DDD #99 – Vegan Beyond Sausage & Lentil Stew

 

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2018

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2 images above courtesy of Beyond Meat.

Click the image above to watch the video.

Vegan Beyond Sausage & Lentil stew

Serves 4 very well

INGREDIENTS

6-12 Beyond Sausages or your favorite vegan sausage

1 lb cooked lentils

1 medium onion – diced

1-8 garlic cloves (to taste) – minced

4 carrots – sliced

4 celery stalks – chopped

1 parsnip – chopped

1 sweet potato – cubed

1-2 jalapenos – diced

1 lemon

1 (14 oz) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes

1 cup salsa (optional)

4 cups stock

1 TBS mild harissa (optional)

1-2 TBS olive oil

2 tsp ground cumin

1 TBS sweet paprika

1 TBS cayenne (or less if you are intolerant of spicy foods)

S&P to taste

DIRECTIONS

Cook the lentils & set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a large stock pot & saute the onions & celery until soft.

Add the garlic & saute one minute.  Add the can of tomatoes.  Combine.

Add the salsa, harissa, cumin, paprika, cayenne & the juice of the lemon & combine.

Add the carrots, parsnip, sweet potato & jalapeno & 4 cups of stock.

Bring to a boil.  Lower heat & simmer for about 10 minutes or until all the vegetables are tender.  Stir in the cooked lentils & season to taste with S&P.

Cook the sausages & serve either sliced or whole.  You can stir the sausage into the stew or serve it on the side to add as garnish to the stew.

Enjoy!

 

Vegan Lentil Meatballs in a Spicy Asian Glaze (Appetizer)

 

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2017

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It has been a lentil-crazy week here, lemme tell you.  The other day, I made about 10 cups of my Easy Vegan Thai Sweet Basil & Coconut Lentils.  Then, I used some of the bountiful leftovers to make my Leftover Lentils Red Coconut Curry Beef and Bean Meatloaf (Vegan).  Both are seen just above.  Well, I still had FIVE CUPS of prepared lentils leftover.  What to do?  How many times can one person eat lentils in one week?  And, while they would freeze well, my freezer is busting at the seams with leftovers.  So – I decided to make party appetizers.  And these are GOOD!  Very easy & great for a crowd & healthy & yummy & vegan!  Just mix up the ingredients, bake them for 10-15 minutes – drizzle the glaze & serve!  Mmmmmm!

Vegan Lentil Meatballs in a Spicy Asian Glaze

Makes about 50 meatballs

INGREDIENTS

5 cups prepared lentils in their thick sauce (or about 1/2 of this recipe – Easy Vegan Thai Sweet Basil & Coconut Lentils)

1 TBS olive oil

1 small onion – diced

10 mushrooms – chopped

3 scallions – chopped

5 TBS liquid aminos (or soy sauce or tamari)

2 eggs (whatever vegan replacer you use – I used Neategg)

1 cup panko crumbs (more or less – depending on how wet your lentils are)

2 TBD sesame oil

3 TBS vegan hoisin sauce

for the spicy Asian glaze

2/3 cup hoisin sauce

1/4 cup rice vinegar

2 garlic cloves – minced

2 TBS liquid aminos (or soy sauce or tamari)

1 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp ground ginger

GARNISH – sesame seeds and/or sliced scallions

DIRECTIONS

for the glaze

Combine ingredients in a shaker or whisk in a bowl.  Set aside.

for the meatballs

Heat the oven to 400 degrees.

Prepare the lentils according to my recipe or your own favorite recipe.

In a saute pan, add the olive oil & saute the onion, mushrooms & scallions until soft.

Add the onion mix to the prepared lentils. Add the remaining ingredients for the meatballs.  Make balls that are 1 to 1.5 inches in diameter & place them on a greased cooking sheet.  Bake for 10-15 minutes -depending on how large & we they are.  When they are getting crusty on the outside – taste one & be sure they are done to your liking.  When they are ready, put them on a plate.  Drizzle with sauce & garnish with sesame seeds & scallion slices.

Leftover Lentils Red Coconut Curry Beef and Bean Meatloaf (Vegan)

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2017

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The other day, I made a boatload of Easy Vegan Thai Sweet Basil & Coconut Lentils – seen just above.  By boatload – I mean I started with 5 cups of dry lentils.  That makes nearly twice as much of the finished product – so – I decided to try to reinvent them.    I used two cups of them in this recipe and I still have a ton left.  You can either make this lentil recipe (cut in half) or your own favorite lentil recipe.  I recommend these because the flavor profiles match but I am pretty sure most lentil recipes will do.

I baked mine for an hour but this loaf was only about an inch deep.  I recommend going shallow rather than deep because the deeper the loaf is – the trickier it will be to get it cooked through without drying it out.

I also used this crazy glaze I spotted at Ralph’s.  If you cannot find this – either let the loaf be naked or mix up a glaze of your choice – or just top it with your favorite BBQ sauce.  Glazes are nice because they add moisture & another flavor component.    Here is a CURRY KETCHUP recipe (use agave rather than honey – if you are vegan) and here is a SRIRACHA KETCHUP recipe (again – use agave rather than honey – if you are vegan).    I posted Korean & traditional BBQ sauce recipes HERE.

Leftover Lentils Red Coconut Curry & Beef and Bean Meatloaf (Vegan)

Makes one meatloaf

INGREDIENTS

2 cups prepared lentils (your favorite recipe or less than half of this recipe Easy Vegan Thai Sweet Basil & Coconut Lentils)

11 oz vegan beef crumbles (I always use Beyond Meat)

2 TBS red curry paste (or more – to taste)

5.6 oz coconut milk

1/4 cup oats (more if your mixture seems too wet – less if it seems too dry) – breadcrumbs work, too

1/4 cup flax meal (more if your mixture seems too wet – less if it seems too dry)

GARNISH – your favorite meatloaf glaze or BBQ sauce & cilantro

DIRECTIONS

Heat the oven to 400 degrees.

Mix all your ingredients together.  Get it to about the consistency of a wet burger.

I lined my pan with foil but parchment paper is better.  I sprayed it with cooking spray & poured the lentil mixture in & pressed it flat.

Top with the glaze of your choice.

Bake for 45-60 minutes or until it is cooked through.  A testing stick should come out clean.  Let it rest for 10 minutes before transferring or cutting into it.

Top with more glaze, if you desire, & serve with fresh cilantro.

Easy Vegan Thai Sweet Basil & Coconut Lentils

 

 

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2017

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All my posts now have a VERY customizable PRINT & PDF option.  Create a PDF & save the recipe to your computer or print it out.  It offers a “remove images” option & you can delete any part of the post you do not need before printing.  The button is below by the Twitter & Facebook links.

Lentils are cheap, versatile, comforting & good for you.   These can be made thick & served over a grain (like Basmati rice) or made a bit thinner & served as a soup.  They freeze well, too, so why not make a fuckton – like I did – and freeze a bunch for lazy days in the future?

I used sweet basil from Bangluck Thai market in Hollywood but hot basil or regular basil will do.  Were I to make this again – I would double the basil quantity.  I used a small amount of coconut milk in this so keep it lighter & less fattening but more coconut milk would make this creamier & yummier.  I also used a combination of lentils & dal & mung beans – seen below.  You can use all one kind or any combo you have handy.

Easy Vegan Thai Sweet Basil & Coconut Lentils

Makes a large pot full

INGREDIENTS

Coconut oil

5 cups lentils (or dal or mung beans)

1 onion – diced

2 jalapenos – chopped (optional)

1-8 garlic cloves (to taste) – minced

1-2 TBS minced ginger

5 ounces (or more) coconut milk (a 15 oz can would not be too much – I just kept it light)

2 TBS rice vinegar

6 TBS liquid aminos (or soy sauce or tamari)

8 or more cups vegetable stock

1-2 cups fresh basil

GARNISH – cooked rice & more basil

DIRECTIONS

Melt 1 or more TBS of coconut oil (or other cooking oil) in a large stock pot.  Add the onions & jalapenos & saute until soft.  Stir in the garlic & ginger for a minute & then add everything else – (except the fresh basil) – starting with only about 6 cups of the stock.  Bring to a boil & reduced heat to low.  Cover & simmer for 30-60 minutes or until your lentils are soft.  I used & immersion blender & mashed about 25% of the lentils.  Not necessary.  Add more stock for a thinner dish or a soup.  Heat it down if it is too thin.

Stir in the fresh basil & serve with additional basil as garnish.  Serve as it is or over cooked rice.

Vegan Spicy Green Coconut Curry with Vegetables & Split Lentils for the Slow Cooker

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2016

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Slow cooker recipes.  Is anything better than just dumping a bunch of ingredients into a slow cooker, going away for hours and then coming home to dinner – warm & waiting?  I think not!

I used yellow split lentils or urad dal – but any variety of lentils will work just fine.  I added a ton of random vegetables – because I had them.  You can add or omit any veggies you like.

I had a big bag of English peas & some fresh spinach that were going to spoil before I could cook them – so – I froze them.

It was about 2 cups of peas & make 4 cups of spinach but the spinach wilted in the freezer – down to about 4 cups.  If you use frozen veggies in yours – add them at the very end or they will just disintegrate.

Vegan Spicy Green Coconut Curry with Vegetables & Split Lentils for the Slow Cooker

Makes a lot – likely enough to feed 6 well if served with rice

INGREDIENTS (very flexible)

2 cups lentils

2 potatoes – cubed

1 small onion – diced

1-4 cloves garlic – minced

1 small head cauliflower – cut into small florets

1-5 jalapenos – seeded & diced (use less or omit – if you do not like heat)

3-5 carrots – sliced

3 TBS ginger – minced

1 (5.5 oz) can coconut milk (use more for a richer curry)

3 TBS green curry paste

1 TBS garam masala

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp dry mustard

1 tsp turmeric

6 cups vegetable stock

4 cups fresh spinach or 2 cups frozen

2 cups peas

S&P

GARNISH – hot sauce (like sriracha), cilantro & cooked rice (I used basmati)

 DIRECTIONS

Put everything except peas, spinach & any frozen vegetables you might be using into the slow cooker.  If using anything frozen – all them to thaw.  Ignore my photos showing the spinach & peas being added with the other ingredients at the start.  They disintegrated & I had to add more of each at the end.  I also added the cauliflower after the curry had been cooking for hours – hence the different-looking imagery below.

Cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 8 hours.  If it is too thick, add stock or water.  If it is too thin – cook a bit longer with the lid off – or mash some of the curry with a masher or immersion blender to create a thicker gravy.

15 minutes before serving – add peas, spinach & any frozen vegetables you selected.  Season with S&P.

Serve with rice & garnish with cilantro & hot sauce.

Vegan Creamy Dal Makhani Punjabi-Style (Black Gram/Urad Dal & Rajma) – for the Slow Cooker

 

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2016

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I love Indian food.  I always have.  I also love cooking with dry beans & lentils because they are so inexpensive & yield many servings for pennies per serving.  The only issue with Indian recipes is acquiring the exotic spices – which can be expensive if you do not buy them from an Indian market.  Ethnic markets are always the best place to buy spices because each will typically carry all you need for recipes from that area of the world and at greatly reduced prices.  If you do not live in an area with much diversity – Amazon is wonderful.  You can typically omit a few spices from most recipes with little loss of flavor but it is really satisfying to be as authentically true to a regional recipe as possible.   With Thai food, for example, getting fresh kaffir lime leaves & Thai basil makes an enormous difference.  You just open the packages of these things and are transported to your favorite Thai restaurant.  Indian food has a few staples that are hrd to get around – garam masala, for example.  But it is stuff like cardamom & fenugreek (methi) that add authenticity.  Fenugreek is an herb – pictured below – both fresh & dried.  It also comes in seed form & as a powder and it is ubiquitous in Indian recipes in one form or another.  It might be a good idea to research a few Indian recipes & stock up on the critical spices sif you want to experiment with this wonderful cuisine.  HERE is a list of the most used spices – garam masala being the most commonly used and that list omitted the kasoori (or kasuri) methi (dry fenugreek leaves) and I would add that to your list as well as amchoor (mango powder).

I made a version of mahkani in July – seen above – my Spicy Vegan Dal Makhani (Beluga or Black Lentils) for the Slow Cooker.   That dish used beluga lentils & is not as authentic as today’s recipe. In today’s recipe I used whole black lentils (also called urad dal or black gram) and red kidney beans (rajma).    I not only soaked these beans overnight but I also cooked them in my slow cooker for 5 hours on high AND left them overnight to let the flavors meld.  I recommend this (though it is not necessary) to let the beans really soften & the flavors blend – so – if you are making this dish it takes two days before you are eating it.  Again, you definitely could eat it after the 5 hours but like many stew-type dishes – it gets better over time.  The good news is – there is no prep cooking for this dish so, except for cutting up an onion & 2 peppers – the slow cooker does all the work (except the smoking process – explained below).  The lentils & beans I used are below – dry – and as they looked after soaking them – separately – overnight.  As you can see – they changed color considerably.   This dish is traditionally very rich using varied amounts of butter & heavy cream.  I used only 2 TBS of vegan butter & 1/2 cup vegan sour cream – so this dish is not quite so heavy.

As to smoking your dal makhani – it is VERY easy & I recommend it very highly.  It just requires a chunk of a natural charcoal & a small metal bowl.  You simply heat the coal over a burner until it is red hot, place it in a metal bowl & drizzle olive oil on it & place it atop your dal & put the lid on the slow cooker.  In ten minutes – you will have authentically, smoky goodness!  (The photo of the smoking charcoal is from my Smoked & Spicy Indian Eggplant Curry (Vegan – Vegetarian) – seen below.)

Vegan Creamy Dal Makhani Punjabi-Style (Black Gram/Urad Dal & Rajma) – for the Slow Cooker

Serves 6+ with rice

INGREDIENTS

 1 cup dry black urad dal – soaked overnight

1/2 cup dry red kidney beans – soaked overnight

1 onion – diced

2 serrano (or jalapeno) peppers – seeded & diced

2 TBS vegan butter

4 cups water (or vegetable stock)

1 cup tomato puree

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1 TBS garam masala

1/2 tsp amchoor

2 TBS dry methi leaves

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp chili powder

2 green cardamom pods

1 TBS fresh or jarred ginger (I used jarred)

4 garlic cloves – minced

1/2 cup vegan sour cream

Steamed rice

GARNISH – more sour cream, cilantro or fresh fenugreek leaves

DIRECTIONS

Soak the beans overnight.

Put everything except the sour cream into a slow cooker & cook on high for at least 5 hours – maybe more.  If you are going for the overnight uber-cooking (as I did) – leave it covered overnight.  I left my cooker off as there was nothing in there that would spoil but – if you are not comfortable with that – add some water & leave it on warm overnight.

Either way – the next step is the smoking (which you can skip but I recommend trying it because it is amazing.  Heat the coal over a burner until it is red hot, place it in a metal bowl & drizzle olive oil on it & place it atop your dal & put the lid on the slow cooker.  In ten minutes – you will have authentically, smoky goodness!

Now – stir in the sour cream.   If it is too thin – add water or vegan milk to thin it.  If it is too thin – cook it on high with the lid off until it thickens.

Garnish with a dollop of sour cream & serve with rice.

Vegan Carrot Kootu (Thick Coconut Curry with Lentils)

 

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2015

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Here is the Wikipedia definition of “kootu:”

Kootu is a Tamil word means ‘add’ i.e.vegetable added with lentils which form the dish, made of vegetable and lentils and are semi-solid in consistency, i.e., less aqueous than sambhar, but more so than dry curries. Virundhu Sappadu (Typical Tamil feast) comes with the combo of boiled rice (‘Choru’ in Tamil), sambar, rasam, curd, poriyal, kootu, appalam, pickle and banana. All kootus by default have some vegetables and lentils, but many variations of kootu exist.

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I am a big fan of vegan curries – especially those with lots of “sauce” and even more so if they are made in a slow cooker.  This recipe is simple with no exotic ingredients & feeds a LOT of people.   I made this in a 7-quart Crock Pot & nearly filled the thing.  It makes enough to feed a dozen people if served with rice.  I ate it for lunch every day & froze a bunch.  You can do this or cut the recipe down.  I just developed an urgent passion to use ALL the produce I had in my house this week & I had 4 pounds of carrots – so this kootu.

Vegan Carrot Kootu (Thick Coconut Curry with Lentils)

Serves 10-12 with rice

INGREDIENTS

2 cups peeled split mung beans (yellow lentils)

4 pound carrots – sliced

1 onion – chopped

3 cans coconut milk

3 cups vegetable stock

1 or more (according to your taste for heat) jalapenos (or other peppers) – seeded & diced (I used several split Bird’s Eye chilies)

1 TBS fresh ginger (I used jarred)

4 garlic cloves – minced

2 TBS tomato paste

2 TBS turmeric

1 TBS ground coriander

1 tsp chili powder

1 TBS ground cumin

1 cup fresh cilantro – chopped plus more for garnish

1/2 cup or more Thai or other basil – chopped

Lime wedges for garnish

S&P

Cooked rice (I used brown jasmine)

DIRECTIONS

Put everything into the slow cooker & cook on high for 4 hours or until the carrots are tender.  Season with S&P.

Serve withe rice & garnish with cilantro & lime wedges.

Vegan Mushroom, Lemon & Lentil Salad with Arugula

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2015

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So – I saw this photo above on Pinterest & became obsessed.  The original recipe can be found at Delicious Everyday.  I was drawn to it because I love every ingredient in it but also because the photo was so beautiful.  It can be very difficult to photograph dark food in a way that looks appetizing and I think Delicious Everyday did a far better job than I did with capturing the beauty of this recipe.  What none of our photos convey is the simplicity & over-the-top deliciousness of this salad!!!  It comes together in just the time it takes to cook the lentils & it might be the best combination of flavors I have every experienced.  Seriously.  An outrage!  But – if you don’t like mushrooms or arugula – you are SOL.  These top my list of favorite ingredients so I was in heaven.  I used French lentils but any lentils will likely do – just do not overcook them.

Mushroom, Lemon & Lentil Salad with Arugula

Serves 2

Ingredients

½ cup French Lentils

2 cups water (I added a truffle bouillon cube to the water.  Any vegetable stock would work.)

2 tbs olive oil

10 oz  mix of button and portobello mushrooms, sliced (I used 8 oz of shitake – because that is what I had and they were small so I did not slice them.)

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

¼ tsp chili flakes, or more to taste (I used 1 TBS)

1 tbs lemon juice

1 tbs good quality extra virgin olive oil

sea salt and pepper, to taste

2 tbsp flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped

½ cup arugula (I used 1 packed cup)

DIRECTIONS

1. Begin by cooking the lentils. Place the lentils and water (or stock) in a saucepan and bring to a boil before reducing to a simmer. Simmer for 25 minutes or until the lentils are tender (the package might give you more specific directions but shoot for JUST cooked & not overcooked). Drain and set aside to cool.
2. Place a large frying pan over a high heat and add 2 tsp of olive oil. When the pan has come to heat add the mushrooms. Leave for 1 to 2 minutes before stirring. The mushrooms should be lightly golden. Cook for a further minute before removing from the pan. Reduce the heat to medium low and return the mushrooms to the pan and add the garlic and chili flakes and cook for 2 minutes, or until the garlic is fragrant, but not browned as it will taste bitter. Set aside to cool.
3. Toss the lentils, mushroom and garlic together along with the lemon juice and the extra virgin olive oil. Season to taste and add the parsley and rocket just as you’re serving.

Notes

Don’t slice the mushrooms too thinly (I did not slice mine at all). You want them to have a bit of substance and also you don’t want them to dry out when they are cooked over a high heat.

Vegan Herbed French Lentil Salad with Wilted Spinach & Arugula

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2015

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These guys are really easy.  You can prepare the veggies while the lentils cook & then just toss it all together.  It can be served warm or cold.  Healthy, light & delicious!

I used this infused olive oil & French Lentils (above) but regular olive oil works great and any kind of lentils would work, too.  I think French lentils cook faster (22 minutes or so) & hold their shape after cooking a bit better but preparing any lentils on the al dente side should work great.

Vegan Herbed French Lentil Salad with Wilted Spinach & Arugula

INGREDIENTS

1 cup French (or other) lentils – cooked as directed – erring on the al dente side

1 TBS olive oil

2 cups baby spinach

2 cups arugula

1/4 red onion – diced

1/2 pint (1 cup) grape, heirloom cherry or regular cherry tomatoes – halved

juice of 1/2 lemon (or to taste)

1/4 cup fresh basil – minced

1/4 cup fresh mint – minced

1/4 cup fresh, flat-leaf parsley – minced

S&P to taste

DIRECTIONS

Cook the lentils & drain.

Heat the olive oil in a large pan & saute the onion until soft.  Add the spinach & arugula & toss until just wilted.  Removed from heat & toss with the remaining ingredients.  Season with S&P.

MMMM!

Spicy Vegan Dal Makhani (Beluga or Black Lentils) for the Slow Cooker

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Inspired by these gorgeous photos & the recipe HERE from Petit World Citizen – I created this adaptation of that recipe.

My understanding is that Dal Makhani translates to “buttery lentils” – but this dish used no butter.  You can opt to use vegan butter (or real butter – if you are not vegan) in place of the olive oil – and you will be making this in the more traditional way.  I also understand that it typicaally includes red beans but this version does not.  I used Beluga or black lentils that I bought HERE on Amazon.  The original recipe called for 5-6 cups of water to one cup of lentils and I doubled the recipe.  After a full day of cooking in the slow cooker, it was still a very thin soup – so – I added the rest of the black lentils – the full 2lbs.  As a result – I have a fuckton of Dal Makhani – enough to fill THIS 6 QT Crock-Pot to the brim.  But – it is healthy & light & freezes well & I’m OK eating the same thing for lunch every day for a week – so I will deal.  You might want to consider cutting the recipe at least in half.

Also – I radically increased the spices of the original recipe & it came out fiery hot.  I added sugar & some potato slices to modify that & it worked wonders.

Spicy Vegan Dal Makhani (Beluga or Black Lentils) for the Slow Cooker

Make 3-6 quarts (your call) – enough to feed 8-20 – especially if served with rice.

You can cut this recipe in half – by simply reducing the lentils & water by half but keep the other ingredients complete as listed here.  I made it as listed below but with half the lentils but it was too watery.  I then doubled the lentil portion without adding anything else.  So – you have two options below.

INGREDIENTS

for 3 quarts use:

1 lb (2 cups) black beluga lentils, sorted and rinsed
6 cups water – plus more if necessary

OR

for 6 quarts use:

2 lbs (4 cups) black beluga lentils, sorted and rinsed
12 cups water – plus more if necessary

Either way – the rest of the ingredients remain the SAME:

26 oz tomato purée/sauce
4 teaspoons salt
1 TBS sweet paprika or chili powder (I used chili powder)
2 TBS ground garam masala
1 TBS ground turmeric
1 tsp (or more, to taste) cayenne pepper or 2 finely chopped green jalapeño pepper (I used BOTH)
dash of ground cinnamon
1-4 TBS olive oil, vegetable oil or butter (I used 1 TBS olive oil)
4 teaspoons toasted cumin seeds (toasted in a dry pan for a few minutes until brown & fragrant – and ground up with a mortar & pestle – the grinding part being optional)
2 TBS ginger, peeled and finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, crushed
4-6 green onions, sliced thinly, plus more for garnish
1 (15 oz) can coconut milk for a vegan version (I used lite)
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped (plus more for garnish)

Up to 1 TBS sugar – optional addition for if your dal comes out too spicy

1 large potato – peeled & diced – optional addition for if your dal comes out too spicy

Avocado slices or lime wedges – for garnish

DIRECTIONS

Place rinsed lentils into a 6-quart Crock-Pot with water.  Add tomato sauce, salt, paprika or chili powder, garam masala, turmeric, cayenne pepper, and cinnamon.

Toast the cumin seeds in a dry pan a few minutes until just beginning to brown & they become fragrant.  Be careful not to burn them.  Grind them in a mortar & pestle (grinding not strictly necessary).  Then, in small saucepan, heat oil on medium high heat, add toasted cumin seeds and ginger.  Sauté for 3-5 minutes and then add garlic & green onions and sauté for a few more minutes. Add the sautéed mixture to the crockpot and give everything a good mixing up to incorporate things.

Set the timer for 6 hours on HIGH.   If you are home while it cooks – stir it once in a while for a creamier texture.

After the cooking time is done, the dal should be very soft. Add the coconut milk & stir it in.   Taste, adjust seasoning.  If it is too spicy – add the sugar & potato.  Continue cooking for 15 or so minutes or until the potato is soft.  If the dal is too thick, add some hot water until preferred consistency is achieved.  If it’s too thin, uncover and cook longer until it thickens.

When done, mix in chopped cilantro. Top with avocados, if using, and garnish with cilantro and green onions or lime wedges. Serve hot with rice, roti or naan.

Vegan Coconut and Turmeric Lentil Stew with Kale for the Slow Cooker

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2015

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I stole this image from Google.

I found fresh turmeric at the supermarket & just had to try it out.  It looks like that photo above – but that photo does not really get the grub-like visual it sometimes has.  I used 1 2-inch piece of it chopped into the stew but I can’t say what flavor it added so – if you can’t find it – skip it.  Powdered turmeric will do.  Google turmeric & learn of its many health benefits.  It is very good for you & has that gorgeous color – so I love using it.

This stew was born because I re-upped my membership to Farm Fresh to You & I had lots of fresh veggies to use.    This makes a shitload of stew but it is delicious & freezes well.  I have been eating it for lunch at work all week and I am never disappointed by the flavors.   I used this 6-quart Crock Pot and it was filled to the brim – so – get ready to either feed a lotta folks or to freeze some for future use.

I have to remark here how much better the local organic carrots I got from Farm Fresh to You tasted than supermarket carrots.  They were bursting with sweetness!  If you have a local produce delivery service near you – I recommend trying it out.  Support local farmers & get fresher produce.  It is a win-win.

Vegan Coconut and Turmeric Lentil Stew with Kale for the Slow Cooker

Feeds a party

INGREDIENTS

1 lb lentils (I used pink  ones- despite the fact that they look yellow because of the turmeric)

7 cups vegetable stock

1 can coconut milk (I used lite)

4 tomatoes – diced

1 onion – diced

2 jalapenos – seeded & minced (I left the seeds in for extra kick)

1 head Kale – chopped

4 carrots – sliced

4 cloves garlic – chopped

3 TBS fresh ginger – minced

2 inches turmeric root – peeled & minced (optional)

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp salt

2 pinches cayenne

1 TBS ground coriander

1 TBS mustard powder

1 TBS turmeric

GARNISH – cilantro, chopped tomatoes, chopped jalapenos

DIRECTIONS

Put everything in the slow cooker & leave on high for 5 hours.

Shit don’t get easier than that.

If it is too thick – add water.  If it is too thin – take the lid off & leave on high.  It should thicken up in an hour or so.

Vegan Slow Cooker Red Curry Lentils

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2014

Follow @celisemccarthy

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To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.

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All my posts now have a VERY customizable PRINT & PDF option.  Create a PDF & save the recipe to your computer or print it out.  It offers a “remove images” option & you can delete any part of the post you do not need before printing.  The button is below by the Twitter & Facebook links.

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Slow cookers.  Mmmmmm!  So satisfying.  Like I said in my Baked Rigatoni with Spicy Slow Cooker Fennel and Grilled Eggplant Sauce and Smoked Mozzarella (Scamorza) post – coming home to a house filled with the aroma of a fresh cooked meal is the next best thing to having a wife.  Or a husband.  Because the dogs just never seem to get motivated enough to cook.  Or maybe they do – but they just eat it all up themselves.

Either way – a slow cooker can be a dreamy thing.  Some recipes, like my pasta above, require a bit of prep & post work but THIS one does not.  Just throw everything into the slow cooker & go away.  I did.  For TEN HOURS.  And I came home to a delicious & healthy meal with enough left over that I will have a nice lunch to warm for several days, too.

I used this slow cooker here because it has low & high settings.

I have three other slow cookers but one is TINY and best used to heat dips that are supposed to be served warm, another is pretty small with no settings & I did not feel safe leaving it unattended all day & the last one is just huge.  So – I dragged this beauty out & just used the center bowl.

This is not particularly spicy so I added sriracha when I served it but you could add more spice (or less) from the beginning – according to your taste.

This could also be made stove top in just the time it takes to cook the lentils but you might want to saute the onions a bit first to soften them.

Vegan Slow Cooker Red Curry Lentils

feeds at least 4 very very well with rice

INGREDIENTS

3 cups lentils ( I used pink/red ones but any would do – though pink will be prettiest)

1 TBS olive oil

26 oz strained tomatoes

1 small onion – diced

4 garlic cloves – minced

2 tsp fresh grated ginger (or 1 tsp dry ground ginger) – I used jarred

1 tsp ground cumin

4 TBS red curry paste

2 tsp turmeric

2 tsp salt

1-3 tsp cayenne pepper (according to your tolerance for heat)

2 tsp garam masala (recipe below if you cannot find it as garam masala)

1 TBS harissa or other hot sauce – like sriracha

4 cups water

1 (14 oz) can coconut milk (I used lite but regular is fine)

Chopped cilantro as garnish (and cook some rice to serve the lentils over – I used brown Basmati)

DIRECTIONS

Here is the beautiful part.  Just stick all the ingredients EXCEPT THE COCONUT MILK & CILANTRO into a slow cooker & set it on low.  Go away for 8-10 hours.  Or set it on high and it should be done in 2-3 hours.   When you are ready to serve it – stir in the coconut milk & serve over steamed rice.  Garnish with cilantro & maybe additional hot sauce.

Enjoy!

Garam Masala

INGREDIENTS

1/2 tsp ground coriander

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1/4 tsp ground cardamom

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

Vegan Beet, Lentil & Rice Burger Sliders with Arugula, Sriracha Mayo & Smoked Black Pepper Cheddar

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2013

Follow @celisemccarthy

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To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.

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All my posts now have a VERY customizable PRINT & PDF option.  Create a PDF & save the recipe to your computer or print it out.  It offers a “remove images” option & you can delete any part of the post you do not need before printing.  The button is below by the Twitter & Facebook links.

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These patties are genuinely spicy & pretty tasty but they definitely benefited from the various toppings – especially the sriracha mayo.  Plain – they seem a bit lacking but that would really be true of any veggie patty, I think.  As pictured here, the patties themselves are vegan but I used real cheese & real mayo to top them.  If you are vegan – simply make the sriracha mayo with a vegan mayonnaise & either omit the cheese or use a vegan one.

The other thing about these is that they are pretty close to the color of real ground beef – especially when the patties are raw.  Take a look.

I made these into little sliders but you can make them full-sized, if you prefer.  There are a few steps involved, like cooking the rice & lentils but the steps are not complicated.  I used this red cargo rice but any brown rice would do.

I used arugula & tomato but you can top these the way you would top any burger.  Still – the spicy arugula, sriracha mayo & the spicy patties made for a pretty powerful taste treat sensation!  Also, once cooked, these guys should store in the fridge pretty well for a few days.

Vegan Beet, Lentil & Rice Burger Sliders with Arugula, Sriracha Mayo & Smoked Black Pepper Cheddar

Makes 10 slider-sized patties

INGREDIENTS

For the Vegan Beet, Lentil & Rice Burgers

1 large shallot small onion – chopped

4 garlic cloves – chopped

Olive oil

1 cup of raw beets – peeled & grated

1 plus 1/2 cups cooked lentils

2 cups cooked brown (or other) rice

1 tsp smoked paprika

1/2 tsp ground thyme

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp cayenne (or to taste)

Slider or burger buns

Garnish: arugula, sliced tomato, smoked pepper cheddar or other cheese or vegan alternative

For the sriracha mayo

1/4 cup mayo (vegan or otherwise)

1-2 TBS sriracha (or to taste)

DIRECTIONS

For the Vegan Beet, Lentil & Rice Burgers

Peel & grate the raw beets.  I grated them in a food processor.  Cook the rice & let it cool. Cook the lentils, drain & cool.  Measure out the amounts of each needed & set aside.  Divide the lentils into 1 cup & 1/2 cup portions.

Heat about 1 TBS olive oil & saute the shallot/onion until translucent.  Add the garlic & saute another minute.

In the food processor, pulse the cooked shallot/onion & garlic, beets, cooked rice, 1 cup cooked lentils & the spices until a meaty texture is achieved.

Mix in the 1/2 cup of reserved, cooked lentils & adjust the seasoning.  For patties.  I used a cookie cutter that was the size of the slider buns.

Treat a pan or griddle with cooking spray & cook these guys over medium heat for about 2 minutes per side or until they just begin to char.  If using cheese add it once you flip them them.  Cook until the cheese is melted.  Covering the pan might help speed that melting process along.

For the sriracha mayo

Simply mix the mayo & sriracha & adjust it to suit your taste.

Now simply assemble your sliders as you like.  I cannot recommend arugula highly enough.

Enjoy!