Lentil Black Bean Stew

I've been looking for more lentil recipes so I can make something other than lentil loaves. This recipe came to me as part of the recipe swap, and it looked good to me. I showed it to Gary, and I'm so glad he's now on board with most vegan, bean, and lots of healthy recipes!

I think this came out ok. I made a mistake of not cooking the lentils enough and they were a little bit undercooked. It does say cook for 25 minutes, but I thought since I used brown lentils I could cook it for less time. I kept testing it out, and individual lentils were fine, but once I had a spoonful, I could tell it wasn't cooked enough. I also added a whole can of black beans instead of the 1 cup. I was a little confused with the ingredients list since it was all in one paragraph, but 1 can worked out. I think there wouldn't have been enough food for Gary if I only used 1 cup.

On a side note, don't you hate buying a can of tomato paste to use only one tablespoon at a time and the rest go to waste? Well, I bought a tube from Whole Foods a while back and left it in the fridge. It's lasted forever, and I can squeeze out as much as I need at a time. Of course, if you have a can of the stuff, you could probably freeze it and it will work the same, but I think the tube is easier.

Also, remember to check out Sarah's blog for the full roundup of soup and stew recipes, including my submission of hearty beef stew.

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Lentil Black Bean Stew

made by cathy's kitchen journey
adapted from Runner's World




ingredients:

• 1 tsp canola oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp paprika
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 TBSP tomato paste
• 1/2 cup lentils, rinsed and picked over for stones
• 1 15-oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
• juice of one lime (1 TBSP)
• salt and pepper to taste
• cilantro for garnish

directions:

1. In a pan on medium heat, add oil, and onion and cook until soft. Add garlic, spices and saute for 1 minute.
2. Add vegetable broth, tomato paste, then cover and bring to a boil.
3. Add the lentils and cook until tender, about 25 minutes.
4. Partial mash the black beans and add to the pot. Add the lime juice, salt and pepper, and cook for another 5 minutes.
5. Transfer to bowls and garnish with cilantro.

Yield: 2 servings

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