Did you know that improving your health can be as easy as cutting out meat and processed cold cuts one day a week? Doing so can reduce your risk of preventable chronic conditions like cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity.

Enter Meatless Monday. This week's recipe is Vegan Sausage & Potato Stew. "As fall approaches, you might be craving something hearty to warm up those chilly nights," says chef Asata, who provided the recipe. She adds,"This vegan sausage and potato stew is perfect comfort food, but without all the fat and calories associated with traditional cool weather dishes."

Vegan Sausage & Potato Stew

Serves 6

1 medium onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 lb of new potatoes (red potatoes) thinly sliced

4 links of meatless Cajun-style sausage, removed from casing

1 to 1 1/2 cup of prepared tomato sauce

2-3 Tbsp Life Chef Flamenco Spice Blend — OR — combination smoked & sweet paprika, cayenne pepper, turmeric, garlic and thyme

1 cup green olives, halved

1 cup of fresh parsley, chopped

Zest and juice from 1 lemon

In a large pot, sauté onions and garlic in olive oil over medium-high heat until tender.

Add potatoes and sausage, stirring to break up any chunks.

Season with Life Chef Flamenco Spice Blend (or alternative spice blend), stir in tomato sauce, cover and let cook until the potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally, about 15-20 minutes.

Just before serving, stir in the olives, lemon zest and juice, and parsley. Serve immediately.

Nutrition info: 169 calories, 8 g total fat, 1 g saturated fat, 0 grams trans fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 576 mg sodium, 18 g total carbs, 3 g dietary fiber, 6 g sugar and 8 g protein.

About Chef Asata:

Chef Asata completed her degree in culinary arts from the International School of Culinary Arts at the Art Institute of Atlanta in 2000 and has been a professional chef for nearly a decade, in some of Atlanta’s top-rated restaurants and in private homes. She started Life Chef LLC in 2006 to educate people how to make healthy eating a delicious, easy and inexpensive part of their lifestyle. Her recipes, healthy eating tips, and food-advocacy articles have been published nationally in Ebony, Real Health and Upscale magazine. Asata teaches cooking classes for teens and adults at the Cooks Warehouse in Atlanta. For more information visit www.lifechef.net

(Photo: Flickr.com/m-e-c)