious. You are not alone, my friend!
Keep being great. And live seasoned.
