Skip to main content

Lentil Bowl #4: Savory Middle East Lentil Stew



Savoury Middle East Lentil Stew

This is a quick-to-put-together comfort food for cool winter days or nights, as long as you have the Quinoa (or Rice) and Red Lentils pre-cooked.  A green salad and a piece of fresh flat bread will round it out nicely.  I've made it a little more "world" foodie than actual Middle Eastern, but you can always sub Brown Rice for the Quinoa and Cayenne and Paprika for the Chipotle (I just love the smoky hot quality of Chipotle if you are wondering why it turns up in so many recipes).  I also use Coconut Oil instead of Olive Oil, but please use what you have available, or what you prefer.  If you have other veggies that you would like to saute up with the onions (bell peppers, egg plant, minced garlic), go ahead!  Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 T. Coconut Oil 
  • 2 Onions, chopped fine 
  • 1 tsp. Turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp. ground Cumin (I grind the seeds up in a Coffee Bean grinder-- you could just buy the powder)
  • 1 tsp. ground Cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp. Chipotle powder (or a combination of cayenne and paprika)
  • 398 ml / 14 oz. can Organic Roma Tomato Sauce (I use Costco's Kirkland brand)
  • 3 C. cooked Red Lentils
  • 2 C. cooked Quinoa (or brown rice)
  • 1/4 - 1/2 C. sliced Olives
  • Celtic Sea Salt (to taste)
  • 1 T. fresh-squeezed Lemon Juice (or lemon wedges for everyone)


METHOD:

  • Heat Coconut Oil on medium and add in onions, saute-ing until translucent. About 5 to 6 minutes.
  • Add in Spices and stir, toasting quickly.
  • Add in Tomato Sauce, stirring until spices are dispersed
  • Add in other ingredients and heat through, stirring to prevent burning.  
  • Serve with individual Lemon or Lime wedges, and additional salt, black pepper, if people desire.




Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Colcannon (Irish Mashed Potatoes) and 3 Ethnic Take-Offs

Colcannon is a lovely Irish traditional mix of boiled cabbage or kale along with a root vegetable, usually mashed potatoes, but sometimes turnip, or carrots. Leaks and/or onions, and garlic, are pretty popular additions. Chopped green onions, chives and/or parsley are often used as a stirred-in garnish. You will also find 3 other Colcannon-type recipes-- take-offs of cultural classics with potatoes and greens from Mexico, Zambian and Ukrainian are sure to delight you as well when you want to try something a little different. These are all delicious, healthy comfort foods! I am vegan, so all of the recipes are vegan colcannon-- no dairy butter or milk involved. The following are ingredients in the colcannon I made (Missing from the picture are water, garlic, pepper, oil, and fine sea salt): Lovely Colcannon: potatoes, cabbage, leaks, green onions, and parsley INGREDIENTS (2-4 servings) 3 T.   (30 mg)  Olive Oil (or water, or coconut oil) 1/2 Cabbage , shredded ...

Pan-Fry Carrots (Roast Carrot Sticks)

Pan-roasted carrots (with some potato fries mixed in) Our younger son--at one time in the life he styled as "Nomad Farmer"-- lived and grew organic vegetables, fruit and berries on an off-grid community farm in the interior of BC.  We stopped in to see him the one time and came away with a load of over-wintered carrots, still as carrot-y flavoured and plump as on the day they were dug from the ground, thanks to the hill-side root crop storage cellar.   Our granddaughters opted for fish and chips today for lunch, and some of the 'chips' were carrot chips.  They are also a great base for a roast carrot soup.  When you roast veggies, you get extra delicious flavour.  You will also find two wonderful recipes for Holiday carrot side dishes-- Maple-glazed roasted carrots with a recipe for a lemony vegan sauce (made with cashews) and Lemon-Herb roasted carrots made with a Pecan Relish recipe, PAN-FRY CARROTS (Roast Carrot Sticks) <more properly ...

Hearty Cream of Tomato - Bean Soup - Vegan, Gluten-Free

If you have only ever eaten Cream of Tomato soup from a can,  this will be a tasty coup for you! Here is another wonderful bean recipe adapted from my fave The Great Vegan Bean Book: More than 100 Delicious Plant-Based Dishes Packed with the Kindest Protein in Town! - Includes Soy-Free and Gluten-Free Recipes! *  .  This creamy tomato-bean soup will fill in the gaps for anyone who feels they just don't have the time or energy to cook up a healthy lunch -- the secret is to pre-cook your beans in a large quantity and freeze them.  Then just assemble your other ingredients and presto, you have a very nutritious base to your lunch in less time than it would take you to order and be served at your typical restaurant. And you will know what is actually IN this soup ! INGREDIENTS: 2 T.      Olive Oil or Vegetable Broth 1/2       Onion , minced 3 cloves Garlic 1 tsp.     Marjoram 1 tsp.     Thyme 1/2 ts...