Sweet Potato-Lentil Stew

Thank you all for the comments regarding my wedding dress sneak peek. I loved reading all your sweet comments.

I forgot to share with you that the sample dress I tried on was my size and it fits me perfectly, except for the part around the hips which will be taken in during my fitting in April. My stylist told me privately, right before we left “You can’t gain weight because there’s no room. Ok, thank you, have a great day!”. Ugh….geez, thanks for the pressure.

Here are my thoughts about that comment, because I know that brides-to-be worry a lot about their weight. I’ve seen the discussions on the wedding forums I participate in and it’s stressful for many brides.

I haven’t weighed myself in a few months. I eat healthy most of the time and I don’t really worry about my weight because I’ve stayed the same the last few years (fluctuates around 5 lb range). I usually go by my energy level and how my clothes fit to determine if I need to watch what I eat more closely.

I know from my experience in the past where I’ve gained weight on the scale but went down a few sizes because I got toned and gained muscles. So I’m thinking that the number on the scale isn’t really what matters.  I’ll keep doing what I’ve been doing, eat healthy meals and stay active.

Now lets talk about a dish that I’ve been enjoying. It’s December and it’s cold, and there are days where all I crave are soups.

I make a big batch of this soup and keep the leftovers in the freezer for quick and easy weeknight dinners.

Sweet Potato-Lentil Stew (from The Kind Diet cookbook)
Served on its own or as a soupy stew over brown basmati rice or couscous, this dish is hearty and filling.

Makes 4 to 6 servings

1/4 cup safflower oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 small tomatoes, diced
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
Fine sea salt
2-3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into ¾” cubes
7 cups vegetable broth
1 cup brown lentils

Heat the oil over medium heat in a large, deep pot. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, for two minutes or until the onion starts to soften. Stir in the tomatoes and ginger and cook for three minutes. Stir in the turmeric, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, cayenne, and a small pinch of salt. Cook and stir for two minutes, then taste for seasonings; try to use only enough salt to heighten the flavors.

Add the sweet potatoes, broth, and lentils. Stir well, and bring to a boil over high heat. When the mixture comes to a boil, reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 40 minutes or until the lentils and sweet potatoes are soft.

The key to making this soup are the spices. While the soup simmers, your house will be filled with an aroma that will make you day dream of shopping at a spice market in an exotic location (ala Sex and The City 2 movie).

I love sweet potatoes so I added more.

This was the leftover portion. I let the frozen soup thawed in the refrigerator all day and heated it on stove top for dinner. The lentils absorbed most of the liquid so you can add more vegetable stock if you like. I just left it as is and added greek yogurt for a thicker soup.