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Speaking of the lentil stew I made earlier this week, in the slow cooker, here's what went in for my notes (and anyone who's curious):
1 cup of lentils
1 can of diced tomatoes (not drained!)
2 cups beef broth (I'd do twice that next time, I had to add water)
2 cups water (see previous!)
a 7-ounce package of pre-diced white onion (yes, I'm that lazy, and onions make me cry)
a bag of mixed frozen veggies (this one happened to be corn, carrots, lima beans, peas, and I think green beans)
Spices to taste - I used a pre-mixed Italian because, again, lazy.
(You will note the lack of salt on this list. That's because the broth was NOT low salt and contributed plenty!)
Toss all that in on low, and about 5-6 hours later add maybe 2/3 to 3/4 of a bag of baby spinach, shredded. Give it a chance to wilt good (a half hour or more on low).
Then, spoon off enough (in my case a cup) of the juices, and use it to prepare a cup worth of brown rice. Mix the rice back in with the rest. You can serve now or let it sit, whichever is more convenient.
Note: this is only barely a "stew" instead of a casserole - most of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice and lentils.
It was good, but mild. I think it needed more spices, more salt, or possibly more fat. I've seen variations that mix in a flavored sausage (and forego the spices) for strong flavor, and I just might try that at some point.
1 cup of lentils
1 can of diced tomatoes (not drained!)
2 cups beef broth (I'd do twice that next time, I had to add water)
2 cups water (see previous!)
a 7-ounce package of pre-diced white onion (yes, I'm that lazy, and onions make me cry)
a bag of mixed frozen veggies (this one happened to be corn, carrots, lima beans, peas, and I think green beans)
Spices to taste - I used a pre-mixed Italian because, again, lazy.
(You will note the lack of salt on this list. That's because the broth was NOT low salt and contributed plenty!)
Toss all that in on low, and about 5-6 hours later add maybe 2/3 to 3/4 of a bag of baby spinach, shredded. Give it a chance to wilt good (a half hour or more on low).
Then, spoon off enough (in my case a cup) of the juices, and use it to prepare a cup worth of brown rice. Mix the rice back in with the rest. You can serve now or let it sit, whichever is more convenient.
Note: this is only barely a "stew" instead of a casserole - most of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice and lentils.
It was good, but mild. I think it needed more spices, more salt, or possibly more fat. I've seen variations that mix in a flavored sausage (and forego the spices) for strong flavor, and I just might try that at some point.
