One Pot Hearty Lentil Stew

There are lots of reason I love this stew. It’s not only a one pot wonder, it’s also full of nourishing hearty ingredients and is one of those meals that feels so cosy and warming (especially in the colder weather with a blanket in tow).

P.S. The ingredients are likely all ones that are already living in your pantry or kitchen, but I know this is a time where we may have more limited access to food so I’ve included substitutions next to some of the ingredients. Also feel free to get creative and use whatever you have in your kitchen. It’s no fuss if you don’t have the spices I listed - simply leave them out or experiment with other ones like ground coriander or curry powder. Various veggies would work also well (including frozen ones) – make it fun and aim for as many colours as you can as this represents wider nutrient variety. As always, ask me if you’d like help with any other substitutions, I’m always here to help!

Serves 4-6

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 brown onion (or substitute for leek or spring onion)
2 tablespoons fresh grated ginger (or substitute for 1 teaspoon ground ginger)
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of chilli or cayenne pepper (or substitute for a good grind of black pepper)
500ml vegetable stock (or substitute with water)
1 large potato
about 1/4 of a pumpkin
1 cup mushrooms
1 large carrot
1 large zucchini
about ½ head of cauliflower or broccoli
1 large can brown lentils (or substitute for any other legumes - e.g. chickpeas, butter beans, kidney beans)
250g organic firm tofu (optional)
few large handfuls of baby spinach
1/2 lemon, juiced

1. Cut all the veggies into chunks
2. Heat a large pot over low-medium heat and add the olive oil
3. Sauté the garlic and onion 
4. Add all of the spices. Stir well and allow to sauté for another minute or so
5. Add the vegetable stock and potato. Put the lid on and bring to the boil, then turn down to a simmer
6. Add the pumpkin.
7. After about 5-10 minutes or once the potato and pumpkin begin to soften, add the rest of the veggies in the order listed (longest to cook goes in first). You may want to add more stock / water while cooking if you want the stew to be more liquidy
8. Simmer for about 15 minutes
9. Drain and rinse the lentils. Chop the tofu into chunks. Add them to the pot and simmer for a further 10 minutes or so
10. Add the lemon juice and baby spinach
11. If you like, serve with toppings like an additional slice of lemon, black pepper, chilli flakes or some fresh coriander. Enjoy!