Fall Into Slow Cooking

I love to use my slow cooker for fall meals, because it lets me cook while I’m outside, doing other things. Our weather here in Texas is mild for such a very short time, and I don’t want to waste a beautiful autumn day in the kitchen.

Slow cooking doesn’t take a big investment. I’ve been using the same bottom of the line Rival Crock Pot for many years. When my first one finally laid down and died last year, I went and bought another one, for under $20. It’s not fancy, or very big, but it does the job.

About Red Lentils

Red lentils range in color from gold to orange to red. They have a slightly sweet, nutty flavor. You’ll find them in Middle Eastern markets, labeled as masoor (red lentils) or channa (yellow lentils). In areas with large Indian populations, they might also be found in grocery and big box stores.

Red lentils cook much faster than green or brown lentils, because they are generally sold skinned and split. They dissolve into a thick paste, rather than holding their shape. They’re popular as a thickening agent in soups, or to make Indian dals and curries, because they easily take on the flavor of the foods and spices with which they are cooked.

Red lentils do not have to be soaked before cooking, but they should be sorted for debris and bits of pebbles, and rinsed. To rinse, just place the sorted lentils in a strainer, and run under cold water for a minute.

Spicy Pumpkin & Red Lentil Stew Recipe

One afternoon, I decided to hunt for ideas to use up a dented can of pumpkin I bought by mistake, and some red lentils that didn’t quite fit into the pretty jars on my kitchen counter. I found a recipe for pumpkin chili that was close to what I wanted, but wouldn’t fit into my crock pot, and didn’t really contain as many veggies as I’d like. Using that recipe as a jumping off point, and adapting, I came up with this hearty, filling dish. It uses many of the same spices as chili, but is more of a thick stew, thanks to the extra pumpkin, potatoes and carrots.

Ingredients

• 1 can black beans, drained
• 1 can fire roasted tomatoes
• 1 can pumpkin puree
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1-1/2 cups water
• 1 cup dry red lentils, rinsed and sorted
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup diced potatoes
• 1 cup sliced carrots, fresh or frozen
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon red chili powder
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

1. Mix all the ingredients together in a 3 quart or larger slow cooker.
2. Cook on high for 4 hours, or low for 8 hours, until the potatoes and lentils are tender. You may want to stir occasionally, if you’re home while it’s cooking. If it seems to be too thick in the last hour or so, add a little water.

Tips

• I used black beans in this recipe, but chickpeas would also work well.
• The spices, as written, produce a mild stew. If you like things really spicy, you may want to taste after it’s cooked for a couple of hours, and adjust. You can double the cocoa powder, chili powder, cumin and cinnamon for extra zing, and even add a jalapeño to dial the heat way up.
• Although I whipped this up in my slow cooker, there’s no reason you couldn’t simmer it in a pot on your cook top. Mix it all together, bring it to a boil, and then let it simmer for an hour, or until the potatoes and lentils are tender.
• Serve with your choice of sides and toppings. Whip up a pan of cornbread to serve with it, or some biscuits, and add a little Daiya cheddar or soy yogurt on top.