Easy lentil veggie stew
In the middle of winter, a good stew really hits the spot. If I’m going the plant-based route, lentils are one of my favorite options because they are packed with protein, folate, and iron, and they cook very quickly compared to other dry legumes. Add some vitamin-C rich veggies and some healthy fats for absorption, and you’ve got yourself a nutrition powerhouse!
This stew is perfect for anybody looking to meal prep for a busy week, but it’s particularly helpful if you’re trying to plan ahead some freezer meals during pregnancy for those crazy few months after you deliver. If you’re not strictly vegan or vegetarian, consider using bone broth or adding some collagen peptides to meet your glycine needs in pregnancy or to boost postpartum healing. The vitamin C in this stew will help with healing as well!
You’ll find all the ingredients in this stew at Trader Joe’s, easy to grab! If you don’t live near a Trader Joe’s, the only difference will be that you might have to chop up your own mirepoix (a veggie mixture of celery, onions and carrots used as a base for many soups in traditional cooking).
Serve this up with a hunk of crusty baguette or a few slices of wholegrain toast with generous slabs of butter, and enjoy! Directions for freezing are in the recipe.
Easy lentil veggie stew
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 14.5 oz container of mirepoix (Trader Joe's) OR 1 cup each diced celery, onions and carrots
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 16 oz dry red lentils, rinsed and sorted
- 1 cup frozen chopped spinach
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
- 32 fl oz chicken, veggie or bone broth
- 1 cup water
- additional salt and pepper to taste
- Optional: If not using bone broth, 2-4 scoops collagen peptides
Instructions
- Heat oil in the bottom of a large stock pot over medium heat. Saute mirepoix (celery, onion and carrot mixture) and garlic until onions are soft and translucent.
- Stir in lentils, spinach, turmeric and pepper until the lentils are evenly coated with oil. Let cook 1-2 minutes.
- Add the can of tomatoes, broth, and water. If you are adding collagen peptides, stir in here. Stir well and turn heat to high.
- Once the stew is at a rolling boil, reduce to a simmer and cover with a lid. Simmer for 20-30 minutes or until lentils, carrots and celery are soft. Stir occasionally, and taste. Add additional salt and pepper if desired, and add more water to get a thinner consistency if desired.
- Serve hot with crusty baguette or wholegrain toast and butter!
- To freeze: divide soup into the containers they will be frozen in. Cover loosely and let cool completely to room temperature. Keep in freezer for up to 3-4 months. Defrost in the refrigerator when ready to eat.