Write a commentStaying at home on the second Friday of Lent? We have a great meal addition to put in your repertoire of meals – Lentil Stew. Don’t think those dry beans will taste good—even my young ones like this meal.
And those Lentils have 9 grams of protein in every quarter cup. That is as much as an ounce of chicken! That protein makes this meal feel hearty but again fits well into the no-meat Friday rule. And I did say it is easy to make? Well, I did now. Let’s get started.
Ingredients
- 5 cups water
- 5 bouillon cubes, vegetable flavored (found at Walmart)
- 1 cup rinsed dried lentil beans
- 1 can of diced tomatoes (I like the ones with garlic, onions, and basil but you can use any)
- 3-4 diced carrots (can use frozen)
- ½ small onion, chopped
- ½ -1 packet of taco seasoning (depends on how spicy you want it)
- 1-2 bay leaves (optional)
- garlic powder, to taste
- pepper, to taste
There is only one thing to do. Add everything to your crockpot and stir. If you set your crockpot to high, it will be done in 5-6 hours, on low 7-8 hours. Stirring in between is helpful, but not necessary.
You can add different vegetables like corn, green beans, celery, peppers, peas, or whatever you have in the fridge. Leftovers make great additions.
Sometimes I add about 1/8 cup of white rice if I do not have enough dried beans and it comes out just fine.
I like to top mine with cheese, but others in my house use sour cream quite often.
If you let the stew cook on the longer side, it gets so thick you can scoop it out with tortilla chips like a taco salad. We love that, too.
This comes out wonderful every time. And the cost? About 85¢ a serving with chips or a slice of Italian bread from Walmart. Yes, you heard that right…85 cents! This pot will serve 6 generous portions or 8 normal-sized ones.
Have a beautiful Lenten season and feel the Love of Christ as we continue this journey of discovery. Enjoy!
