Sweet Potato Lentil Stew

(This can be made with red or brown lentils.)

4 c. vegetable broth
3 c. sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed (about 1 1/4 lbs)
1 1/2 c. lentils, rinsed
3 medium carrots, cut into 1″ pieces
1 medium onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (or ground red pepper)
Salt to taste

In slow cooker, combine first 9 ingredients. Cover and cook on low 5-6 hours or until vegetables are tender. Salt to taste. Serve by itself with a slice of whole wheat bread or over steamed brown rice.

Place all of the following in a 6 qrt. crockpot on low for all day cooking or on high if starting at noon for a 6-7 pm dinner:

1 lb. of lentils rinsed and drained
10 cups of water
1 large onion, 2-3 ribs of celery, 3-4 peeled carrots, and 4 cloves of garlic, each whizzed in a food processor till just chunky
8 TBSP. of Braggs Liquid Aminos (or San J Organic Soy Sauce)
2 TBSP. of freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp. of ground cumin
2 TBSP. of extra virgin olive oil
1 small can of stewed tomatoes cut up w/juice or big 28 oz. can petite diced tomatoes
1 handful of fresh Italian parsley whizzed till finely chopped in food processor

Cook on low in crock pot for 8 hrs. You can also cook this overnight if you want it ready in the morning to transport to a meal later in the day. I cook a pot of brown rice as follows:

Roast 2 cups of long grain brown or brown basmati rice on low till it crackle and pops, while bringing a tea kettle of water to a boil, when the rice is hot and roasted add 4 cups of boiling water, and be sure to lower the temperature as the added water will really boil and steam and you need a medium size sauce pan w/a tight fitting lid. Keep heat on low and set timer for 45 min. Turn off heat but leave pan on the heating element if it’s a heavy bottom pan and let come to room temperature. I let the pot stay out all day and the hot soup warms the rice up when you put rice in your bowl first and then top it w/the soup.

Some in our family top the soup with sharp cheddar cheese but I like it just plain with the rice. We eat on this for about 5 days and I think it’s more flavorful on the following days.

Hope you enjoy!!!!

2 cups chopped onion, fresh or frozen
1 1/2 cups chopped red pepper, fresh or frozen
2 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 cup salsa
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 15.8 ounce cans black beans, drained
12 6-inch corn tortillas
2 cups Monterey Jack and Cheddar blend cheese shredded
3 tomatoes chopped (optional)
1/2 cup sour cream (optional)
1/2 cup sliced black olives (optional)
PREPARATION:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine onion pepper, garlic, salsa, cumin and black beans in large skillet and bring to simmer over medium heat.

Cook, stirring frequently for 3 minutes.
Arrange 6 tortillas in bottom of 9″ x 13″ baking dish overlapping them as necessary. Spread half of bean mixture over tortillas and sprinkle with half of cheese. Repeat layering process with remaining tortillas, bean mixture and cheese.

Cover dish with foil and bake 15 minutes. Carefully remove foil and serve warm.

Garnish with tomatoes, sour cream and olives.

Haitian Beans and Rice
This recipe is inspired by our visit to Haiti and subsequent attempts to duplicate the wonderful flavors of the food there! So it does not claim to be authentic
We like red beans like kidney beans best for this recipe, but other beans can be used instead.

Soak 2 cups dried beans overnight in water (add 1 TBS yogurt, buttermilk, or lemon juice as per Nourishing Traditions if desired)
The next day, drain and rinse beans. Add water to cover, bring to a boil and cook till soft. Drain, reserving cooking liquid. This should yield approximately 5 cups cooked beans.
Fry 1 small onion, chopped (~3/4 cup), in 1-2 TBS coconut oil or butter. (I like to use a cast-iron frying pan but any heavy pan will do.)
Add to softened onions and fry briefly, stirring:
3/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp fresh grated ginger or 1/4 tsp powdered ginger
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 clove garlic, crushed
In a food processor, pulse all but 1 cup of the beans till chopped to a chunky paste, adding some of the cooking liquid to keep things moving. Add this and the remaining whole beans to pan.
Or, simply pour all beans into frying pan and mash with a potato masher. Some beans will be left whole or partially mashed.
Add 1 diced tomato or 1 cup canned diced tomato, drained.
Add 3/4 cup (or 1/2 can) coconut milk. This raises the price of the dish but greatly enhances flavor and is good for you too!
Cook, stirring occasionally, till desired thickness is reached (still pourable but pretty thick).
Add salt and cayenne pepper to taste. Serve over rice. Serves 6-8 depending on appetities–I always misjudge! But freezes well and makes great leftovers.

Winter Squash and White Bean Stew
1 cup chopped onions
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1 garlic clove minced
3 cups peeled, butternut squash, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
2 1/2 cups cooked or canned white beans, drained
14 1/2-oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro

Combine all ingredients in slow cooker. Cover. Cook on High 1 hour. Reduce heat to Low and heat for 2-3 hours. Makes 6 servings.

Lentils and cheese
4 1/2 cups broth or water
1 1/2 cups green lentils
3/4 cups brown rice
1 chopped of each : onion, celery, and carrot
herbs to your taste:
basil
oregano
thyme
garlic powder

Put all ingredients in 9×13 pan. Cover and cook on 350˚ for 1 hour. Remove cover, top with mozzarella cheese, and bake for an additional 15 minutes or until cheese begins to golden.

I have a bean tip to share that I just learned. You can soak your dry beans and then freeze them so they are ready to cook at a moment’s notice! I soaked beans this week and now my beans are good to go. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to use the quick method. I like this better!

My Grandma’s Baked Beans

1 lb dry beans, soaked and cooked (I use yellow eyes or kidney beans)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1/2 cup chopped bacon
1/4 tsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
2 cups boiling water

Mix all ingredients together. Bake in bean pot in preheated 350 oven for 3 hours stirring occasionally.