Here is an easy to make warming Winter vegetable and lentil vegan stew. It is warmly spiced to kindle the digestion and warm you up. Enjoy with chappattis or a serving of short grain organic brown rice. 

And you don’t have to keep to the vegetables I have suggested below. Use your own combinations of your favourite Winter veg, but be sure to include lots of root veg. The beetroot I have used brings a lovely warm colour to the dish.

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups of brown or green lentils

A five finger pinch of ground ginger

A five finger pinch of cumin seeds

A five finger pinch of cumin powder

A five finger pinch of coriander seeds

A two finger pinch of turmeric powder

A two finger pinch of hot paprika powder/cayenne

A small pinch of salt

Two tspns Marigold bouillon powder

1 litre of filtered or spring water

2 organic carrots

1 medium sized organic beetroot.

1/2 large butternut squash, peeled. 

2 salsify

4 cups of curly kale

Add a litre of filtered water to a large pan and place on the hob to bring to the boil.

Add the spices as the water heats.

Once the water comes to a boil, please add the washed lentils. Turn the heat down slightly so that the lentils are on now cooking on a more gentle heat. 

Meanwhile, please clean and chop the organic carrots and beetroot. Personally, I don’t peel my organic veggies. There are nutrients in and close to the skin. 

Cut the butternut squash in half, peel and remove the seeds, then cut into cubes.

Peel and cut the salsify into cubes. 

Add the prepared root vegetables and squash to the pot of lentils. 

Add the optional Marigold bouillon powder at this point. You might like to mix the powder in a little warm water before adding to the stew. (I add this when I am cooking for guests who are used to more flavours. Once you start to eat this way, your taste buds will become more sensitive to all the flavours of the vegetables and spices and you may not need the bouillon). 

Keep cooking, adding extra water if needed, until the lentils and vegetables are soft. At this point I add my chopped curly kale, and a little extra water if there is not much liquid remaning. You can also check at this time if extra seasoning is needed. 

Cook for a few more minutes until the kale is soft and then enjoy this warming, nourishing one-pot meal with a chappati, and/or short grain organic brown rice, or your other favourite seasonal grain.