Lentil Stew with Couscous

I'm always in search of healthy, parve dinner ideas that I, the pickiest eater in the family, can enjoy.

Parve, because that decadent piece of chocolate is waiting for me in the dark recesses of my pantry, purposely concealed from my daughter's field of vision. I don't share everything.

So, given that I mostly don't like beans, I tried putting something together with lentils, and subsequently threw in some almost expired vegetables. That's the fun thing about cooking, no one can tell.

My lentil, celery, carrot stew was born.

Paired with couscous, this lentil stew is both healthy and filling. You can also easily make this in the crockpot, saving yourself cooking time.

It's so nice to come home to a hearty, warm meal.

Best of all, this is so....

Easy!

I love easy. Easy is my favorite word, especially when paired with dinner.

Easy dinner. I love that.

Lentil Stew

Ingredients

:

1 onion, diced

3 Tb of oil

2 cups of lentils, rinsed

4-5 celery stalks, thinly sliced

1 cup of carrots, sliced

4 cups of boiling water

1 Tb of tumeric

1/2 Tb of cumin

salt and pepper

Directions

:

1. In a large pot, sautee the onion in the oil until slightly browned. Add the lentils, celery, carrots, and water and bring to a boil.

2. Add the tumeric, cumin, salt and pepper, and stir until mixture is evenly coated.

3. Reduce to a simmer and cover.

4. Let it cook for another 15-20 minutes or until desired tenderness is achieved

Couscous

Cook as directed on package, but if you'd like i'll reiterate...

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a pot, lightly sautee 2 cups of couscous and add 2 cups of boiling water. Bring to a boil and season. Reduce to a simmer until cooked through.

Tips:

• This recipe serves about 6, you can easily alter the quantities or better yet store the leftovers in the freezer. That's like making TWO easy dinners in half the time!
• If you'd like the make it "heartier", you can add some potatoes or meat

Enjoy!