Sweet Potato Lentil Stew

A good fall meal. I've never tasted anything quite like it. Give it a try!

Ingredients
-1/4 cup safflower oil
-1 medium onion, diced
-2 small tomatoes, diced
-1 tsp fresh minced ginger
-1 1/2 tsp turmeric
-1 tsp cumin
-1 tsp ground coriander
-1/2 tsp cinnamon
-1/8 tsp cayenne
fine sea salt
2-3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4 cubes
7 cups vegetable broth*
1 cup brown lentils

Heat oil over medium heat in large deep pot. Add the onions and cook for about 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and ginger and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the turmeric, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, cayenne, and a small pinch of salt. Cook and stir for 2 minutes.

Add sweet potatoes, broth, and lentils. Stir well, and bring to a boil over high heat. When the mixture comes to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about 40 minutes or until lentils and potatoes are soft.

*Veggie Broth - Amateur Style

Take carrots, celery, and onions and chop them. Throw in a big pot full of water then add 2 bay leaves, salt and pepper and simmer for a couple hours. Strain and use. Freeze remaining broth.

Recipe from: The Kind Diet

Healthy, Meatless Meal

Does anyone else get pure joy and pleasure from watching their kids eat good and healthy meals? Is it a mother thing? I love it when Charles eats and enjoys meal that are nothing but good for him. I feel like I'm doing my job, I guess. It's nice when I like it, too!

This is a meatless meal from my Gooseberry Patch cookbook called What's for Dinner? I made it Friday. And then added leftover cooked chicken to this meal's leftovers just to pack even more punch! I adapted the recipe slightly...for example I prefer all of my veggies diced, but you can just chop them any size you want.

Rice, Lentils, & Veggies

1 T oil

1 c carrots, diced

2-3 celery stalks, diced

1 onion, diced

1 c long-cooking rice, uncooked

1 c dried lentils, rinsed

2 cans 10 3/4 oz vegetable broth

15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 t oregano

1/2 t basil

2 cloves garlic minced

pepper to taste

2 T catsup

1 can tomatoes

10 oz package frozen spinach

Heat oil in skillet; add carrots, celery, onion, rice and lentils. Cook for 5-7 minutes, or until veggies are softening. Stir in remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer for 30 -45 minutes or until everything is tender. Serves 8-10.

Note: Watch the liquid. I think I used 3 cups broth and it worked out nicely for me, but add more as needed to softened everything up. Also this makes a ton of food!!! Just so you know! Oh yes, and I definitely added salt to taste when eating it.

'Tis the Season

For yet another soup recipe! This one is a great simple meatless meal, good for Fridays. And I think pretty much all of the ingredients will be in your pantry. From my favorite cookbook: Simply in Season.

Hearty Lentil Stew
4 c water
1 c dried lentils
1 c tomatoes, diced
4 large carrots, chopped
2 onions, chopped
1 t thyme
1/2 t marjoram
2 T dry sherry (optional)
Cook together until lentils and carrots are soft, 40-45 minutes.
1/4 c fresh parsley
2-3 T salt to taste
Stir in parsley with salt. Heat another minutes and serve, garnish with grated Swiss or Gruyere cheese.

I didn't use sherry, parsley or cheese and it was still delicious. Also note that it only gets better after sitting in the fridge. I thought it was fine at first but each leftover tastes better - now I would label it as delicious!!