lentil stew

It's fall and that means a different cuisine entirely. We've been on soup for about a month now, which feels so right. There is nothing more heartwarming than a big pot of soup on the stove.

I started making my lentil stew a number of years ago. I made it so much my last year in college that I had to give it a break the last two winters. It is really hardy, really flavorful and super easy. The secret is stuffing the pot with as many veggies as you can. Kale really adds to the experience and the vitamin content. Different kinds of lentils do different things. I like using the red lentils because they add a creaminess to the pot. If I have them on hand, I'll throw in a handful of brown or green. This time, I added a little bit of quinoa and it was great. It's really up to you. Violet gave us these beautiful bread bowls, so that was an extra special treat.

Lentil Stew, I'm glad we can be best buds again.

My Lentil Stew

6 carrots, sliced
3 potatoes, quartered
1 med. butternut squash, peeled and chopped into large chunks
1-2 onions, chopped
3 garlic cloves
as much kale as you like, leaves cut into strips, stalks cut into little nubs - separate the two
1 tbsp. fresh ginger, chopped fine
heaping tbsp each of cumin and garam masala
a respectable amount of ground cardamom
1 lg. can crushed tomatoes
1 1/2 cup lentils, red and other
1 can chickpeas
salt and pepper to taste, but don't skimp on the pepper
water (not sure how much, but enough to make it stewy but not soupy)

Saute onion in olive oil. When golden, add ginger, garlic, and the other spices, saute 3-5 mins. Add carrots and potatoes, cook a couple minutes, adding a bit of water if needed. Add crushed tomatoes and water. Add everything but the kale leaves. Cook until everything is just soft. Add kale leaves. Let sit for awhile before serving to give the kale time to soften. Makes enough to freeze some.