Coconut Lentil Curry (Crock Pot)

Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: around 5 hours
Servings: 10-12
Recipe type: slow cooker, crock pot, dinner, lunch, curry, feeding large crowd, freezer meals, meal prep
Keywords: coconut, lentil, curry, vegan, vegetarian, hearty, filling, cheap, frugal, inexpensive, plant based
Author: Kat Coolahan (modified from Budget Bytes recipe)

 Ingredients:

☆ 4 cups of vegetable broth
☆ 1 can of diced, fire-roasted tomatoes (15 oz)
☆ 1 can tomato sauce (15 oz)
☆ 2 cups of dried green or brown lentils, rinsed
☆ 2 celery stalks, diced
☆ 1/2 green pepper, diced
☆ 2 carrots, diced
☆ 1 large sweet potato (or 2-3 yukon gold potatoes), chopped into ½ inch cubes
☆ 3 TBS curry powder
☆ 1 tsp fenugreek powder (optional)
☆ ¼ tsp ground cloves (optional)
☆ ½ tsp ground cardamom (optional)
☆ 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
☆ 1 tsp salt and few dashes pepper, or to taste
☆ 1 can of full-fat coconut milk (15 oz)
☆ 1/2 can peas (or approximately 7.5oz), rinsed and drained
☆ 3 heaping handfuls of baby spinach (or around 3-4 cups)

Directions:

1.     Turn your crock pot on high and add to it 4 cups vegetable broth, 1 can of diced fire-roasted tomatoes, and 1 can of tomato sauce. Then, rinse the lentils and add to the pot. Stir.
2.     Dice the celery, carrot, and pepper and chop the sweet potato and stir them into the crock pot.
3.     Stir in all spices. Add water or more vegetable broth if needed to bring the water level to just cover the curry. Set aside the can of coconut, can of peas, and spinach for later.  
4.     Cook covered on high for 4.5 hours or until lentils are tender, stirring occasionally to evenly distribute heat.
5.     Add in 1 can of coconut, ½ can of peas (rinsed), and 3 heaping handfuls of spinach and stir. Cover and let cook for an additional 20-40 minutes, or until spinach is wilted and curry is cooked to your preference.
6.     Eat as is or serve with rice or roasted potatoes/vegetables or a side salad. Recipe freezes well.

Crock Pot Lentil Orzo Stew

Prep Time: 12 mins
Cook Time: 3 hours
Servings: Around 6
Recipe type: dinner, stew, soup, side dish
Keywords: crock pot, slow cooker, vegan, lentil, orzo, stew, chickpea,  
Author: Kat Coolahan, recipe adapted from Veggie Inspired

Ingredients:

☆ 1 leek cleaned, diced, sautéed
☆ 2 celery stalks, diced
☆ 1 carrot, diced
☆ 2 cups chopped fresh or frozen broccoli (optional)
☆ 1 cup dried red lentils
☆ 1 can chickpeas (15oz), rinsed and drained (or 2 cups cooked dry chickpeas)
☆ 2 cans diced fire-roasted tomatoes (15oz)
☆ 4 cups vegetable broth (more if needed)
☆ 2 tsp smoked paprika
☆ 1 tsp dried thyme
☆ ½ tsp cumin
☆ ½ tsp herbs de Provence
☆ ½ tsp tarragon
☆ ¼ tsp dried sage
☆ ½ tsp crushed red pepper (optional)
☆ 1 tsp salt & 3 dashes of pepper (or to taste)
☆ ¾ cup orzo
☆ 1 bunch of kale de-stemmed and chopped (roughly 3 cups chopped) can also sub baby spinach

Directions:

1.     Dice leeks, celery, and carrot and sauté over medium heat until softened (around 5 mins)
2.     Add the diced vegetables to the crock pot, along with all other ingredients EXCEPT the orzo and kale (or spinach). Add more vegetable broth (or water) if needed to bring the liquid level to cover all ingredients.
3.     Cook on high for 2.5-3 hours or until the lentils are soft and able to be crushed with a spoon
4.     Add the orzo and chopped kale (or spinach), stir, and cook another 30 minutes or until the orzo is tender
5.     Can serve either as a soup/stew (with optional bread to accompany) or over a bed of fresh greens
6.     Optional toppings: sprinkle top with coconut manna and hemp seeds