There comes a time when we have to cut our losses, admit defeat, pack up and move on. Sometimes disappointing things happen. A dog throwing up on the carpet: that’s disappointing. Edit, Undo. Procrastinating a much needed oil change only to arrive at an oil-less dipstick is disappointing. Inward disappointment is the worst.
A botched batch of what were supposed to be gluten-free thumbprint cookies is a day wrecker. Could I have been more excited about this batch of baked yum prior to oven wreckage? Nay. Could I have been more disappointed when they melted all over my cookie sheet and broke apart at the slighted touch? Double nay. When a faint breeze blows and your cookie crumbles, it’s time to find a crumble-less cookie. Stat.
There are disappointing times and there are victorious times. A crock pot and a bag of lentils always leads to victory. My opinion. Minimal effort, delicious taste, full happy belly, leftovers: victorious. This lentil stew recipe has warm cozy seasoning, an exotic flair and feeds a household. The best way of rectifying defeat is by following it up with an activity that will surely bring you a win. Crock pot. Lentils. Win. Duh. This is kind of like shooting fish in a barrel, but a lot less cruel and way more tasty. Lentils: 1, Gluten-Free Thumbprints: 0. Until next time, thumbprints…until next time.
Ingredients
- 2 cups dry green lentils
- 7 cups vegetable or chicken broth (low sodium recommended)
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1-1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1-1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 large carrot, chopped
- 2 cups sweet potato or Yukon potato, chopped into ½” cubes
- Golden raisins and plain yogurt for serving
Instructions
- Rinse the lentils well.
- Add all ingredients to the crock pot, stir and cook on low for 6 hours. If the lentils are still under cooked after 6 hours, increase the heat to high and cook until liquid is thick.
- Blend ¼ to ½ of the lentils (leaving the potatoes whole) in a blender until smooth and add the blended lentils back to the crock pot and stir. Serve with plain yogurt, raisins and cilantro.
Rats! I hate failed food! At least it was a great intro to the reliability of your lentil stew though? Positive side? That looks super tasty!!
You and me both. Thankfully this batch of cookies didn’t go to waste…I did end up eating some of them in spite of how crumbly they were…and the rest will likely be consumed on top of bowls of ice cream
Oh honey, if you only knew the disasters my kitchen sees on a weekly basis. Creating your own baking recipes is messy work. I, too, think lentils are the saviors
Aww! All your recipes always look so perfect, it’s hard to imagine a single cookie crumbles in your kitchen! Thanks for the support! Now if I could only figure out what to do with the rest of the cookie dough…. Have a great weekend!!
Love lentil soups, this flavor packed bowl looks like it could brighten just about any day
I like your “until next time” philosophy…you’ll rock those cookies soon enough I’m sure.
Abby recently posted..Mocha Almond Fudge & 1 Year Blog-iversary
I think this will be dinner the next time my wife and I are home alone for Friday night. It doesn’t happen often, but we might just have to make it so.
This American Bite recently posted..Garlic, Za’atar and Olive Oil Stovetop Popcorn
Oh this sounds awesome and looks amazing!!!
katie recently posted..Chewy Chocolate-Cherry Cookies
This looks so warm and comforting. I love lentil soup! The spices in this sound amazing.
Aggie recently posted..Holiday Gifts For Him From Harry & David
Made this for meatless Monday, absolutely love it. The spice blend adds lots of flavor (without lots of calories!) and it was just so easy to throw together. I was hesitant about the yogurt and raisins but they really add another dimension to this stew. Marked it as a favorite!
So glad to hear you made it Lauren! I’m glad you tried it with the yogurt and raisins – I can completely see the hesitation but I love adding yogurt now to any type of ethnic food…the flavor and texture differences go so well with the spices – it’s like magic! Thanks so much for the feedback!
I tried this last weekend and it was perfect. I’m making it for a soup fest this coming weekend to be had by all!! Thanks for sharing this recipe!