Pea and Mint Stew with Creamy Vegan White Sauce

During this stretch of weather that can't decide whether it's winter or not, I have neither the energy nor the desire to spend much time in the kitchen.

I do, however, feel like eating something delicious and nourishing. Hmm. Laziness and hunger are a tough combo.

Somehow, I still managed to pull together a hearty, nourishing lunch in no time: pea and mint stew with a creamy white sauce.

It's just the thing when I don't feel like cooking but still want something good to eat.

This stew has plenty going for it nutritionally:

• A reasonable calorie count
• High-quality protein
• Plenty of fiber
• Lots of important antioxidants

You get the idea. This is a pretty stellar lunch.

Join the Vegan Body Composition Challenge 

A Little About This Pea and Mint Stew

• The base is dried peas that I've soaked overnight.

You can actually make this stew with whatever legumes you like: chickpeas, lentils, beans, and more.

• For color, antioxidants, and a fresh bite, I used frozen petite peas. You can swap in green beans or green fava beans, or leave them out altogether.
• Yellow mustard seeds give this stew a distinctive flavor and a wonderful aroma. Don't have any? You can skip them.
• The refreshing white sauce is made with silken tofu. Make sure you use silken, not regular firm tofu: its delicate texture is more like panna cotta.

Nutrition Facts:

For 1 serving of pea and mint stew with white sauce, out of 2 servings, weighing approximately 400 g (14 oz).

*The estimated serving weight varies depending on factors such as how long the peas soak, how fresh they are, cooking time, room temperature, and so on.

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

10 Things You Didn't Know About Peas

Pea and Mint Stew with White Sauce

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Yield 2 servings

Calories 347 kcal

Ingredients

• 1 cup dried green peas 200 g (7 oz)
• 1 cup frozen petite peas 120 g (4.2 oz)
• 1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds 12 g (0.4 oz)
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 tablespoons olive oil 20 ml (0.7 fl oz)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 340 g (12 oz) silken tofu
• 1 handful chopped mint leaves
• 1 half hot chile pepper optional
• 1 teaspoon sliced almonds optional

White Sauce

• 1 teaspoon salt
• Juice of half a lemon

Instructions

Start the Night Before

1. Cover the dried green peas with water and soak overnight (at least 5 hours).

2. Drain the peas, discard the soaking water, and set aside.

3. Heat the oil in a deep pot.

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

5. Cook over low heat for about 2–3 minutes, until the seeds start popping like tiny popcorn kernels.

6. Add the crushed garlic and cook for about 1 minute. Watch it closely so it doesn't burn.

7. Add the soaked, drained peas and cook over low heat for another 2–3 minutes, stirring.

8. Add 2 cups of water and 1 teaspoon of baking soda. Bring to a boil.

9. Reduce the heat and simmer for about half an hour, until the peas are tender.

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

Make the White Sauce

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

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

3. Blend until completely smooth, then transfer to a bowl.

4. Spoon the finished stew into a serving bowl. Top with sliced almonds, chopped mint, a little hot chile pepper, and the white sauce.