Red Lentil Stew

This was an adaptation of the recipe “Red Lentil Soup in a Flash” from Dr. Neal Barnard’s book POWER FOODS FOR THE BRAIN.  I made the soup into a stew using tomato sauce to thicken and more added vegetables and served it over brown rice.  Excellent, satisfying dish!   You can substitute one box of Pomi chopped tomatoes and one can of unsalted tomato sauce to replace the two cans of tomato sauce if you don't have two cans of sauce.

Ingredients

3 cups of brown basmati rice
1 large Vidalia onion, diced
10 oz. pkg. shredded carrots
8 mini sweet peppers, chopped
3 stalks celery, diced
2 cups sliced mushrooms
1 box unsalted vegetable stock
2- 8oz. cans unsalted tomato sauce
5 cans water
4 T. balsamic vinegar
5 large cloves garlic, minced
2 ½ t. dried thyme
1 bay leaf
3 cups red lentils rinsed
1 large handful fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions

Prepare brown rice in a rice cooker.

Using a deep 5 quart essential pan, sauté the onion and mushrooms with a couple of tablespoons of water, over medium heat for 5 minutes.  Add 3 cloves of garlic and thyme.  Add the remaining vegetables; carrots, lentils, sweet peppers and celery and sauté for a couple more minutes. 

Add the vegetable stock, tomato sauce, water, balsamic vinegar, fresh parsley, remaining garlic and bay leaf.  Mix well and increase heat to medium high heat.  Bring to boil then reduce heat to low, cover pan and continue to cook for 30 to 40 minutes.  Continue to check stew and stir throughout cook time.  If needed add an additional can of water.

Serve stew on top of brown rice.