I can’t believe it’s March! The West Coast got another blast of winter this week. In all the years that I have lived in Vancouver I have never seen snow in March. The one thing I love about winter is a hearty bowl of stew. This hearty vegan lentil stew is full of vegetables, fibre, protein, and flavour. Like most stews the flavour gets better the next day, perfect for lunches. This vegan stew is hearty and easy to make to help you make it through this last part of winter.
I used both green and red lentils in this stew for color and texture. Lentils are a great source of protein and fibre. They don’t need to be soaked and you can throw them in raw after you have rinsed them while the veggies cook. This stew is packed with leeks, carrots, celery, and yams. I used a shallot because D does not like onions. I finished the soup off with a bunch of lacinato kale but you could use any green to suit your taste buds. This soup is easy to make and you most likely have the ingredients in your pantry and fridge. Finally, this stew takes 30 minutes to make and it may even become one of our weekday meals that turns into workday lunches.
Save RecipeIngredients
- 1 tbsp of olive oil
- 1/2 shallot , chopped
- 2 celery stalks
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
- 1 yam, beeld and chopped
- 1 leek, sliced ( white part)
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 tsp Italian herbs
- 1/2 tsp chili flakes
- 1/2 cup of red lentils, rinsed
- 1/2 cup of green lentils, rinsed
- 4 cups of low sodium vegetables broth
- 1/ tsp of tumeric
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 bunch of lacinato kale
- 1/4 cup of Italian parsley
Instructions
- In a dutch oven over medium heat add shallot.
- Add the remaining vegetables including garlic and cook until softened.
- Add spices and lentils
- Add broth.
- Reduce heat to low and cook for about 30 minutes.
- Add numeric, salt and pepper.
- Add kale until softened.
- Serve with chopped parsley and a piece of crusty bread.
There are so many benefits to eating less meat. A vegetarian diet, when planned carefully, is associated with higher levels of fibre, folic acid, vitamins C and E, and phytochemicals. A vegetarian diet is better for the environment and more economical. Studies also show vegetarian diets are associated with lower risk of chronic disease such as heart disease and cancer. To be honest, I have been secretly trying to get the whole family to eat more vegetarian style meals. If your second half is anything like my carnivore loving hubby it can be a difficult sell. But with persistence, he is starting to come around, yeah! Another family favorite are these vegan lentil sloppy joe’s and this french lentil stew.
Enjoy!
