Garden Update--5/29/2016

https://youtu.be/gzgWiSpDUMw

Cooking: Curry Lentil Stew

Shalom alechim!

Being that my Ish is a vegan, I am always thinking of different ideas on what to make for dinner. While looking in the cupboards and fridge, the lentils and potatoes came to mind. In addition, I recall seeing a video on YouTube in which lentils and potatoes were used in a curry. That being said, I thought to come up with a version of my own...

 Here are the ingredients--three carrots, three celery stalks, one large onion, two large cloves of garlic, four small potatoes, one cup lentils, three cups vegetable broth, salt, and curry powder. 

Chop the celery...

Peel the outside layer of the carrots for neater presentation (I  put the peelings in my compost)

Then, as with the celery, chop the carrots...

...and onions as finely as possible. Also, mince your garlic cloves. I did that using a garlic press. 

Peel and chop your potatoes in small to medium sized cubes. 

In a large pot, on medium high heat, add three tablespoons of coconut oil. Once heated, add the carrots, celery, onions, and cook for about two or three minutes...

 ...until the vegetables are softened and appear translucent.  In the middle of the cooking time noted above, add a small amount of salt and curry powder (when making stews, soups, or anything in one pot, I like to season in small amounts...in layers. This is two ensure that the dish has flavor throughout).

Next, add the potatoes... And a little more salt and curry powder. Cook for ten to fifteen minutes...

...until color and crispness is on the outside of the potatoes, yet they are soft on the inside.

Add the lentils...

....and mix thoroughly with the vegetables.

Add the vegetable broth--along with another layer of salt and curry powder.  Stir...

...cover and simmer for about thirty minutes--until the lentils are soft, but not mush.  Throughout the cooking process, check the levels of liquid in the stew. Lentils, albeit small, will soak up liquid like you wouldn't believe.  When I see that the stew is getting a little dry, then I would add an additional half-cup of vegetable broth to keep it moist. 

And voila!  Curry Lentil Stew. To accompany the stew was a loaf of White Whole Wheat French Bread--which I made earlier that day (NOTE--I have been obsessed with baking bread lately, so expect bread baking entries in the future).

The stew was absolutely delicious!  It was very flavorful, because I seasoned in layers. In addition, this stew, because of the lentils was, as my Ish notes, full of protein (lentils and legumes (beans) in general, are excellent sources of protein for vegetarians and vegans).

I hope this inspires you to make this dish. Let me know how it turned out for you. I look forward to hearing from you. So until then, shalom shalom. :-) 

I'm back

Shalom alechim!

I know it's been a while since I've added an entry.  A lot has changed in the last couple of months.  For one, I moved from a small city of 50,000 people to a major city of over 1.5 million.  With the move, I also reside with my Ish. We are building our lives together. Job-wise, I quit my job at a health insurance company to work from home and tend to my Ish. With this, this gives me a greater opportunity to do more things as it relates to this blog. I also have the opportunity to support and lift up my Ish--essentially, to be a full-time helpmeet with no distraction's of another employer. Yahuah has definitely answered my prayers--as it was a dream for me to be a full-time keeper at home. 

Please stay tuned for more Teacher Of Good Things--both this blog and an up and coming blog (with the help of my wonderful Ish--who happens to be a filmmaker).  Until then, shalom shalom. 

Bathshua

P.S.  This is me and my Ish Banayahu. This pic was game the day before Pesach. He is a wonderful, loving, patient man--who is also very knowledgeable of Scripture, Hebrew, and history, among other things.  He teaches me something new everyday--as well as stimulate and challenge my mental.  He has me pondering a lot in our conversations, an I absolutely love that!   I love him so much!