Red Lentil Soup with Coconut and Lime

This soup is amazing - savory from the veggie broth and lentils, spicy from the curry power, and THEN you end up with little bursts of sweetness from the golden raisins that have been simmering away in the broth. The squeeze of lime at the end gives it a hint of tartness, as well. Adapted from 101cookbooks.com.

(Note to raisin-averse readers: I usually hate raisins with a fiery passion, but they are delicious in this recipe. Don't let their presence here deter you!)

1 cup yellow split peas
1 cup red lentils
3 cups water
4 cups veggie broth

1 medium carrot, chopped
3-4 tablespoons fresh peeled and minced ginger
3-4 tablespoons curry powder (depending on how much you enjoy spiciness)
2 tablespoons butter
8 green onions (scallions), thinly sliced
1/3 cup golden raisins
1/3 cup tomato paste
1 14-ounce can coconut milk
Salt to taste
one small handful cilantro, chopped
1-2 limes
2 cups pre-cooked brown rice

Rinse the split peas and lentils. Place them in an extra-large soup pot, cover with the water and broth, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and add the carrot and 1/2 of the ginger. Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the split peas are soft.  Place the butter in a pan over medium heat, add the green onions, the remaining ginger, and raisins. Saute for two minutes stirring constantly, then add the tomato paste and saute for another minute or two. Add the curry powder to the tomato paste mixture, mix well, and then add this to the simmering soup along with the coconut milk. Simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes or so (or simmer longer for a thicker consistency). Taste and adjust the seasoning. I added some extra curry powder here for more flavor.

 Ladle the soup into bowls over the brown rice. Sprinkle cilantro over each bowl, then squeeze some lime on top.

Moroccan-inspired Chickpea Stew with Sweet Potatoes, Butternut Squash, and Kale

This giant pot of stew will feed a small army...or you'll have leftovers for a week!

1 small butternut squash
2 medium-sized sweet potatoes, chopped into 1/2 inch chunks
3 TBSP olive oil
2 medium-sized onions, chopped
5 or 6 cloves garlic, minced
2 inch chunk garlic root, peeled and minced
salt to taste
black pepper to taste
1/2 tsp tumeric
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp dill
2 cans chick peas, drained and rinsed
1 can whole tomatoes in juice, chopped
1 medium-sized head of kale, stalks removed and chopped

Cut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds. Place face down in a lightly oiled glass pan and bake at 400 degrees for about half an hour, or until tender. Remove from oven, carefully trim skin off, and chop into 1/2 inch chunks. Meanwhile, place chopped sweet potatoes in a pot with a steamer basket and steam for about 20 minutes.

Heat 3 TBSP olive oil in a large pot over medium flame. Add onions and saute until translucent, about five minutes. Add garlic, ginger, salt, pepper, tumeric, cumin, cinnamon, and cayenne, and saute another two or three minutes. Add steamed sweet potatoes, roasted squash chunks, dill, chick peas, chopped tomatoes with their juice, and about a cup of cold water. Cover and let simmer over medium heat until the stew thickens and all flavors meld, about 20 minutes. While stew is simmering, steam the chopped kale for about five minutes until bright green. Mix steamed kale into stew. Taste and adjust seasonings.

This stew is delicious served over brown rice with chopped raisins. Top it all off with a spoonful of yogurt!