Veggie Lentil Stew+ My Favorite Cornbread!

It’s starting to get cold here in New York, so today I would like to share one of my very favorite (and most frequently made) meals for when the temperature starts to drop.  This Veggie Lentil Stew is super warming and full of protein, fiber and colorful nutrients!  Unlike most stews and chills, I like to limit the amount of spices so you can really taste the flavor of the vegetables.

This stew is great on it’s own and even better paired with cornbread! My very favorite cornbread recipe comes from the amazing vegan restaurant, Angelica Kitchen. Their recipe is pretty much just brown rice, oats and cornmeal so it’s very simple to make and very good for you.  You can find the recipe in their cookbook or you can check it out here.

Lentil Veggie Stew

makes 4 bowls or 6 cups (and possibly some leftovers)

What you’ll need:

• 1 cup lentils, dry (or 1 can cooked lentils)
• 1 tbs coconut oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 large carrots, cut into bite-size pieces
• 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled (if not organic) and cut into bite-sized pieces
• 3 celery stalks, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 cup brussels sprouts, ends removed and cut in half
• 1 can crushed tomatoes (Eden Foods is my favorite)
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 2 tbs tamari (or regular soy sauce if gluten-free is not needed)
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• optional– pinch of cayenne pepper

Directions:

1. In a small pot, prepare lentils (if uncooked). Bring 2 cups of water to a boil, add lentils and cook for about 25 minutes.
2. In a large pot, heat coconut oil at a medium heat. Add onions and garlic and sauté for about 10 minutes (stirring throughout) or until onions begin to brown.
3. Add vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Once it’s boiling, add carrots, sweet potatoes, celery and brussel sprouts. Cook for 15 minutes.
4. Add can of tomatoes, lentils and tamari. Simmer for at least 5 minutes. Add salt, pepper and cayenne to taste. For a thicker stew, allow pot to simmer uncovered for another 10-15 minutes, otherwise serve right away and enjoy!

Who needs bowls? We enjoyed the stew served right over warm cornbread!

I actually think the best part about this recipe is having the leftovers all week!