Vegan lunches can -- and should -- be a lot more interesting than bare salads or carrot sticks and hummus. New Veganism columnist Gena Hamshaw will be sharing inspiration for midday meals that stave off both hunger and boredom.
Today: If you're still craving warming, filling comfort food, pack up this simple vegan curry.
I keep waiting for that magical moment in the spring when I won’t desperately be craving warm bowls of comfort food like the lentil curry pictured here. But that hasn’t happened yet, thanks to yet another blast of winter, so as I wait for my salad cravings to hit, this kind of lunch hits the spot.
This red lentil and sweet potato curry is fast, sweet, spicy, and stick-to-your-ribs, in the best kind of way. I start by sautéeing some onions and garlic in coconut oil, then I add a chopped sweet potato, a cup of dry red lentils, spices (ginger, turmeric, curry), and a chopped carrot. Into the pot goes about 3 to 4 cups of vegetable broth, which I bring to a boil and then simmer till everything is tender. At the very end I stir in half a cup of full fat coconut milk.
You can eat this as a stew, but I especially like it over a piping hot bed of quinoa, and to lighten things up, a little kale salad. The mason jar is optional!
Photo by Gena Hamshaw
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