Red lentil stew

If you aren't sure what to do with red lentils, try this warm and comforting stew. It's loaded with protein, vegetables and flavour, cooks up quickly, and keeps well in the fridge or freezer. Try it once and add it to your weeknight cooking repetoire!

• 1 tablespoon oil
  
  
• 1 onion
  
  
• 2 cloves garlic
  
  
• 2 cups red lentils
  
  
• 2 tomatoes
  
  
• 2 large carrots
  
  
• 6 cups vegetable broth
  
  
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  
  
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  
  
• Salt and pepper to taste
  
  
• Lemon or lime juice, Greek yogurt, and cilantro for garnish (optional)

1. Dice onion, tomatoes, and carrots. Mince garlic.
   
   
2. Heat oil in large soup pot over medium heat. Add onions and cook until softened, around 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another minute, stirring continuously.
   
   
3. Add red lentils, spices, and vegetable broth. Bring pot to a boil over high heat, and then reduce heat to a simmer.
   
   
4. Let stew cook, uncovered, for 10-15 minutes, until lentils are fully cooked through. Taste, and adjust seasoning if desired.
   
   
5. Ladle into bowls, garnish with lemon or lime juice, Greek yogurt, and cilantro if desired, and enjoy!

• Red lentils cook up and break down pretty quickly in liquid. If you'd like your lentils to keep their texture, watch the stew closely and remove from heat after 7-10 minutes or so. If you'd like the stew to be creamier, with more invisible lentils, let it cook for the full 15 minutes.

• The tomatoes can be replaced with a can of diced tomatoes; just reduce the amount of broth added to compensate for the extra juice.
  
  
• Add cayenne pepper, if you like a little heat!
  
  
• Potato or sweet potato can be added to the pot after the onions, for some extra heft in the stew. Spinach or other greens can be stirred into this stew at the very end to wilt.
  
  
• Try replacing half of the broth with coconut milk, for some creamy sweetness.
  
  
• Serve over rice, or with naan bread to make more filling.

• Stew can be stored in airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
  
  
• Cool completely and then ladle single portion sizes of stew into air tight freezer safe containers or bags. Make sure to mix up the ingredients, so that they're evenly distributed through the bags. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Recipe adapted from the Auburn Food Bank

Food is Too Expensive! was funded by the City of Saskatoon through our Healthy Yards partnership, the Cyril Capling Trust Fund of the College of Agriculture and Bioresources, and the Department of Plant Sciences. Focus group research to inform this work was collected by CHEP. Thank you all for helping us make healthy food more accessible!