Hearty Garbanzo Stew

Ingredients

• 1 small pie pumpkin, kabocha, or Red Kuri squash (about 2 pounds), unpeeled, coarsely chopped, seeded
• 1 15 ounce can or 2 cups cooked garbanzo beans (also known as chickpeas)
• 2 medium Yellow Finn or Yukon Gold potatoes, skins-on, cubed in ½" dice
• 1 cup corn kernels, fresh from the cob or frozen
• 6 cups vegetable stock, broth, or water
• 1 cup fresh cilantro or flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
• 2 large stalks celery, coarsely chopped
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon tamari, shoyu, or Bragg aminos
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Prepare a rice steamer or put 1 inch of water in a large saucepan with a steamer basket, fitted with lid, and bring to a gentle boil. Put the pumpkin or squash in the basket, cover, and steam until the squash is tender, about 20 minutes. Cool and pare off the peel.
2. In a mixture of tamari and olive oil, sauté celery and onion until transparent.
3. Combine the rest of the stew ingredients, except cilantro, in a large stockpot or crockpot.
4. Simmer stew over low heat in stockpot for 3-4 hours or at high setting for 5-6 hours in the crockpot until thickened.
5. Mix in fresh cilantro or parsley towards end of cooking. Season to taste with sea salt and ground black pepper. Serve hot with with a slice of fresh cornbread or crusty European loaf. Delicious! Makes 6-8 servings.