Vegan Cauliflower Stew with Broccoli, Chick Peas and Kale: Gluten-free, healthy, plant-based, easy and aromatic stew ready in just 30 minutes!
It’s Meatless Monday today and I’d like to share the recipe of my vegan cauliflower stew with broccoli, chick peas and kale. It’s so rich and so aromatic you won’t miss meat at all! The secret is in spices I put in it: turmeric, coriander, cumin, sweet paprika, cayenne and ginger. I also added tarragon which has a unique and pronounced pungent taste, as well as numerous health benefits. In case you are struggling with a cold this winter, make this easy vegan cauliflower stew. It has an anti-inflammatory effect and will relieve symptoms like fever, headache, cough and chest pain.If you start this year with a healthy way of eating, consider going meatless for at least one day in a week. Meatless Monday, an international non-profit health movement to reduce meat consumption in the world, states that going meatless for at least one day a week can reduce the risk of heart diseases, obesity, diabetes and cancer, as well as restraint the carbon footprint caused by cattle breeding, saving non-renewable energy resources and fresh water. I support this initiative and help promoting it (see the Meatless Monday recipe of the last week). Meatless Monday is organized by Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and by coincidence I’m currently enrolled on their online course on U.S. food system. The course is touching topics like how our food choices affect the world we live in, how the U.S. food system has been formed and what had influenced its formation, as well as how to build a healthier food system and what to do to improve public health. It’s really interesting for me to be a part of this course and I recommend it to everyone who is interested in healthy and sustainable living. The best thing: The course is free! My year starts more than productively and I’m so happy about it!
Back to the vegan cauliflower stew. I’m not a fan of cauliflower. Or I wasn’t a fan of it until I learned other methods of cooking it than just boiling. It’s amazing how its taste emerges into a full-fledged flavor with a rich meaty touch if you cook it in a mixture of diced tomatoes and vegetable broth. All the juices go to the sauce and not in the water you drain in case of boiling. Other veggies add their winter flavors to the stew: my all-time favorite kale, broccoli, onions and tomatoes. This stew is vegan, gluten-free, easy to make and ready in just 30 minutes! See the recipe below and enjoy a steaming bowl of this aromatic stew on a cold winter day.
Vegan Cauliflower Stew with Broccoli, Chick Peas and Kale
Ingredients
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium sized onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 small red chili pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
- a pinch of cayenne
- 2 whole sprigs tarragon
- 1 400 ml or 14 oz can diced tomatoes
- 500 ml or 2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 400 ml or 14 oz can chick peas
- 1/2 cauliflower
- 1 small head broccoli
- 70 grams or 1 cup chopped kale veins removed
- 2 teaspoons lime juice
- salt
- black pepper
- 1 teaspoon chopped tarragon to serve
- vegan yogurt to serve, or Greek
Instructions
- In a large pot or skillet heat 1-2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Chop onion, garlic and red chili pepper and add them to the pot. Sautée for 2-3 minutes until translucent.
- Add ground ginger, turmeric, coriander, cumin, sweet paprika and cayenne. Sautée for 1 more minute. Add tarragon, tomatoes with juice and vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low.
- Cut the cauliflower and broccoli into florets. Add chick peas and cauliflower to the stew and cook for 7 minutes. Add broccoli and cook for 5 more minutes. Add kale and cook for 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Add lime juice and season with salt and black pepper. Serve with chopped tarragon and a tablespoon of yogurt. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
P.S. Check another vegan stew I love to make: Vegan Grain Stew with Sweet Potatoes, Hazelnuts and Crispy Bread Crumbs.
Greetings,
Elena
Dhara
Sunday 24th of January 2016
Wonderful recipe. I did have to add extra broth to mine. Flavors are amazing.
Elena Szeliga
Sunday 24th of January 2016
Thank you Dhara! Glad you enjoyed it :)
Ksenia @ At the Immigrant's Table
Tuesday 19th of January 2016
What a fantastic winter recipe. I can just imagine those flavours magically clearing out your sinuses, cocooning you in a web of feel-good vibes.... And ha, you made me laugh with your cauliflower comment - that's EXACTLY what happened to me, and a lot of other Russians I know. We just need to be shown cauliflower doesn't need to be boiled, lol.
Elena Szeliga
Tuesday 19th of January 2016
Thank you! Yeah, cauliflower is mostly served boiled and I have no idea why. It's so crazy that I avoided certain food because I thought I don't like it. I'm catching up though :)