
Yooper Fantasy Stew is like a naked pasty, but spicy and healthy. (That’s PAA-sty, the Cornish handpies filled with stew, not PAY-sties, part of many strippers’ wardrobes.) My family always got pasties when we went to the Upper Peninsula (U.P.) of Michigan. My Aunt Mattie was a Yooper who ran tourist cabins, was president of her local snowmobile club, and freely shared her homemade blackberry wine.
I love pasty crust, but it’s as much of a challenge to make as pie dough. It’s also made with lard or shortening, so it’s loaded with fat. My recipe ditches the crust and amps up the flavor and nutrition with mushrooms, kale, and spices, then tops the stew with bites of crispy Field Roast Italian veggie sausage. The result tastes like a fantasy version of my childhood summer vacations.
Yooper Fantasy Stew costs just $2.47 for a big, meal-in-a-bowl serving using mostly organic ingredients. Field Roast sausages are GMO-free and use some but not all organic ingredients.

Prep Time | 30 minutes |
Passive Time | 15 minutes |
Servings |
servings
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- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 medium potato such as a Yukon Gold, chopped
- 1/2 medium red onion peeled and chopped
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 medium carrots chopped
- 2 large white button mushrooms chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried ground turmeric
- 1/4 teaspoon dried ground chipotle powder
- 2 cups kale
- 1 each Field Roast Italian Sausage
- 2 tablespoons ketchup optional, for serving
Ingredients
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- Mince garlic and set aside. Put potato and onion into a medium pot with water and cook over medium-low heat. Stir in carrots, mushrooms, and spices. Add chopped kale stems and cook for five minutes.
- For the best texture, pre-heat oven to 350° F (325° F convection or fan). Cut veggie sausage lengthwise and then crossways into bite-sized pieces. Put sausage on a pan and roast for 8 minutes or until hot and crispy. To use less energy (yours and the power company's), just add cut sausage directly to the stew when you add the kale.
- Chop kale leaves and add on top of stew without stirring. Cover and cook until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings.
- Serve hot in bowls, topped with ketchup and veggie sausage if roasted. Any extra keeps for about five days refrigerated.
Nutritional Information for Yooper Fantasy Stew
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