Lentil Ew??

Lentils.

What do you think of when you hear that word?

Usually something along the lines of brown, mushy, EW. But please indulge me and let me try and convince you otherwise.

Lentils are part of the legume family and originated in India and Pakistan. They come in all different colors including yellow, red, orange, green, brown, and black. They are alsopacked with nutrients. Having the 3rd highest protein of any plant based food, they contain a significant source of fiber, folate, B1, and iron (ladies??). When mixed with the right assortment of spices and vegetables, the power food has a delicious earthy taste and smooth texture.

When I was in 4th grade, my mom was having more and more health problems and the lupus was getting the better of her. My parents were referred to a natural path doctor and decided to give it a try. This changed our family's life for the better.

Not only were we introduced to natural herbs, plants, and minerals that would help my mom (and us) but also, a brand new way of eating. We had never eaten nutritionally poor, but did not get enough whole grains, fruits and veggies. We were a dutch-casserole-eating family, with lots of white flour, dairy, and carb heavy. My mom starting making brown rice instead of white, adding large portions of vegetables to each meal, limiting sweets, baking with 100% whole wheat flour, and lowering our dairy intake.

Now I have never been a picky eater or anything, but those were some rough days. My mom was trying all sorts of "weird" recipes and the pendulum swung to the COMPLETE opposite time. I don't recall hating it, but my sister sure did. One night, she sat at the table and growled, "I want meat!" (which we also lowered our intake of). One of those "weird" recipes my mom tried was a lentil soup. The first try was TERRIBLE! Seriously, it had no flavor and was really just brown, mushy, EW. But then she got it right when she tried a recipe with ham. It was mmmmm good!

Needless to say, the health kick we went through balanced out and my mom found a healthy balance in her recipes. Now that I do my own cooking, I am O-so-grateful that we ate as we did. I have realized the immense benefit to "eating from the ground", and not from a box. I love exploring new recipes and ways to incorporate food that is natural instead of processed to death.

Here's a no-brainer that people still don't seem to get:

YOU FEEL SO MUCH BETTER WHEN YOU EAT HEALTHY! SO MUCH! I can't emphasize this enough.

All this being said, I wanted to share a delicious lentil stew recipe that I made last night. Along with the lentils, it also contains butternut squash, which makes it an absolutely delightful combination. And the best part: it's a crock pot recipe. It takes just 10 minutes of preparation, all day of effortless cooking, and it's ready for dinner! Seriously, try it.

~SheriLynn

Lentil Stew with Butternut Squash

Serves: 8

Preparation: 10 minutes

Cook time: 6-8 hr.

• 3 large stalks celery, cut into 1/4-inch thick slices
• 1 large (12-ounce) onion, chopped
• 1 large (2 1/2-pound) butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1 bag(s) (1 pound) brown lentils
• 4 cup(s) water
• 1 can(s) (14 to 14 1/2 ounces) vegetable broth
• 1/2 teaspoon(s) dried rosemary
• Salt and pepper
• 1 ounce(s) Parmesan or Romano cheese, shaved with vegetable peeler
• 1/4 cup(s) loosely packed fresh parsley leaves, chopped

Directions:

1. In 4 1/2- to 6-quart slow cooker bowl, combine celery, onion, squash, lentils, water, broth, rosemary, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Cover slow cooker with lid, and cook as manufacturer directs on low setting 8 hours.

2. To serve, spoon lentil stew into serving bowls; top with Parmesan shavings, and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Makes about 11 1/2 cups.