Supper, Supper, Suppertime...

Did you just sing that title to the tune of "Summertime" by Will Smith??? Because I know I did, and that's one of the reasons we're friends. :)

It's fixin' to be suppertime around the B Hive, and I know that for me it is much easier to cook supper ahead of the time that I actually plan on eating. Why in the world would I want to wait until 5:00 to start to think about what to eat at 6:00/6:30? (I've totally done that...like last night) For my sanity and the safety and well being of my children though, it's really best if I do my cooking during naptime. That way when it's 5:00...also known as "the-hour-that-children-go-completely-crazy-and-make-their-mother-want-to-hide-in-the-closet-with-chocolate-or-wine-or-both,"...I can be free to enjoy my monsters children until their father gets home from work. :)

So I'm starting a new series (that I have yet to come up with a witty name for) that will include all kinds of yummy recipes! Some of you may be hesitant to try these or even read them because you know that we are vegan over here at the B Hive. Ok...mostly vegan. We love scrambled eggs and occasionally some fish. ;) For the majority of the time though, we do follow a vegan diet. (Except when I was pregnant...I ate all the food then) I would encourage you to give some recipes a try though! You might surprise yourself and end up (gasp!) liking them!

Today I'm cooking Curried Lentil, Butternut Squash, and Apple Stew. This is a yummy fall-ish stew that we love! It is super easy to throw in a big pot and just have waiting for you when it's time to eat. If you are looking for a recipe that tastes like Fall Time in your mouth...then look no further! Actually do look further...the recipe and pictures are below. ;)

Ingredients:

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 onion, diced

2-3 carrots, peeled and diced (I had baby carrots on hand)

3 cloves Garlic, minced (had the already minced kind on hand)

1 teaspoon grated fresh Ginger

1 tablespoon Curry Powder

1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt

1/2 cup dried Lentils

4 cups Vegetable Broth, divided

2 tablespoons Tomato Paste

3 cups Butternut Squash, peeled and diced into 1/2 inch cubes

2 Apples, unpeeled and diced

6 ounces Baby Spinach

Directions:

1. Prep your items. I love prepping because it makes the cooking process much easier.

 I forgot to add the apples to the squash for this picture...below you will see where I added them in.

See...I told ya...

2. In a large pot saute onions and carrots until soft.

3. Add in garlic, ginger, curry, and salt and let cook a few minutes more. It should already smell like Fall Time :)

4. Stir in lentils, 2 cups of the broth, and tomato paste.

5. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes or until lentils are beginning to tender.

6. Add squash, apples, and remaining 2 cups of the broth, cover, and simmer for 25-30 minutes, or until everything is tender.

7. Uncover and stir in spinach until wilted.

8. Add salt to taste and serve.

Now pour yourself some sweet tea, scoot your chair up to the table, and enjoy! Let me know if you gave this recipe a try and how you liked it!

<3