Lentil Stew, Sounds Gross, Tastes the Opposite
I was a little skeptical when my sister, Andrea, shared a Cooking Light Magazine recipe for a lentil stew. Sounded like a fancy name for mush to me.
Andrea’s Veggie Lentil Stew
But Andrea and I generally have similar food taste and the photos did look tasty. So, I went for it and even invited a friend over for dinner, keeping pizza and beer in the back of my mind as a fall-back in case of a total disaster.
It was not a disaster. The vegetarian lentil stew was quick, easy, and pretty inexpensive. It’s a one-pot meal, which since I only have one burner in my studio is a necessity for me and a pro for anyone who doesn’t love doing dishes.
Without further ado, the recipe…
Recipe Link: Cooking Light, Curried Lentil and Vegetable Stew
Notes:
- My sister and I both used uncooked lentils. We added them at the same time the recipe calls for and just left the stew cooking for the amount of time on the instructions on the lentil package.
- Using uncooked lentils necessitates adding more liquid so the stew doesn’t get dried out. How much? I’m not sure. Andrea only added a 1/2 cup while I added at least 1 1/2 cups. Watch yours, use your judgment.
- Don’t skip the lime! All eaters agree, the lime makes it!
- I used one of those squeeze containers of cilantro and mixed it in with the yogurt and a little garlic powder. My sister used fresh. Pick your poison.
- Get some carbs for dipping. Naan would be great! I went with french bread (it was labeled “rustic bread” but, it was french bread) to go with mine and was happy with the pairing.
- When I make it again, I’m going to add slightly larger servings of the veggies.
So Meaty (Another Note):
My lentil stew with liberal yogurt sauce and bread topping
Lentils are also a frequent flyer on healthiest foods lists, they pack protein, B-vitamins, etc. I knew they were nutritious but was shocked when I glanced at the package while cooking and saw how much iron they have. Lentils are comparable to a number of meats in iron content!
I’ve historically teetered on the edge of anemia so have been trying to work on getting more iron. Men are generally cautioned not to take in too much iron because of heart concerns.
