By irene hayton and Carol Song

Now that the cooler weather is here, it’s time to limit the salads and raw vegetables in our diets and include more warming foods, such as soups, stews, and casseroles. Here’s an easy recipe for a flavorful, filling stew that takes less than 40 minutes to cook. It tastes sweet due to the onions, carrots, sweet potatoes, and peas. You can substitute red potatoes (leave the skin on) for the sweet potatoes, if you wish. 

  • 1 tablespoon (15 ml) butter or coconut oil
  • 2 onions, diced
  • 4 stalks celery, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 large carrots, cut into ½ inch (1 cm) rounds
  • 3½ cups chopped sweet potatoes (about 4 small, peeled and cut into 1 inch/2 cm chunks)
  • 3 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into bite-size pieces
  • 3 cups (750 ml) chicken broth, divided
  • 2 bay leaves
  • ½ teaspoon (2 ml) poultry seasoning
  • ½ teaspoon (2 ml) sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon (1 ml) turmeric
  • 1 cup (250 ml) frozen green peas
  • ¼ cup (50 ml) minced fresh parsley
  • 3 tablespoons (45 ml) cornstarch or arrowroot powder
  • 1 lemon, cut into 8 wedges (optional)

In a large pot, melt the butter or coconut oil over medium-low heat. Add the onions, celery, and garlic and sauté until the onions are soft, about 5 minutes. Add the carrots, sweet potatoes, chicken, 2½ cups (375 ml) of the chicken broth, bay leaves, poultry seasoning, and turmeric and stir to mix. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the carrots are almost done, about 20 to 30 minutes.

Stir in the peas and parsley. Turn the heat up to high and bring to a boil. Combine the remaining ½ cup (125 ml) of the chicken broth and the cornstarch or arrowroot powder and stir well to dissolve. Pour the cornstarch/broth mixture into the stew and stir well until the broth thickens. Remove from the heat and serve with lemon wedges. Squeeze some fresh lemon juice over the stew before eating, if desired. Makes 8 servings.