Slow Cooker Lentil Cauliflower Stew

 

This week’s slow cooker meal was another lentil dish. I’ve been going through a lentil thing lately. I’ve been using them a whole lot. This stew has lasted multiple days. I made it on Tuesday and I’ve had a bowl everyday since then. Tomorrow will be the day I kill the last of it.

I have a lot of problems with beans typically. I can’t eat black beans, white beans, and kidney beans among others because I get such bad stomach cramps from the gas that beans gas. You know that old song, “Beans beans they’re good for your heart, the more you eat, the more you fart?” Yeah.. I get so much gas that I feel like a hot air balloon. The point of my story about gas is that lentils don’t do that for me.

Slow Cooker Lentil Cauliflower Stew
(source)

Ingredients
16 oz dried lentils
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb cauliflower, chopped into small florets
2 leeks, chopped
2 large carrots, chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
2 bay leaves
1 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
8 cups vegetable broth
2 15-oz cans petite diced tomatoes
cheddar cheese, shredded to taste

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat.  Saute the onions for 4 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for an additional minute.

2. Pour the softened onions and garlic into the slow cooker. Add the rest of the ingredients as well (except for the cheese.)

3. Cover the slow cooker and cook for 8 hours on low.

4. When the stew is done, serve and sprinkle cheddar cheese on top.

* serves 12
* shared with Souper Sunday at Kahakai Kitchen and Weekend Cooking

Kidney Bean Cauliflower Curry

A month ago I made a kidney bean curry and was all about it. It was the first time I had made a curry where beans were the focus of the dish. I liked it so much that I made it again. This time though I followed a different recipe that had more in it than just beans. This recipe packs the curry with cauliflower as well as kidney beans. The flavor was approximately the same  as the last one, but this curry was more filling because of the increase in vegetables.

I love curry. I served this curry over a bed of turmeric rice.

Kidney Bean Cauliflower Curry

Ingredients
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp peeled and chopped ginger
1/2 onion, chopped
1/4 head cauliflower, cut into florets
1/2 tomato, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 jalapeno, seeded and minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp ground turmeric
1/8 tsp cayenne
4 oz tomato sauce
1 15-oz can kidney beans

Directions

 1. Heat oil in a deep pan over medium heat for about a minute. Add ginger, garlic, onion, and jalapeno and fry for a minute. Add the tomato sauce, salt, cumin, coriander, cumin seeds, turmeric, and cayenne. Cook for an additional five minutes, and stir frequently. Add the undrained kidney beans plus 1/2 cup of water, cauliflower, and tomato. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat. Simmer for 10 minutes, or until the curry is thick enough.

* serves 2
* 416 calories per serving
* I’m sharing this recipe with Midnight Maniac’s Meatless Mondays,  Tuesdays at the Table, and Tasty Tuesday Party.