Cold weather food - Bill's vegetable stew

Bill's vegetable stew is not an exact recipe, it's different every time depending on what is in the refrigerator.

It sure makes a great and healthy meal on a cold day. I can't believe it didn't get above freezing all day here in Middle Tennessee.

Here's today's recipe:

• Destem and then finely chop one bunch of kale. (After removing the big stems, wad the kale up into a tight bunch and then chop finely).

• Put 3 cups water in a large pan, add the kale and bring to a boil

• Chop carrots, a bunch of celery, and an onion and add to the pot. Reduce heat and simmer.

• In a mortar and pestle, grind 4 cloves of garlic with a tsp or 2 of kosher salt. Add Italian spices, 6 pepper mix and add a little balsamic vinegar. Add to stew. This is the most important step of flavoring the stew.
  

• Add one can of vegetarian vegetable soup, a can of chick peas, and a chopped tomato.

• (optional - add fish or canned clams)

This stew is hardy, has low carbs, and is packed with vitamins and antioxidant vegetables. It is really a fallacy that adults need to eat a lot of carbs and protein for good health. You're better off eating more fats in the form of nuts, fish, and olive oil than carbs like bread and cereal. (You know, the good fats - like avocado, nuts, seeds, and fish - not the bad fats - like chicken, pig and cow/dairy fat). By substituting more nuts, fruits and fish for the carbs I used to eat, I've dropped 12 lbs and my total cholesterol has dropped from 223 to 150 - 73 points!

Despite the 24 F. degree temperatures, I had dinner by the pool this evening.