Protein Packed Red Lentil Comfort Stew

When the cold, wet weather lingers into spring, it’s time to fall back onto a nice warm bowl of Red Lentil Comfort Stew. Wonderfully creamy, satisfying and filling, this is the perfect replacement for an over-processed comfort food, so often laden with refined carbs, chemical preservatives and loads of sugar. 

 Bursting with layers of flavor, healthy veggies and plenty of plant-based protein, this stew will keep you toasty and well nourished until the sun shines again. Best of all, it’s a chinch in the slow cooker and kids love it, that is if you let them eat it with tongs! All joking aside though, this is a very savory, mild dish that is pleasing to people with many different tastes. 

This recipe calls for chicken broth and quinoa.  Click the links below for my recipes and tips for those ingredients: 

• Homemade chicken broth
• Toasted Quinoa

Red Lentil Comfort Stew

2014-04-24 08:54:09

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Ingredients

1. 2 cups red lentils
2. 3 small sweet potatoes
3. 5-6 medium carrots
4. 8 cups of chicken broth
5. 1 large or 2 medium sweet onions
6. 3 cloves of garlic
7. 1 cup quinoa
8. 2 cups water
9. 1 tablespoon garam masala
10. 2 teaspoons cumin
11. 1-2 teaspoons yellow curry powder
12. ½ teaspoon garlic powder
13. salt to taste
14. 2 tablespoons olive, sunflower or coconut oil

Instructions

1. Sift and rinse lentils.
2. Peel and chop veggies into small bite sized pieces.
3. Place carrots and sweet potatoes in slow cooker on high.
4. Pour lentils over the veggies.
5. Add chicken broth.
6. Sauté chopped onions and garlic on medium heat with 2 teaspoons of cooking oil until softened and caramelized.
7. Turn the skillet to low, add spices and more oil if necessary to make an aromatic paste. Stir and gently warm the spices to unlock the depth of flavor.
8. Add onion and spice mixture to slow cooker and stir. Replace lid and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6-7 hours, stirring occasionally.
9. Cook quinoa using a timed rice cooker or on the stove about 30 minutes before serving. For even more dynamic flavor, toast your quinoa before preparing.
10. When ready to serve, stir in cooked quinoa and add salt to taste.

Notes

1. For even more protein, add 1-2 cans of chickpeas with the vegetables or two cups of soaked dry chickpeas with extra broth.

By Rachel Shivers

Venture1105 https://venture1105.com/