Recipe: Slow Cooker Pumpkin Lentil Stew | chicago foodie girl

11.05.2012

Recipe: Slow Cooker Pumpkin Lentil Stew

Happy Monday! I don't know about you, but it seems like the weeks are flying by at turbo speed. I swear the older I get, the faster the months go by. It seems like just yesterday I was planning for my birthday, but really, we're almost a month past that and already making plans for Christmas. Yikes!

October may be in the rear-view mirror, but pumpkin season is still going strong in my house. While early fall tends to be filled with the sweeter side of pumpkin (doughnuts! scones! cookies!), November is the time in which I switch over to the heartier and healthier pumpkin dishes. November is also the month in which I start my cold-weather-induced cravings for soups, stews, and chili.

Today's Meatless Monday dish, Pumpkin Lentil Stew, is the perfect dish for this time of year. It's a hearty and satisfying stew that smells so amazing as its simmering in the slow cooker (it's almost torturous!). The stew is delicious enough to stand on its own, but it's even better when eaten with a warm chunk of French bread. As a bonus, it's both vegan and gluten-free!

Slow Cooker Pumpkin Lentil Stew
INGREDIENTS
2 lbs fresh pumpkin, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 cup lentils
1/2 cup unsalted corn
1 large onion, finely chopped
4 cups fat-free vegetable broth
2 Tbs tomato paste
1 lime (juice only)
1 Tbs cumin
1 Tbs ground ginger
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp salt (or to taste)
1/2 tsp black pepper

DIRECTIONS
1. In a four quart slow cooker, combine all ingredients.

2. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
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8 comments

  1. This looks great. I'm going to try it once the weather turns cooler in Atlanta.

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  2. Yum... looks great! Love lentils.

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  3. It looks beautiful! I want to eat it!

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  4. never cooked with pumpkin...can I use any kind?

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  5. @Sarah: You can use any kind - just scrape the seeds & cut off the meat from the rind (you can split the pumpkin or just chop it - just like any other squash or melon). The only thing to watch for is to make sure it's fairy firm because it's going to sit in the slow cooker for hours. If the pumpkin is soft at the beginning, it will get too mushy when you cook it.

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  6. I made this recipe last weekend. I liked it, but I actually liked it better the next day. I pulled some leftovers out of the refrigerator and used it as a "dip" for tortilla chips. Yum!

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  7. @Deb: Oooh, I'm going to have to try it as dip the next time I make it. I bet it would be even better with some chipotle!

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