Meatless Monday: Spiced Lentil and Tomato Stew

This hearty, healthy, vibrant gluten-free Meatless Monday meal is great for dinner, lunch or even breakfast!  Full of phytonutrients, like lycopene, a member of the carotenoid family best known for its prostate cancer preventive and survivorship promoting properties, and curcumin found in Turmeric which has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and cancer fighting compounds.  Combining black pepper with turmeric can help make the anti-cancer compounds up to 1,000 times more bioavailable to the body!

Ingredients:
¾ cup dry green lentils
1 Tbsp. coconut oil
½ onion
2 cloves garlic
1 box (26 oz.)  strained tomatoes
¼ teaspoon turmeric
¼ teaspoon cumin
¼ teaspoon coriander
Dash of chili powder (add more, optional)
¼ teaspoon black pepper
Pinch of sea salt
1 ½ cups brown rice
7 cups water
Fresh cilantro or parsley to garnish

Directions:
1.)    Cook rice in a rice cooker or stovetop by combining rice with 3 cups water and a pinch of sea salt.

2.)    Cook lentils in pot on stovetop.  Boil 4 cups water then reduce heat to a simmer, add lentils. Cover but leave a slit in lid and simmer for 35 minutes until tender checking around 25-30 minutes to prevent overcooking.

3.)    Sauté coconut oil, garlic and onion on medium heat in iron skillet or other stove top pan until onion is golden brown, about 5 minutes.

4.)    Add lentils, tomato, turmeric, cumin, coriander, chili powder, pepper, salt and turn heat down to low-medium.

5.)    Simmer for 15-20 minutes until stew thickens.

6.)    Serve stew over brown rice and garnish with cilantro or parsley

7.)    Enjoy!

Substitutions:
Green Lentils – red lentils, yellow lentils
Rice – quinoa
Coconut oil – olive oil