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Big easy lentil stew

This easy lentil stew recipe is great if you’ve been under a lot of stress or excitement. It contains lots of foods rich in vitamins B3, B6 and zinc all of which help our bodies to make serotonin which can be depleted when we are stressed.

by Jenny Savage
Easy Lentil Stew

I like to make a great big pan load and freeze portions of it. You can also turn any leftovers into soup by adding some more water and blending it.

Big Easy Lentil Stew

Ingredients

  • 225g red split lentils
  • 2 cloves of garlic 
  • 2 onions peeled and chopped
  • 1 wheat-free veg stock cube or bouillon powder
  • 4 carrots peeled and chopped
  • half a butternut squash peeled and diced
  • 2 sweet potatoes peeled and diced
  • 1 celery stalk chopped
  • 50g fresh peas (frozen are fine)
  • 2 good handfuls of fresh spinach (chopped) or watercress
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley – use a good pinch of dried herbs
  • 1 tsp tamari sauce – or soy sauce

Method

  1. Soak the lentils in cold water for 20 minutes then rinse well and drain
  2. Place the onions, garlic and stock cube (bouillon powder) in a large pan with 750ml water and bring it all to the boil.
  3. Add the lentils, carrots, squash and sweet potatoes, bring it back to the boil and then simmer for 10 minutes – you might need to add a little more water during the simmering as the lentils expand. Watch that you don’t overcook the lentils so that they keep more of their texture and taste.
  4. Add the celery and frozen peas (and dried herbs if you are using them). Simmer for another 5 minutes.
  5. Just before you serve, stir in the spinach, fresh herbs and tamari.

Extra tips

It’s nice to have this with some steamed or wilted Swiss chard. Adding in green leafy veg is a great way to get more calming magnesium.  Squeeze a bit of lemon to help you absorb the iron and sprinkle some toasted sesame or sunflower seeds over the top.

Try it with a little less potato and serve it with brown rice.

You can use different kinds of lentils or beans, small green Puy lentils taste great  – just alter your cooking times. Vary the kinds of vegetables you add in depending on what’s local and in season.

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Jenny SavageJenny Savage first started yoga at the age of 15 and took her teacher training with Esther Ekhart in 2013. She has a background in Health Psychology, community mental health work, and health and wellbeing research.
Vegan