Tag: lentil stew

Spicy Lentil & Black Bean Stew {vg, gf}

Published on by nathaliejasmin20191 Comment

My love for lentils continues. I’m still not tired of lentil bolognese, lentil hummus, lentil pâté and lentil burgers. And with autumn clearly on the way here in Melbourne, it’s time for soups, stews, spice and all things nice again. And because I love black beans too (black bean chocolate cake, anyone?), here’s a spicy lentil & black bean stew, just for you.

To make things clear, you could really use any legumes in this one. I just found that the combo lentils and black beans was really yummy and filling. This dish is a bit of a crossover between Moroccan and Mexican, but that will vary depending on the spices you use. This stew is actually so dirt easy to make that it almost can’t be called a recipe, but I found it so delicious that i thought I’d post it anyway. It really is one of my easiest and most straightforward recipes (I know I say that a lot), but basically, if you have tinned tomatoes, some legumes and spices in your pantry, you can start right now, and in less than half an hour have a crowd-pleasing meal that is tasty, satisfying, warming, comforting, nourishing, keeps well in fridge and freezer, and is good for you.

I have already mentioned the numerous health benefits of lentil, beans, and tomatoes – the staples in this spicy lentil & black bean stew – at length, so if you are interested what goodies you put into your body with this baby, a google search will tell you! 🙂 Feel free to add more vegetables to boost the goodness of this wonderful stew. Like all my recipes, this spicy lentil & black bean stew is both gluten free and vegan, and it is also low in carbs and practically fat free. All of the comfort with none of the guilt.

Spicy Lentil & Black Bean Stew
Spicy Lentil & Black Bean Stew
Spicy Lentil & Black Bean Stew

Serves 3

1 large onion, sliced or chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp ground coriander
1 tbsp ground cumin
a pinch of chilli powder (optional)
salt and black pepper to taste
400 g can diced tomatoes
1 cup water
half a cup dry green lentils
400 g can black beans, rinsed and drained
fresh parsley to serve

Heat a heavy-based saucepan or cast iron pot and sauté the onion in a bit of water to prevent sticking for a few minutes or until soft and translucent. Add the remaining spices (garlic, coriander, cumin, chilli, salt and pepper) and cook for another two minutes. Add the tomatoes, water, lentils, and black beans. Bring to the boil and simmer until the lentils are soft, about 20 minutes. Adjust the spices and serve with fresh parsley.

Enjoy!

Vegan lentil eggplant and sweet potato stew

Published on by nathaliejasmin20192 Comments

mouthful. But believe me, you will want to take many mouthfuls of this stew! Imagine you have a dinner party with one friend who is paleo, one vegan friend, one gluten-intolerant friend, one friend with a nut allergy and one friend who needs to follow a low FODMAP diet. What do you do? Scroll down!

But you should also scroll down if you just want to eat the most delicious stew evaaa…with lentils, eggplant, sweet potato, tomato and kidney beans it is health in a bowl, but that doesn’t mean compromising on flavour! Curry powder, ginger and turmeric makes this stew an explosion of flavours on your tongue – the best proof that tasty and filling dishes do NOT require meat, onions or added fats!

With its “meaty” consistency, this stew will satisfy herbivores and omnivores alike, and with its rich flavours simply from vegetables, herbs and spices, it is an indulgent treat without having to worry about fat. The “good” carbs in the legumes and spuds make you fell fuller for longer – needless to say, the lentils and beans pack a decent amount of protein and fibre. You could always add extra protein from quorn, tempeh or – if you are not vegetarian or vegan – chicken or any other meat or fish. And feel free to have it as spicy or as mild as you want! I did not add any salt; all the sodium comes from the stock, so if you use a low-salt stock or broth, this can even be a low-sodium stew.

This stew is gluten free, dairy free, soy free, paleo, vegan and vegetarian, nut free and low FODMAP. I try to avoid onions and garlic as much as possible as they are not my friends. If you can, frying garlic and onions before adding the other ingredients would add even more flavour (if that is possible!). This stew was born out of the need to make use of an eggplant and a sweet potato. Adding the legumes was kind of a lightbulb moment, and I don’t regret having thrown all these ingredients together. Eggplant naturally takes a bit longer to cook than other vegetables so it is not instant but delayed gratification. It will taste even better the next day and is the perfect candidate for dinner parties. You wouldn’t even have to ask your guests for dietary requirements as this stew covers them all!

This stew tastes so good, it is almost an insolence that it is so super healthy and allergy-friendly as well! Try for yourself!

Vegan Lentil Eggplant and Sweet Potato Stew

Makes approx. 8 serves

1 tbs coconut oil
1 large eggplant, diced in 1cm pieces
1 large sweet potato, cubed (I leave the peel on as I’m lazy but feel free to peel it beforehand!)
1 l vegetable stock
1 tin (400ml) diced tomatoes
1 tin (400ml) lentils
1 tin (400ml) kidney beans
spices (I used Madras curry powder, ginger and turmeric)

Melt the oil in a large stockpot, add the spices and cook until fragrant. Add the eggplant, sweet potato, stock, tomatoes and legumes. Cover, bring to the boil, then open the lid a crack, turn down the heat and simmer until all the eggplant and sweet potato are tender (30 minutes). Give the stew a good whiz with a stick blender until you reach a coarse consistency. Serve as is or with fragrant jasmine rice or freshly toasted gluten free bread.

Enjoy!