Lentil and Sweet Potato Stew

I mentioned a couple of days ago that sweet potatoes are not my favorite thing to eat. Well, this stew almost changed that for me. This stew was spectacular. It really is a simple recipe, but the lentils and veggies just really taste so good together. My 4 year old was really excited to eat this and gave 2 thumbs up for this one. It fits this time of year and tastes great re-warmed the next day.

Here is the recipe for Lentil and Sweet Potato Stew

Hearty Vegetable Stew

It has cooled down a little bit around here the past week or so, and that means it is okay for me to make soup and/or stew more often. My husband doesn't really enjoy either of these, but he really doesn't like them in the heat of summer. Now that it is September, it is officially soup/stew season. Even though it will probably warm back up soon. (Fine with me!) The calendar says September and Fall, so soup and stews are on the menu.

As soon as I saw this stew in Everyday Food Magazine, I knew I would make it. It is easy. It is quick. And it is full of veggies. I loved this even though it was so simple. It had great flavor and my family really liked it too.

Hearty Vegetable Stew
Everyday Food Magazine September 2011

2 Tablespoons olive oil
3 carrots, thinly sliced
3 celery stalks, thinly sliced
1 medium onion, diced medium
salt and pepper
1 Tablespoon tomato paste
2 14 oz cans diced tomatoes
1 bunch kale, stems removed, leaves chopped
1 can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
2 sprigs thyme

In a large, heavy pot, heat oil over medium. Add carrots, celery and onion; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until carrots soften, about 5 minutes.

Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, kale, beans, thyme and 2 cups water; bring to a boil. Reduce to a rapid simmer and cook until slightly reduced, 15 minutes.

Marrakesh Stew

I know I am a complete wierdo, but I totally crave things that are chock full of vegetables. This stew practically jumped out at me from the pages of EveryDay Food a few weeks ago. It was a cold day, so the thought of a hearty vegetable stew really made me happy. Carrots, eggplant, butternut squash, potatoes, tomatoes and chickpeas- what a healthy, delicious combination.

I am always a little bit skeptical when cinnamon is called for in a savory recipe, but with the cumin, coriander and cayenne, the cinnamon really played a nice part in the flavor here. It worked well with everything else that was going on in this dish.


Now, this stew is not beautiful to look at, but it is wonderfully spiced and delicious. I warned my family not to make any comments about how this looked, but to give it a chance and try it first, and they were all pleasantly surprised at how tasty it was.

This makes a lot of stew, so I have a large ziploc bag of it in the freezer, along with the leftover Israeli couscous mix, just waiting for a busy night a couple weeks from now, when I can just put the frozen stew on the stove and have an instant dinner. I love it when there is enough of something leftover that it can be dinner again in a couple of weeks!

Marrakesh Stew from Everyday Food Magazine

Serves 8 * Active time: 10 min. * Total time: 1 hour

Ingredients:
1 TBSP extra-virgin olive oil
1 large red onion, diced large
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 to 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon allspice
4 large carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces
coarse salt and ground pepper
1 15 oz can diced tomatoes
3 3/4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
2 small eggplants, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 can (15.5 oz) chickpeas, rinsed and drained


In an 8-quart Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat oil over medium-high. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 5 minutes.
Add spices, and cook until fragrant, 2 minutes.
Add carrots, potatoes, and squash and season with salt and pepper.

Cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, 5 minutes.
Add tomatoes and broth- vegetables should be completely covered by liquid; add water to cover if necessary.
Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook, uncovered, for 20 minutes.

Add eggplant, stir to combine, and simmer until eggplant is tender, 20 minutes.
Stir in chickpeas, season to taste with salt and pepper, and cook until chickpeas are warmed through.


*I served this over the Harvest Grains Blend from Trader Joe's- a combination of Israeli couscous, orzo, and red quinoa.

Curried Red Lentil and Swiss Chard Stew with Garbanzo Beans & Seeded Cornmeal Biscuits

I have professed my love for red lentils before. I actually love all types of lentils, but red ones are just so delicious.
One of my good friends, who I was able to reconnect with recently, shared a great recipe with me a number of years ago and I shared it HERE. (along with another great red lentil soup)

Ever since I tried my friends soup years ago, I have been buying red lentils- at the local health food store, in the bulk section) and trying different recipes with them.
I love it when lentils are combined with dark greens and swiss chard is a definite favorite. I always use the stems and ribs of my swiss chard, because they soften up nicely and are yummy.

This Stew contains curry powder and garbanzo beans, so it is super healthy. And so tasty.
Perfect for the cold weather we are having. I know lots of places are colder than here right now, but this morning when I went to exercise it was a whopping 18 degrees! Not fun.

I found the Seeded Cornmeal Biscuits when I was searching on myrecipes.com for a hearty bread item to go along with this stew. They sounded perfect- a combination of whole wheat flour, cornmeal and lots of seeds on top. I have had great success with other biscuits on this site and knew they would be fabulous.
Once again, I like hearthy, healthy tasting breads. Some people in my family do not- mainly my hubby. He prefers Wonder Bread.
But the good news on these biscuits is that they were really popular with my kids. And they tasted good the next day and the next one after that.
I wish I had some of this leftover right now because I would eat it for breakfast.
(The recipe uses plain yogurt as a topping, I used Greek yogurt)

Recipe for Curried Red Lentil and Swiss Chard Stew with Garbanzo Beans

Recipe for Seeded Cornmeal Biscuits

Lentil Stew with Butternut Squash

This couldn't be easier. A hearty stew that you throw in the crock pot. It has 2 of my favorite foods- lentils and butternut squash. I don't really know what else to say about it besides the fact that it is delicious, loaded with fiber, and super easy to make. I don't know how much longer we are going to have butternut squash available, but if you still have some in the store, buy one and take a easy night by making this stew. You won't be sorry.

Lentil Stew with Butternut Squash From Good Housekeeping Magazine
INGREDIENTS
3 large stalks celery, cut into 1/4-inch thick slices
1 large (12-ounce) onion, chopped
1 large (2 1/2-pound) butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 bag(s) (1 pound) brown lentils
4 cup(s) water
1 can(s) (14 to 14 1/2 ounces) vegetable broth
1/2 teaspoon(s) dried rosemary
Salt and pepper
1 ounce(s) Parmesan or Romano cheese, shaved with vegetable peeler
1/4 cup(s) loosely packed fresh parsley leaves, chopped

DIRECTIONS
In 4 1/2- to 6-quart slow cooker bowl, combine celery, onion, squash, lentils, water, broth, rosemary, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.

Cover slow cooker with lid, and cook as manufacturer directs on low setting 8 hours.
To serve, spoon lentil stew into serving bowls; top with Parmesan shavings, and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Makes about 11 1/2 cups.

Coming Tomorrow- Homemade Pomegranate Molasses

Indian Cauliflower Curry Stew

Sometimes you just need a quick and easy dinner. Chop a few ingredients, throw them in the pot and forget about it for a few minutes.
That is exactly what this dinner is. It was quick and super easy, but the best thing about it was the taste. Delicious.
You can't really see the brown rice hidden under all the yummy veggies and beans, but it is there. My kids loved this one and that makes it good enough for me.

Indian Cauliflower Curry Stew From Good Housekeeping
INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon(s) olive oil
3 medium carrots, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 1/2 cup(s) brown rice
1 tablespoon(s) finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
1 tablespoon(s) curry powder
Salt
2 1/2 cup(s) vegetable broth
1 medium (2-pound) head cauliflower, cut into small florets
2 can(s) (15 to 19 ounces each) garbanzo beans (chickpeas), rinsed and drained
1/2 cup(s) loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
1/4 cup(s) plain low-fat yogurt plus additional for serving
DIRECTIONS
In 6-quart Dutch oven, heat oil on medium-high until hot. Add carrots and onion, and cook 10 to 12 minutes or until vegetables are lightly browned and tender, stirring frequently.
Meanwhile, prepare rice as label directs; keep warm.
Stir ginger, curry, and 3/4 teaspoon salt into carrot mixture; cook 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add broth; cover and heat to boiling on high. Stir in cauliflower and garbanzo beans; cover and cook on medium 15 to 20 minutes longer, gently stirring every 5 minutes until cauliflower is tender.
To serve, stir chopped cilantro and 1/4 cup yogurt into cauliflower stew. Spoon rice into serving bowls; top with stew. Serve cauliflower stew with additional yogurt to dollop on top if you like. Makes about 8 cups.


Coming Tomorrow- TWD-Corn and Pepper Muffins

Cooking Light Night- Lentil-Edamame Stew

One of the best things about my birthday growing up was choosing what I wanted for dinner. My mom always complied and I often chose her Minestrone, or some other kind of soup, because my birthday is in December and there is and was, alot of snow and cold weather to deal with. Stew won out this year and when I saw this stew in Cooking Light- I couldn't wait to try it. Lentils and Edamame are two of my favorite foods and this stew was delicious. We had some homemade bread alongside and I doubled the stew, to make sure we had enough for everyone. Perfect birthday dinner. I will definitely make this in the future.

Lentil-Edamame Stew from Cooking Light

1 cup dried lentils

3/4 cup frozen shelled edamame (green soybeans)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 cups minced red onion

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained

6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Dash of ground cloves

1. Place lentils in a large saucepan; cover with water to 2 inches above lentils. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until tender. Drain well, and set aside.
2. Place edamame in a small saucepan; cover with water to 2 inches above edamame. Bring to a boil; cook 2 minutes or until edamame are tender. Remove from heat; drain well.
3. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, and tomatoes to pan; sauté 6 minutes or until onion is translucent, stirring often. Stir in lentils, edamame, juice, and remaining ingredients. Cook 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring often

Coming Tomorrow- Lebanese Layer Salad