Thursday, July 10, 2014

Lentil, Kale, and Sweet Potato Stew


I'm back! The food blog has been wholly neglected recently, due to classes.. and mainly the fact that I can't take decent pictures without natural sunlight- Which was slightly lacking in Van this winter.. Who knew!? 
So now that I am done with my semester, I am finally able to enjoy my free time, do some cooking, and try to eat/yoga/run myself into beach and music festival-ready condition for the end of May (Sasquatch.. then Florida.. I'm a little excited.. I've already bought my swimsuits..)
It seems like everyone is into the the cleansing thing this time of year. See: intothegloss
I've tried the juice thing before, and it is no fun.. Especially if you actually need energy for a.. job? friends? I'd rather not be cranky for 3-5 days, thank you. 
This year, I'm trying to focus on detox-friendly foods that are still FOOD. This soup (more like a stew) is great for a detox-friendly meal, and I love it even when I'm not trying to eat healthy in particular. It is delicious and really filling.. Enjoy!

  • 1 can low sodium diced tomatoes
  • 2 cups low sodium chicken broth (or veggie broth)
  • 1 cup lentils, dried green
  • 1 large sweet potato, cut into small cubes
  • 1 yellow onion, diced
  • 1 green or red pepper, diced
  • 1 tbsp curry powder
  • Pinch garam masala, cumin (optional)
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1 bunch kale, coarsely chopped
  • 2 cups water (more or less, depending on if you want it soupier or stew)
  • 1 small zucchini, quartered and diced (optional)

Saute onion in a small amount of olive oil (add a splash of water if things start to stick). Add sweet potato, garlic, and curry powder after 3 minutes. Saute for about 5 more minutes, until everything is tender. Add can of tomatoes, lentils, broth, and water. Simmer on low heat for 45 minutes or until lentils are tender. Add kale and red pepper at the end, so they don’t get soggy, and cook for about 10 more minutes! Done!


24 comments:

  1. Not a big curry fan :(, although I try to be....I just can't get a taste for it. Any other suggestions?

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  2. Use Tumeric the results are great

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  3. simple... if you don't like curry Just don't put curry.
    If you really want this to be healthy and whole I RECOMMEND that you cook the lentils first and then add the things that take the longest followed by the ones that take the least time to cook because following this recipe you end up with a load of overcooked vegetables that are no longer whole in its entirety. This recipe has no particular strategy to taste good. Its simply about cooking all those ingredients in the broth the order doesn't need to be that way at all.

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  4. How many servings does this make?

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  5. I love this recipe! The addition of curry to the soup is so tasty and I love the crunch that the kale gives. I had this for lunch & dinner for a full work week (that's about as much as the serving made) and I never got tired of it...plus I felt full and 100% guilt free!

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  6. As promised, this recipe was tasty, filling AND healthy. I added a tsp of fresh minced ginger (because I had in my fridge) and a 1/2 tsp of cayenne for an extra kick. Thanks for sharing this stew! I'm going to recommend it to friends & family.

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  7. Replies
    1. A 14.5 oz can of tomatoes worked perfectly for me. Yum!

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  8. Anyone try making this in a crockpot?

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  9. Curry is the best!!

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  10. What about in a crock pot...how long and what temp?

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  11. What about in a crock pot...how long and what temp?

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  12. This recipe was good. It could use a little more seasoning though. It needs the cumin, the garam masala and maybe some coriander. I agree with the person who said to cook the lentils first.

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  13. I'm not sure i understand how this will detox your system if you are using chicken broth?

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