I was poking through the Dining & Wine section of the Times a little while ago and stumbled across a recipe for Andean Bean Stew with Winter Squash and Quinoa. I really liked the quinoa-bean-squash idea, so I adapted it to use up things I had in my kitchen. In the end I changed almost every ingredient, but I love anything that sits in a big pot and gets better every time you reheat it.The flavors turned out really well. I especially like the coconut flavor... it's not sweet and it doesn't hit you over the head. The quinoa-lentil mix was quite tasty, and it's surprisingly quick to throw together for something that seems like it should take hours too cook.
Ingredients
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 large sweet potatoes, diced
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon oregano
1 bay leaf
Cayenne pepper (depending on how hot you like it)
1 can (14 oz.) tomatoes
1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup quinoa
1/2 cup small red lentils
Vegan bullion cube
2 cups water
Parsley
1. In a large pot, saute the onion in olive oil for a few minutes until it's soft. Then add the chopped garlic and saute for just a minute so it doesn't burn.
2. Add the sweet potatoes, paprika, oregano, bay leaf, cayenne and saute for another few minutes.
3. Add the tomato and cook until the tomato is reduced and thick.
4. Add the quinoa, lentils, coconut, water, and a big handful of parsley.
5. Cover and cook on low heat until the quinoa is translucent, and the lentils and sweet potatoes are soft. Season with salt.
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