Recipe: Abudant Antioxidant Ragout

Today is a slow day in the Pilates world, so as promised, I decided to experiment with some of the antioxidant-rich produce items from my previous post. I adapted a recipe from this month's Vegetarian Times for Spicy Vegi-Sausage and Swiss Chard Ragout. Ragout is the French version of stew.

Since it's a Monday and there aren't any Farmer's Markets today, I bought every ingredient from Trader Joe's which was actually quite convenient. Here is the recipe:

3 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
4 Vegetarian Italian sausages (I used Tofurky brand), halved and cut into 1/4-inch slices
10 ounce bag of sliced Crimini mushrooms
2 medium onions, chopped
16 ounce bag of "Chard of Many Colors" (TJ's mixture of chard & kale)
3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 cups vegetable broth
3 cups cooked brown rice
Fresh parmesan cheese

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in Dutch oven over Medium heat. Add sausage slices and cook 5 to 7 minutes, or until browned, turning often. Transfer to paper-towel-lined plate, and set aside.

Heat remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in same pot over medium heat. Add mushrooms and onions and saute for 10 minutes. Add chard, sweet potatoes, and broth and season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until potatoes are cooked through.

Stir in sausage and brown rice. Garnish with parmesan cheese.

The verdict: This was a super filling meal that is obviously quite high in antioxidants. If you are not into meat substitutes, I would use a "real" lower fat sausage replacement. I actually think that the Tofurky sausage is pretty good. The recipe yields a LOT of stew, enough for several days. Definitely not a "kid friendly" option. I know my child would balk at the mere sight of all the colors. But for adults, you'd be hard pressed to find a meal, outside of a very leafy green salad, that would provide as much nutritional value as this one.

Calories per serving: 415
Fat: 13 grams
Protein: 20 grams
Fiber: 10 grams