Hello everyone!

Long long time no write no hear.  These last few years have been quite a ride...working full on 5-6 days a week, keeping a business going in the past 8 years has been a labor of luv for sure.  Then fast forward to March 2020 and Covid hit.  During the past 8 years of extreme "business" I have posted very few recipes but do hope to post more down the road.

Now with the reality of Covid... sadly, but also not so sadly, I have shut down my business.  When push came to shove, I realized a few things.

First, I could not adequately meet our health guidelines for returning to work in a safe manner for everyone.  Secondly, I am only a few years away from retirement, and while I would have liked to have had a few more years in the work force, it was not meant to be and after some adjustment it suites me totally fine.  That said, here we are today in a most strange, strange world.  A world that no one could have even dreamed about!

It is with much gratitude and hope that everyone I know out there in our worlds are well and safe.

With all going on in this incredible world of ours....I look to comfort food....always comfort food, plus this is an easy healthy meal to make.

Now, while this is technically not Vegetarian, it so could be.  I used Chicken stock, but using Vegetable stock would make this Vegan/Vegetarian so use what suits you best!

2 Tblsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/4 of a small red pepper - roughly chopped

1/2 of a red onion - chopped

2 large garlic cloves, minced

1 carrot, chopped into 1/4 inch pieces

1/2 of a celery stalk, chopped into 1/4 inch pieces

3/4 cup red lentils - rinse well in a sieve

3 potatoes or roughly 2  1/2 cups chopped potatoes cut into 1  1/2 inch size - I used German Butter Potatoes (use potatoes that will not turn mushy)

1/2 cup chopped fresh green beans - or frozen will work

3/4 cup chopped frozen spinach

1  1/2 cups chicken stock - add more if necessary *

salt to taste

2 tsp. curry powder - I used a Madra style curry, but any curry powder of your choice will work here

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. onion powder *

*NOTES:  If needed add more chicken or vegetable stock - the potatoes need to be just covered, but depending on the potatoes used you might need to add more liquid.

Onion Powder.  For whatever reason, I can not find onion powder in my neck of the woods.  So, here I have taken dried onion flakes and run them through a coffee grinder to reach a fine powder - onion powder - and it works great!

Method:

Heat up a good sized pot on low medium heat with the EVOO.  Add the onion, garlic, red pepper sauteing a good 3 min.  Then add in the celery, carrot, green beans, season with salt and continue to saute another 3 min. or so.  Add in the curry powder, garlic, and onion powder, stirring to blend and continue to saute for 5 min.

Add in the rinsed red lentils, veggie or chicken stock, frozen chopped spinach, potatoes, and stir to combine.  Bring to a lite simmer, lid on for 15 min. stirring occasionally.  After 15 min, take the lid off, and continue to simmer another 5 min. or so (to help reduce if there is too much liquid) and to cook until the lentils and potatoes are cooked through.  Check for salt/seasonings, and serve hot.  A nice gluten free bread tops this meal off.  This recipe serves 2-3 portions, and can certainly be doubled.  The next day leftovers will be even better!