Coconut Peanut Stew with Red Lentils

I was introduced to this recipe by my friends Eliza and Julia who made it for a group of us during a weekend at the cabin last summer. It was September and the weather was slightly cooler than it should have been, resulting in all of us wearing our fleeces and cuddling on the couch with wool blankets. This recipe not only warmed us right up, but nourished our bodies and tasted incredible. We all went back for seconds, some thirds… (hello, it’s me). We discussed how versatile this recipe is, and how the lime juice at the end truly transforms the dish (AKA do not skip!). 

Fast forward to a few months later, and I find myself making this recipe OFTEN. Maybe it’s because Costco has an 8lb bag of red lentils for $7 (excuse me!!!). It’s a recipe that’s always on rotation in my household. The best part is that the vegetables are super easy to swap for what you have in your fridge - potatoes, yams, cauliflower, zucchini, etc… almost anything goes! Make this on the next rainy day, and thank me later.

Ingredients:

2 tbsp coconut oil

1 yellow onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp freshly grated ginger

1 tsp cumin

½ tsp turmeric powder

½ tsp cayenne pepper

1 tbsp tomato paste

1 cup dried red lentils

4 cups vegetable broth

1 can coconut milk

1 head of broccoli, chopped into small florets

1 red pepper, sliced

2 carrots, sliced

⅓ cup peanut butter

1 cup chopped kale

1 lime, squeezed

Top with: cilantro, dollop of yogurt, cherry tomatoes, avocado, chopped nuts

Recipe

1. On medium high, heat coconut oil until it melts completely. Add the onions and sauté until translucent, about 2 minutes. Lower the heat to medium, add the garlic, then the ginger and stir together.
2. Add the spices and cook for 2 more minutes until fully coated. Turmeric is an intense flavour and I like to make sure I’m really cooking it into the onions and garlic before I add liquids. Add the tomato paste and  stir it in as well.
3. Add the lentils, broth and coconut milk. Stir together and increase the heat to high. Bring to a boil.
4. Add your vegetables and simmer for 25 minutes, until the lentils are fully cooked and the stew thickens.
5. Lower heat to low, then stir in the peanut butter. Add the kale and cook until soft and wilted. Lastly, squeeze in the lime juice and stir together. Remove from heat.
6. Serve with cilantro. Option to add avocado, cherry tomatoes, Greek yogurt or chopped nuts.

Adapted from Kulas Kitchen