A simple staple

I have quickly found by eating the whole-food, plant-based way, that I have a lot of leftover food items or half full bags or fresh produce in my kitchen that quickly starts to deteriorate or get lost in the shuffle. I found a recipe the other day in my daily obsessive internet searching, called "Clean out the Fridge Soup". This sounded like a perfect way to literally clean out my fridge and my kitchen! I have a little of this and a little of that but none of it is enough to make something by itself. So I decided to take this recipe to heart and made it my own.

I actually felt creative - for once - by putting this concoction together!

I started by sauteing chunks of yellow onion in garlic.

Then I added organic, low sodium vegetable broth.

Sliced mushrooms - can't get enough of these!

Diced celery - I hate celery.

Carrots - only had a few left

Green beans - I don't even know why I had those in the fridge

Let's see, what else could we thrown in this pot?

Kale - shoot - it's already spoiled. Next time.

Ah the rest of the bag of red potatoes. Chop those babies up!

Then a can of diced tomatoes with its juices.

Now this looks fine and great, but what do I do to flavor it other than garlic and black pepper?

Then it hit me!

I want this to be rustic!

Country rustic!  

Maybe beach rustic is more appropriate. Ah, whatever.

So I threw in a ton of rosemary and thyme.

Finished it off with a hint of crushed red pepper and brought it to a boil.

Once I could tell the potatoes were cooked, I let it simmer for about a half hour.

It was then time. The truth was about to come alive.

Was this going to be any good or, like every other meal I've prepared on this journey, tasteless?

One taste off the wooden spoon and.....

DELISH!

It was exactly what I had hoped it would be!

Hubs came in from the gym and I shoved a spoonful in his mouth.

I waited, I watched and then....

"It tastes like beef stew!"

YES!! I had done it!

Finally!

Easy, delicious and all plant based!

If nothing else, I'll make this once a week to clear out my kitchen and make room for new stuff.

I have found my simple staple that I so desperately need!