Pea and Mint Stew with White Sauce

During this period of "is it winter, is it not?", I often don't have the energy or headspace to spend too much time in the kitchen.

But I definitely have the appetite for delicious and nourishing food. Mmm, laziness and hunger are a tough combination.

Anyway, I found myself whipping up a nutritious and rich lunch—a pea and mint stew with white sauce—in no time at all.

It's a wonderful combination for when I don't feel like cooking but want to eat something tasty.

This stew is nutritionally excellent for several reasons:

• It has a great caloric balance
• It provides high-quality protein
• It's rich in dietary fiber
• It's packed with important antioxidants

In short, you've got yourself a top-tier lunch here.

To the Vegan Toning Challenge

A bit about the Pea and Mint Stew with White Sauce

• The base of the stew is dried peas that I soaked overnight.

You can actually make this stew with any other legume you like, such as chickpeas, lentils, beans, and more.

• To add beauty, antioxidants, and a refreshing bite, I used frozen petite peas. You can replace them with green beans, broad beans, or omit them entirely.
• To give it a unique and amazing flavor, I used yellow mustard seeds which provide a wonderful aroma. Don't have any? You can skip them.
• The refreshing white sauce I added is made using silken tofu. Note that this isn't regular tofu, but a special kind with a texture reminiscent of panna cotta.

Nutritional Values:

One serving of pea and mint stew with white sauce out of 2, weighing approximately 400g.

*Weight estimates vary due to factors such as pea soaking time, freshness, cooking time, room temperature, etc.

• 347 calories
• 23g protein
• 42g carbohydrates
• 9g fat

10 Things You Didn't Know About Peas

Pea, Mint, and White Sauce Stew

Prep time 20 minutes

Cook time 30 minutes

Servings 2 servings

Calories 347 kcal

Ingredients

• 1 cup dried green peas 200g
• 1 cup frozen petite peas 120g
• 1 tsp yellow mustard seeds 12g
• 3 minced garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp olive oil 20ml
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 340 g silken tofu
• 1 handful chopped mint leaves
• 1/2 hot pepper optional
• 1 tsp slivered almonds optional

White Sauce

• 1 tsp salt
• juice from half a lemon

Instructions

The Night Before

1. Soak the green peas in water until fully covered overnight (at least 5 hours).

2. Drain the peas and set aside.

3. Heat the oil in a deep pot.

4. Add the mustard seeds and stir until well coated in oil.

5. Fry over low heat for about 2-3 minutes until the seeds start popping (like popcorn).

6. Add the minced garlic and fry for about a minute (be careful not to burn it).

7. Add the drained dried peas and fry for another 2-3 minutes on low heat, stirring occasionally.

8. Add 2 cups of water and a teaspoon of baking soda and bring to a boil.

9. Lower the heat and cook for about half an hour until the peas soften.

10. Add the frozen petite peas, salt, and chopped mint leaves. Stir and cook for another 2-3 minutes.

Preparing the White Sauce

1. Open the tofu package and drain any excess liquid.

2. Transfer to a blender and add the juice from half a lemon.

3. Blend the tofu well and transfer to a bowl.

4. Transfer the ready stew to a bowl and top with slivered almonds, chopped mint, a bit of hot pepper, and the white sauce.