Budget-Friendly Lentil Stew | Gut-Friendly, Easy and Delicious!

olive oil

🥗Healthier: avocado oil

💰Cheaper: sunflower oil

Avocado oil offers healthy fats while sunflower oil is more budget-friendly.

vegetable broth

🥗Healthier: homemade broth

💰Cheaper: water with seasonings

Homemade broth is healthier and more flavorful.

potatoes

🥗Healthier: sweet potatoes

💰Cheaper: carrots

Sweet potatoes add nutrients and flavor, while carrots are often cheaper.

cumin

🥗Healthier: ground coriander

💰Cheaper: caraway seeds

Ground coriander provides a similar flavor profile with health benefits.

Start with a good glug of olive oil or vegetable stock if you want to go oil-free.

Soak the green lentils for 1 to 2 hours to help them cook quicker and make them more digestible.

Prepare a silicone mat to stop the chopping board from sliding and have a Tupperware for veggie scraps.

Roughly chop the leek and wash it in cold water to remove dirt, then slice it.

Add a pinch of sea salt to the chopped leek and onion to help break them down and draw out moisture.

Cook the leek and onion slowly for around 8 to 10 minutes until soft and starting to caramelize.

Peel ginger using a teaspoon and finely chop it, adding it to the pot.

Crush and finely chop garlic, adding a pinch of sea salt to help break it down into a paste before adding it to the pot.

Add a teaspoon of turmeric and ground coriander, along with a drizzle of oil to help release the spices' aromas.

Stir in one tablespoon of tomato puree for a subtle tomato flavor.

Peel and dice half a butternut squash into roughly 2 cm pieces.

Add the butternut squash and the rinsed lentils to the pot.

Pour in vegetable stock or water, then cover and bring to a simmer.

Simmer for around 25 to 30 minutes until the squash is soft and the lentils are cooked.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary