Lentil Potato & Spinach Stew

Happy Memorial Day Weekend! A couple of weeks ago, I was at Trader Joe's stocking up on snacks to bring along to Florida for my board exam. In a stressful haze, I impulsively bought a bag of pre-steamed lentils (because, why not?). Plus, everyone who has been to Trader Joes knows that it is impossible to leave that place without picking up a few extra interesting things you weren't expecting to buy (see lentils here). So, the exam came and went, and upon my return home, the lentils were sitting in the fridge unused. I hate wasting food, so I made note of the extra spinach we had and hunted for a recipe that would allow me to use both. I've always liked lentils (and my husband does too), but I've been too impatient to cook them from scratch (soaking them, etc). Armed with a pre-steamed version, I was ready to test them out. This recipe is adapted from Epicurious and is incredibly healthy and makes quite a large batch - you will likely have leftovers. It's a great vegetarian meal (we ate ours without meat and with leftover naan), but could easily be served as a side dish with meat. With all of the fiber and protein in the lentils, this will keep you really full - and you can pat yourself on the back for being a dietary saint while you're at it ;)
Lentil Spinach & Potato Stew

Ingredients
1 17 oz box steamed lentils (Trader Joe's)
1 can reduced sodium chicken broth (vegetable broth can be substituted)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp chopped garlic
5 medium-sized red potatoes
3 1/2 cups packed spinach
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp coriander
1 lemon

Directions
1. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat
2. Add garlic, stir 30 seconds
3. Add chicken/vegetable broth and potatoes. Bring to a boil, then simmer 10 minutes
4. Add lentils, breaking part with a wooden spoon or fork. Cook for 3-5 minutes
5. Grate 1/2 tsp lemon zest and squeeze 2 tbsp lemon juice from the lemon. Add to pan along with spinach
6. Cook through until spinach is wilted. Enjoy!

If you'd like to make this with non-cooked lentils, see the original recipe at Epicurious here.

Thanks for reading! I hope you're enjoying this beautiful weekend.

-R

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