Four Friends Stew (Vegan)

This is "accidentally vegan," meaning I didn't plan it that way, and actually this soup is best finished with butter when serving. You can try vegan spread, but I haven't.

You don't have to make it in the crockpot but I find it's perfect for that method since it takes so long to cook some of these items (like the dried corn). This is rich, thick and nutty.

You need:

2 c dried baby lima beans

1 c wheat berries (whole wheat grains)

1 c dried corn (whole unground corn)

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 large onion, chopped

1 bunch stewing greens (chard, collards, kale--something sturdier than spinach--mixed is fine), stemmed and chopped roughly

1/2 c white wine

1/4 c nutritional yeast

Fresh pepper

Salt

2 tsp herbes de provence, the last resort of culinary scoundrels like me

Water to cover at least twice over

To make:

Place the dried corn, limas and wheat into the crockpot with water enough to cover it twice over--at least 8 cups. This stuff will S-W-E-L-L, so if you have a small crockpot make half a recipe even if you can get all the ingredients into yours. The voice of experience, friends. Add a few twists of fresh pepper from the grinder, the onion and the garlic. Cook 4-5 hours until the beans and grains are soft.

About 2 hours before you're ready to eat, add the wine, the herbes de provence, the greens and the nutritional yeast, and keep cooking. Adjust the salt and pepper before serving.

Serve with a pat of butter on top and good crusty bread.