Lentil Stew

Over thirty years ago, my husband and I decided to try a vegetarian diet. I'm not even sure what prompted it. I believe I had seen a magazine article documenting the treatment of animals in the meat industry. And being a person who loves anything with feathers or fur, it made an impression on me. As with everything new that I decide to do, I did some research on the subject to find out if a vegetarian diet could provide the nutrition one needs to live a healthy life. I had been taught the common dietary wisdom at the time -- a diet must consist of the four food groups: Meat, Dairy, Fruits and Vegetables, and Grains. But could a person live without meat?

Among the material I read were three books that convinced me to give vegetarianism a try. I started with France Moore Lappe's classic Diet for a Small Planet, in which the author shares her views on the subject of world hunger, addresses the issue of protein in the diet, and gives the reader lots of good recipes. Eating for the Eighties: A Complete Guide to Vegetarian Nutrition, by Janie Coulter Hartbarger and Neil J. Hartbarger, gives a valid argument for the health benefits of a meatless diet. And Laurel's Kitchen: A Handbook for Vegetarian Cookery and Nutrition, by Laurel Robertson, Carol Flinders, and Bronwen Godfrey, comes at the subject from a more "spiritual" point of view, but is filled with information on nutrition and many tempting recipes. There are plenty of books on the subject and a multitude of cookbooks with colorful pictures of mouth-watering dishes. But these three were the first ones I read on the subject, and each had a different philosophy.

We no longer follow a strict vegetarian diet, but we do continue to eat many meatless meals. Whether it's ethics, economics, or health, more and more people are trying to limit their consumption of animal products, with positive results. Recently, I was asked if I had any good, tried-and-true vegetarian recipes to share. This is one of our favorites, adapted from Lappe's recipe "Lentils, Monastery Style". Her version is more of a soup; mine is thicker, so I call it "Lentil Stew". I often serve it over rice, but I have also added potatoes, used larger carrot chunks, and cooked dumplings on top. As with so many recipes, there is plenty of room for creativity.The recipe can easily be doubled for large families, as I used to do when the kids were growing up. This dish isn't fancy, but it's cheap, easy, nutritious, and delicious!

Lentil Stew

1/4 cup olive or vegetable oil

1 medium onion, chopped

2 or 3 carrots, chopped

1 stalk celery, sliced

4 1/2 cups water

8 oz. dried brown lentils, rinsed

1/2 of a 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes 

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon dried basil

pepper to taste

Heat oil in large pot and saute vegetables 3 to 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients, bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer about 45 minutes. 

Serves 4 to 6