Another week, another stew.
Winter is here and a deep chill has settled over the entire country this week. It’s snowing in places it never or very infrequently snows. The weather is bone-chillingly cold. The wind is brutal.
And still my daughter wants to go outside and draw with chalk on the sidewalk.
All I want to do is hunker down inside with a good book and a warm bowl of stew and get cozy.
So I made a warm, cozy stew.
It’s a variation of a recipe I like from the Oh She Glows cookbook, but I’ve modified it quite a bit and to be honest, I actually like my version a lot better.
I think you’re going to love it, too. Despite the unflattering photo of it here. The light was bad. The stew was steaming. Made for terrible food photography conditions. I’ll reshoot someday, but for now, just trust me that this is tastier than it looks.
This stew is ideal for winter, especially during this Polar Vortex, Arctic Blast, Frozen Tundra weather.
This stew is ridiculously easy to make. You’ve got all of the essentials: Red Lentils, Cauliflower, Butternut Squash, and a little Kale to green it up. It’s lightly spiced so the curry isn’t overwhelming, but instead allows the flavors of the veggies to shine through.
I’ve served it with rice and quinoa. Personally, I like the quinoa better, but curry purists will prefer rice. Choose your own adventure, here y’all. You won’t be disappointed either way.
Cozy Cauliflower and Butternut Squash Curried Stew
Serves 6
Ingredients~
1 Tbs coconut oil
1 small red onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and minced
1 tsp cumin
2 tsp curry
3 carrots, scrubbed and chopped
1 cup red lentils, rinsed
6 cups vegetable broth
2 cups butternut squash, peeled and cubed
1 small cauliflower, floreted (about 3-4 cups)
2 cups kale, torn into bite sized pieces
salt/pepper as needed (although I didn’t add any extra and it was delicious as is)
Directions~
Heat oil in large pot. Add in the onions and saute until translucent.
Add in the garlic and ginger, stirring well for about 1 minute. Then add the spices and stir some more.
Add in the carrots, stirring to cover the carrots with the spicy onions/garlic mixture.
Add the lentils and broth. Bring to a gentle boil and cook covered on low heat for about 10 minutes, or until the lentils are soft.
Add in the butternut squash and cauliflower. Combine well, so they are immersed in the lentils. Cook covered on low heat for 15 minutes, or until the veggies are soft.
Once they’re soft, add in the kale, stirring into the stew to cook it down.
Serve over quinoa or rice.
Enjoy toasty warm, in front of a fireplace and with a good book in hand.
