Brown Lentil Stew (Ramses Bravo)

Brown Lentil Stew

Source: Bravo!: Vegan Recipes from The TrueNorth Health Center by Ramses Bravo.

This is one of the simplest recipes in this chapter, but it is also one of my favorites. A bowl of lentil stew, some steamed brown rice, sliced avocado, and hot sauce is a satisfying and comforting meal. If brown lentils aren't available, green lentils can be substituted. 

Ingredients

• 3 cups diced onions
• 2 cups diced celery
• 1 cup scrubbed and diced carrot
• 1 cup sliced leek (see page 27)
• 1/2 cup chopped shallots
• 4 quarts vegetable broth (preferably homemade, page 28)
• 3 cups brown lentils, rinsed and soaked in 1 quart vegetable broth (preferably homemade, page 28) for 2 hours
• 12 cloves garlic, roasted (see page 25) and chopped
• 1 tablespoon granulated garlic
• 1 tablespoon dried onion flakes
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, or 1 teaspoon dried
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried

Instructions

Put the onions, celery, carrot, leek, and shallots in a large dry pot over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Stir in the broth and lentils, any leftover soaking liquid, and the roasted garlic. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer. Decrease the heat to medium-low and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are soft, about 1 hour, frequently using a ladle to skim off any foam that forms at the surface. Discard the foam. Stir in the granulated garlic and dried onion flakes and cook, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes longer. Garnish with the parsley and thyme. Serve hot. Stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator, Brown Lentil Stew will keep for 4 days. 

Per serving: calories: 412.5, protein: 27 g, carbohydrates: 74.5 g, fat: 1.3 g, calcium: 117.2 mg, sodium: 222.8 mg, omega-3: 0.1 g.