to make the stew

1. Melt the vegan butter and olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Place the seitan slices into the pot, season with half the salt and pepper, and allow to brown on one side. Flip and brown the other side. Add the mushrooms to the pot, season with the remaining salt and pepper and stir. After a few minutes, they will release a lot of moisture. If you find them sticking, add a little splash of broth and stir.
2. Preheat your oven to 350.
3. Add in the shallots and allow to soften for a few minutes, then add in the minced garlic and stir. Allow to soften for a few minutes more, then add the flour and stir until the seitan and mushrooms are well coated.
4. Increase the heat a bit. Add in the entire bottle of wine, bay leaves and thyme and give it a stir.
5. Cover with a lid and place into the oven to cook for 1 1/2 hours.

for the vegetables

1. When you have about 45 minutes left on the stew cook time, place a smaller Dutch oven on the stovetop over medium heat and add the coconut oil. Place the chopped vegan bacon into the pot and allow to brown a bit around the edges. Add in the liquid smoke.
2. Place the carrots, onions and stock into the pot. Reduce the heat to its lowest setting, cover with a lid, and allow to cook and soften for 20-30 minutes. Remove from the heat.

to serve

1. Remove the stew from the oven and remove the thyme sprigs and bay leaves.
2. Place the desired amount of stew into bowls and top with the vegetables.
3. Serve with mashed potatoes or crusty bread and garnish with fresh chopped parsley.