Winter Warm Stew

There's nothing like coming in from the cold to a steaming bowl of stew, served with fresh bread or over whole grains.

8 cups (2 L) kale, chopped
1 large parsnip
2 large carrots
1 smallish turnip optional: add or substitute sweet potato, potato or rutabaga as you wish.
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic
2 stalks celery
2 Tbsp (30 mL) olive oil
1-2 Tbsp (15-30 mL) organic blackstrap molasses
2 Tbsp (30 mL) lemon juice
2 tsp (10 mL) dried basil
2-4 cups vegetable stock

Steam kale until nearly tender, it should reduce to about two cups (500 mL). Drain well. While kale is cooking, clean parsnips, carrots and turnip and dice in one centimeter cubes.

Saut?nion, garlic and celery in olive oil. Mash the garlic cloves with a fork and add the molasses, lemon juice, basil, stock and the diced veggies. Simmer for about 20 minutes, until vegetables are tender. Add kale and cook five more minutes.

Source: alive #207, January 2000