Crock Pot Vegan Beef-less Stew Ah, the Crock Pot. One of my favorite time-savers. I LOVE my Crock Pot. It is one of the best purchase I ever made. And now that I am not only working full-time but also in grad school, I need even more help saving time and money without sacrificing flavor or an overall sense of yummy-ness. This weekend I made one of my husband's favorites: "Beef" Stew. I didn't write down what I was doing as I did it, so what follows is a rough approximation. In 1 tablespoon of olive oil, saute the following ingredients over low to medium heat for several minutes: 1 chopped large onion 2 cloves garlic 3 stalks sliced celery 3 carrots, chopped Throw in some fresh chopped sage leaves, some parsley, a little sherry, a little salt and pepper, and then finally 6 chopped small baby portabello mushrooms. Cover the pan with a lid and let it cook down a little longer, and then stir in one small can or jar of tomato paste. Cover again and then remo...