Suma Bloggers Network - Lentil Stew

Happy New Year!

Here's hoping that 2016 is THE year! Let it be filled with great health, happiness, love and the year which your dreams come alive. Make this the year to discover your passions and live the life you've always dreamed of. So lets jump on the 'passion living' highway and start our adventures together! I came across a great quote I want to share with you (by unknown); "If what you're doing is not your passion, you have nothing to lose". 

A few more quotes to get you started:

"All our dreams can come true - if we have the courage to pursue them." - Walt Disney

"Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending." - Maria Robinson

"A year from now you will wish you had started today." - Karen Lamb

Some changes that I'll be making to my life are to continue to improve my diet, I have already seen some improvement with removing refined sugar from my diet so onwards and upwards. I'll be experimenting more with healthy ingredients and I will share them with you right here and hope to publish more recipes too! 

I look forward to completing my aromatherapy course and become a qualified aromatherapist, there's a long way to go but I'm passionate about it and will therefore find the time required. I love my essential oils and use them every day so I would love to help others reap their benefits. I might even post a few recipes here, watch this space.....

I had a fantastic first year on my allotment, I can't believe the amount of food I grew, my chest freezer is still full! I'll need to do a lot more experimenting with food to use it all up before my next harvest is ready! I've met some fantastic people down there who have passed on their expertise and provided support when things haven't quite gone to plan. Over the next couple of weeks I'll be planning on where to grow all the seeds I've saved, purchased or swapped. Growing and eating your own food is the best feeling ever and trust me fruit and vegetables taste way better than shop bought produce!

Thank you for all your comments you have left over the last year, it means so much to know people have stopped by and left a comment. I cant wait to read all about your plans for 2016 and hope we can share all the exciting adventures we pursue.

OK, so the first recipe of 2016 is.........

Lentil and Bean Stew also known as Dal Makhini which translates to "buttery lentils". It originates from the Punjab region of India and Pakinstan, where the main ingredients are black lentils, kidney beans, butter and cream. Obviously my version of this fantastic flavoursome dish doesn't use butter or cream and I've replaced the kidney beans with adzuki beans. Why? Well, it is the start of a new year and so many people enter into a detox or weight loss programme and the adzuki bean has beneficial qualities to help you along the way. It is reported to aid weight loss and detoxify the body, so, why wouldn't you?


Ingredients 
50g Sum cashew pieces 
1 Dessert spoon of Suma coconut oil, melted
1 Onion, finely diced
2 Sticks of celery, finely diced
6 Garlic cloves, minced
1 Tin Suma organic chopped tomatoes
1 Tsp Vegetable bouillon powder
200ml Water
1 Bay leaf
2 Cloves
1 Tin Suma organic beluga lentils
1 Tin Suma organic adzuki beans
1 Tbsp Tomato puree
Juice of half a lemon
Spice Mixture
3 Tsp Garam Masala
1 Tsp Chili powder
1 Tsp Turmeric
½ Tsp Ground ginger
¼ Tsp Ground cinamon
¼ Tsp Nutmeg
¼ Tsp Salt
¼ Tsp Black pepper

Method - Serves 4 people
1) Soak the cashew pieces in water.

2) Prepare your spice mix, combine all spices in a small bowl.

3) Melt the coconut in a large pan over a low heat.

4) Sauté the onion and celery in the pan until the onion is just starting to brown.

5) Prepare the liquid mixture for the stew. Drain the cashew pieces in a sieve. To a blender add the tin of tomatoes, drained cashew pieces, vegetable bouillon powder and the 200ml water and blend to a sauce.

6) Add the minced garlic to the onions and celery and sauté for another minute.

7) Add the spice mix to the pan and sauté for 30 seconds while stirring.

8) Add the sauce, bay leaf and cloves to the pan and stir to combine. Cook over a low heat until the mixture is bubbling.

9) Add the beluga lentils and the adzuki beans and cook for another 10 minutes to heat through. The beauty of using tinned pulses is that they are already cooked.

10) Add the lemon juice and cook for another 5 minutes.

11) Serve in bowls with a sprinkling of parsley or serve over a mix of wholegrain and wild rice.

Thanks Suma! As you know every two months I get to choose £20 of Suma products from the 7000+ vegetrian and vegan products they offer and in return I create a recipe using some of the ingredients.

It was a difficult choice to decide what to cook with the ingredients and a close second was a beluga lentil and adzuki chili, which I also made and I will share the recipe soon. 

Wishing you all the very best for a most fabulous year ahead.

Love and peace

Jasmine x