10-Minute Warm Vegetable Stew
Disclosure: I received free samples of Libby’s new Vegetable Pouches mentioned in this post. By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by Libby’s and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.
I was pretty stoked when, about 6 months or so ago, my sister decided to ditch her chips and salsa habit and jump on the healthy food bandwagon!
This past weekend, being in a conundrum as to her food choices, she was a tad befuddled as to why were there no healthy frozen meals for busy professionals – like herself, and asked me for suggestions.
Now, I, too, have the “busy” part mastered – but as for the frozen meals, I was at a loss.
I don’t often venture down the frozen food aisles – unless I need a sugar fix and venture down there to pick me up some froyo; or, unless I need a “princess fix” and wonder down the empty aisles, squealing (and embarrassing my daughter in the process) when the motion sensitive lights go off – making me feel like a VIP! BTW-the next time you find yourself in an empty frozen food aisle, I would highly recommend this – now not all stores have motion sensitive lights – but when you find one that does – you are in for a treat! ๐
Getting back to my sister’s conundrum, I was trying to think about her options when the chance to try out Libby‘s new Vegetable Pouches presented itself through my affiliation with The Recipe Redux.
Sliced carrots, Sweet peas, Cut green beans, Mixed vegetables and Sweet corn make up the 5 available types of Libby’s new shelf-stable and microwaveable line of vegetables in ready to heat in pouches.
Notable facts about Libby’s brand new Vegetable Pouches are that they:
• Are microwavable, & cook in less than 1 minute
• Are flexible, no-sharp edges
• Won’t dent
• Stand up
• Fit nicely in kitchen cabinets, taking up less space
• Environmentally friendly: Using 75% less energy to produce pouch packaging. Waste is easily compressed which reduces space in home disposal and landfills.
• Easy-to-open, easy-to-carry
• Packaging made with BPA non-intent materials
Libby’s Vegetable Pouches will be rolling out in select Walmart stores this fall and will be available nationwide in January 2015.
Keeping in mind that these vegetable pouches are “ideal for time-constrained consumers” like my sister and I, adding “farm-fresh vegetable goodness to (our) tables in less than one minute“, I figured I would use them to make a quick stew which could also pass as a warm salad – and time myself as the contest was to come up with a recipe in 10 minutes or less!
I started off with some olive oil heating in a pan – I roughly chopped up my favorite immune boosting trio of garlic, onion and ginger and threw them into the pan. As they cooked, I roughly chopped a green bell pepper and threw that into the pan as well.
While the green pepper was cooking, I microwaved Libby’s Sweet Corn, Sweet Peas and Green Bean pouches and poured them into the pan as well, with some black beans that were hanging out in my fridge.
Then I quickly stirred in some pumpkin puree, tomato paste, cumin, cayenne, chili and turmeric powders…
…aaannnd what do you know – I had 24 seconds to spare!
I did not use any salt or pepper as they didn’t seem necessary.
Here’s hoping the next time y’all are super time crunched, y’all pick up a pouch of Libby’s Vegetables!
Ingredients
- Olive Oil
- 3 cloves garlic chopped
- 1/2 red onion chopped
- 1 inch piece of ginger chopped
- 1 green bell pepper chopped
- 1 pouch Libby's Sweet Corn
- 1 cup Libby's peas
- 1/2 cup Libby's beans
- 1/2 cup black beans
- 1 cup 100% pumpkin puree
- 4 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne powder
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
Instructions
- Saute onion, garlic and ginger in a pan with olive oil over high heat
- Add chopped bell pepper and stir
- Heat Libby's pouches for 45 seconds and add listed quantities to the pan
- Add black beans, pumpkin puree, tomato paste, cumin, cayenne, chili and turmeric and stir
- Enjoy with crusty bread or straight up!
Yum- love me some vegetable stew- this looks delicious, Shashi! And the beauty of it is that aside from taking 10 minutes to whip up, stews are great for batch cooking multiple servings to use later on in the week. I’m sure this would freeze really well! These veggie packets from Libby’s sound fab- do they add any sodium?
Thanks so much Khushboo!
You know what – am not sure of what the sodium content is – I threw away the packaging and I cannot seem to find any info in the email I was sent or online ๐
I’ll admit that I too have wondered why there aren’t more veggo options in the frozen food aisle as many people stick to plant based foods. With those pouches dinner’s ready in a jiffy!
You are so right Maureen – these veggie pouches are such a time-saver!
Hehe, too cute – I could just picture you squealing down the empty frozen food aisles ๐ This looks so healthy and delicious! Love how convenient and easy it is to get a meal packed full of veggies!
Haha – not so cute when someone turns the corner and looks at me like they think am crazy!!! ๐
Thanks so much Kelly!
This looks great. I totally feel your sister on the lack of food for busy people.
Thank you Kelly!
Beans, corns and peas are something I eat very frequently. This is a great veggie stew, Shashi.
Thank you so much Angie!
This is a delicious sounding recipe. I love the idea Libby’s have come up with. Very cool & makes cooking 10x easier. Big congrats to your sister on joining you on the healthy wagon. I’m sure she’s feeling great these days!
Thanks oodles Jessie – yup, she seems much better!
These pouches are perfect for busy nights!
Loved the recipe, and loved the picture of the vegetable stew being scooped up by that piece of crusty bread. Completely salivating here! ๐
Just need to hope that these new Libby’s pouches are also stocked in our Asda stores (owned by Walmart) here in the UK too! ๐
Thank you so much Neil!
I was informed that they will be available nationwide in January 2015 – I hope that availability worldwide will happen asaptoo – I sure hope these make it to Asda stores soon!
This does look quick and super flavorful–great idea! I’ll be sure to keep my eyes out for Libby’s.
Thanks so much Erin!
libby’s has vegetable pouches now? wow, i so need these! endless recipe ideas, this one is included. Love veggie stew
No kidding!
Yes – they are supposedly available at select Walmart stores currently – but will be all over come January 2015
This sounds so yummy! Also I LOVE that photo of all those colorful veggies in the pan! I kinda want to make it my background ๐
Haha – OH Charlotte you are so sweet – thank you my friend!
I actually LOVE frozen veggies/fruit. If I buy fresh, it always end up going bad before we can eat it at all, so I am ALL THE excited to try these….and love anything made in 10 mins. BOOM. Pinned!
Thanks so much Taylor!
You know – I need to learn some self control from ya – I buy one of those ginormous bags of broccoli from Costco and it’s gone in one week!
Wow that looks like a great way to end a long winter day & it’s easy too. I’m pinning thanks for sharing. Happy Tuesday!
Thank you so much Leslie! Happy Tuesday back atcha ๐
Holy cow! 10 minutes?? I had a crock pot of vegetable beef stew simmering for over 9 hours this weekend! 10 minutes is better for sure! Love all the colors in this.
Thanks Chris – I’m thinking the lack of meat and those heat and serve veggie pouches quickened things up for me…
This looks so delicious and hearty! And 10 minutes!!? What a great way to skip the drive-through, right?!
Thanks Marissa – in my neck of the woods – the drive to the drive through takes minutes! ๐
What a fun idea, Shashi! And even better is the fact that you used crispy bread as a “chip” and the stew as a “dip.” You are mega-creative…and your healthy ways just might start to rub off on me one of these days. Maybe. Haha!
So to be honest -credit for the bread as a chip goes to my daughter – she said she would help me with the pics if she could eat her Udi’s GF french baguette while I was shooting – one of the pieces accidentally was in a pic and well…
Hey – how bout I help you jump start YOUR healthy ways by overnighting you some of this stew – in exchange for some of those caramel marshmallow brownie bars – Laura’s co-workers have decided to go on a diet! ๐
Laura’s co-workers going on a diet means TROUBLE for me!! Say it isn’t so! ๐
Veggie stew in 10 minutes? Yes, please. Sign me up. Love easy peasy for dinner!
Have a blessed day!
Thanks so much Melanie! Hope you have a blessed week!
xx
I LOVE A STEW THAT is also a DIP! Whenever I go home and my dad cooks a “stew” or a ratatoullie or a puttenesca or whatever, I alway take some raw cabbage and DIP IN when he’s not looking, ha ha! And then I burn my mouth as punishment. WHOOPS!
Haha – this is a stew/warm salad/dip ALL rolled into one! OOh – raw cabbage to cradle each mouthful of this sounds like a GREAT idea!
That was poetry!
You know that I’m a big fan of dishes that can be whipped up in a heartbeat and this stew is no exception.
Packed with veggie awesomeness, I can’t wait to try this!
Dude – veggies are awesmazing! ๐
Stew in 10 minutes? Sign me up!
Lisa – might be quicker if you had chopped onions, ginger, garlic and pepper on hand -ready to go!
Chris would love it if I made vegetable stew – it has never been my favorite so I don’t make it. (head chef gets to choose the menu:)
Hey – i the head chef isn’t happy – no-one is right? ๐
Woohoo! Quickest stew ever! You get bonus points for the Libby’s pumpkin too ๐
Thanks Rebecca for pointing out the Libby’s pumpkin puree too – I didn’t realize it till just now! ๐
YUM!!! This looks amazing!! …and only 10 minutes!! Wow! What a win! ๐
Thank you so much Cailee – cannot beat a quick dinner! ๐
Hi Shashi, this certainly is a healthly and quick dinner. Looks delicious too!
Thanks so much Cheri
That looks really good and in 10 minutes is fantastic! We don’t have those motion sensitive lights but that sounds so funny! ๐
Thanks Lorraine – yes -it is so much fun – till someone walks around the corner and looks at you questioningly! ๐
I love food packed in pouches! ๐
You did a great job turn1ng those vegetables into a fabulous meal in such a short time! Love that you added pumpkin. Yum!
Thanks Christin – pumpkin is the secret stew thickener ๐
This stew looks awesome! You’re going to win for sure ๐ I love all the spices. Seriously yum.
Aww-you are so sweet – thank you so much sweet friend!
Libbys is pretty expensive over here compared to our local brand. But I still buy, especially one of two of their stand out products. Love the stew and sure, its so inviting.
Thank you so very much!
The color alone makes this look so delicious! Warm vegetable stew is so simple, but ultimately my favorite thing to eat ๐
Thanks so much P – some nights simple stew wins! ๐
A quick vegetable stew sounds like a great thing to be able to whip up this time of year!
It sure is Amy! Thank you
Frozen veggies get a bad rep, but they are SO good for you! Sometimes even better than produce that has been shipped across the country. This stew sounds so tasty and love how quick it is to throw together!
Thanks Joanne – my mom loves her frozen veggies – I guess I don’t give them enough play in my recipes – I just like cutting and dicing – it’s weirdly relaxing for me!
Veggie stew in 10 minutes? I’m on! I love tasty, quickly cooked dishes. And frozen veggies are usually very high quality. This looks superb — thanks.
Thank you so much KR!
Love stews with beans, corn, pumpkin, and more beans! ๐ My kind of stew!
Thanks so much Julia!
10 minutes? Um yes! I love the sound of this stew – with all the veggies and beans. My kind of meal!
Thanks Ashley!
Actually, I think you can shave some time off if you happen to have chopped up onions, garlic and ginger on hand…talk about a speedy stew eh? ๐
I love the idea that you can put all together in 10 minutes….looks great and very tasty.
Thanks for the post Shashi…hope you are having a wonderful week ๐
Oh goodness, this looks delicious! I love the addition of the pumpkin. Maybe I’ll substitute yellow bell pepper so I can still have the color, as I used the corn in my recipe. ๐
This is a great quick winter meal!! There are so many variations possible too!
I’ve never heard of these Vegetable Pouches but will look for them when they come out!! thanks for this post!
Shashi, I’m so impressed these good lookin vegetables came from those pouches.
Also, great creation. Who doesn’t want a 10 minute stew recipe in their back pocket.
I like pumpkin and tomato together. Adding vegetables makes this an awesome stew!
This is definitely my kind of game. I wonder if I can find pumplin puree here. Would love to try out the sauce!