In our quest to find meat substitutes, we encountered Lightlife Gimme Lean Sausage-Style, which has a wonderful sausage-y taste and texture. It comes in a tube-like wrapping, and I always find it with the tofu and other refrigerated soy products. We’ve tried it in chilis and Frito pies, and even mixed with potatoes in breakfast tacos. It’s pretty yummy, but I seem to forget about it during meal planning.
I came across this recipe in Passionate Vegetarian, and was excited to find another use for the soysage. The original recipe calls for making soysage patties to serve with the stew, but I decided to do things a bit differently. (What else is new?) It’s unbelievably easy, but still flavorful, filling, and colorful to boot.
I’ve been serving our soups and stews with an easy salad I’ve come up with: baby spinach leaves topped with wedges of heirloom tomato that has been marinating for a bit in a little olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and minced shallot. It’s such an easy side dish, and the vinaigrette drips off the tomatoes to make a nice dressing for the spinach.
Spicy Black Bean and Soysage Stew
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 7 ounces Lightlife Gimme Lean Sausage-Style
- 1 medium onion, sliced vertically into thin crescents
- 2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
- 1 can (15 ounces) black beans
- 1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes with green chiles
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Heat oil in a soup pot; add soysage, and crumble with a wooden spoon or a potato masher. Add onion, and saute together until soysage is slightly browned and onion is softens slightly, about 5 minutes. Add the vegetable broth and sweet potato. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer, loosely covered, until sweet potato is tender, 12 to 15 minutes.
Add beans and tomatoes to pot. Simmer 5 minutes more. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Makes 4 to 6 servings.
Adapted from Passionate Vegetarian by Crescent Dragonwagon.
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