Beany Biome Stew: A Gut-Supporting Bean Stew for Winter

It’s stew season, and here at Ancient + Brave we’re ready - there’s one recipe we can’t get enough of: our hearty Beany Biome Stew.

As the temperature drops and seasonal bugs start to circulate, fueling the body with warming, nourishing meals - soups, broths and stews - goes a long way towards helping the immune system build the resilience it needs for winter.

With around 70% of the immune system residing in the gut, our nutritionists have crafted a fibre-rich stew recipe that recognises how interconnected the gut and immune system are, bringing this focus to the recipe.

The result? Our Beany Biome stew - a comforting, vegan autumnal stew enriched with plant-based protein, fibre-packed legumes, vegetables and True Biome pre- and postbiotic gut support; it's the ultimate autumn-winter warmer.

Easy to prepare on the hob or slow cooker, it's perfect for batch cooking and can be enjoyed for dinner, lunch or whenever you need a warming boost.

True Biome contains heat-killed postbiotics and no live bacteria, so it can withstand the heat of cooking and a freezer for batch cooking. 

Best of all, many of the ingredients are store cupboard staples, making it a healthy, economical choice of dinner for a colder day.

Makes: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 4 tsp True Biome

• 1 can butter beans

• 1 can Kidney beans

• 1 Red onion, diced

• 4 Garlic cloves, diced

• 1 Butternut squash, diced

• 10-15 New Potatoes, diced

• 4 stems cavolo nero, chopped

• 1 can chopped tomatoes

• 1 tsp Miso paste

• 1 handful of chopped rosemary

• 1 handful of chopped thyme

• 1 tbsp smoked paprika

• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• Salt and pepper for seasoning

Optional toppings

• 1 handful of cashews, finely chopped

• A sprinkle of pumpkin seeds

• A drizzle of Crispy Chilli oil

Method

1. Heat a tbsp of olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced red onion and cook for 5–6 minutes until soft, then add the garlic and cook for a further minute.

2. Next, add the diced butternut squash and new potatoes, stir to coat, and cook for 2–3 minutes.

3. Add 1 tbsp of Miso paste to around 650ml of water to make a Miso stock.

4. Then, pour in the chopped tomatoes and the Miso stock to just cover the vegetables. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 15–20 minutes, until the squash and potatoes are almost tender.

5. Drain and rinse the butter beans, black beans and kidney beans, then stir them into the pot along with the cavolo nero.

6. Simmer, uncovered, for a further 8–10 minutes until the cavolo nero has wilted, and everything is fully tender.

7. Stir in True Biome until fully dissolved, then season to taste with smoked paprika, salt and pepper.

8. Finally, ladle into bowls, scatter over the chopped rosemary and thyme, and finish with the optional cashews, pumpkin seeds and a drizzle of crispy chilli oil.

Why we love this recipe 

When the seasons shift, looking to seasonal plants is a lovely way to move with the cycles and support our health - just like our ancestors would have. The ease of the recipe, plus the blend of delicious ingredients and flavours, makes this meal a non-negotiable part of transitioning into the colder months.

The simple act of adding True Biome brings an intelligent blend of PHGG, a soluble prebiotic fibre. Prebiotics, the L-glutamine amino acid and the heat-treated postbiotic strain Lactobacillus plantarum HK L-137. Together, these nourish the gut microbiome to help maintain the gut lining and support gut resilience against stressors 

“This winter stew is loaded with gut-loving fibre and plant variety to support a healthy microbiome balance. Beans are powerhouses for our health, providing plant-based protein, fibre and micronutrients that support our gut health and overall wellbeing - plus they’re versatile, easy to cook and affordable too!” Izzy Hartnoll, ANutr Nutritionist (BSc, MSc) 

We hope that you enjoy this recipe. For more winter recipe inspiration from our nutritionist’s kitchen, see our immune-supporting winter soup recipe, made with True Biome; it's our go-to soup for those chilly winter nights.