My Thanksgiving main dish was amazing – The mashed lentils acted almost like a thick gravy over the flavorful veggies.
Really, this is more like pot pie. But I already have a Vegan Pot Pie Filling.
So for the above recipe title, I needed to get creative, and I got creative with the actual recipe as well.
It was originally Shepherds Pie. Potatoes aren’t my favorite veggie, but flipping through my cookbooks, I thought the filling sounded good. By the time I was finished cooking, my “stuffing” looked nothing like the one in the cookbook.
However, it still tasted absolutely delicious!
In fact, it was so delicious that I’ve already made this multiple times.
The second time, I decided to add zucchini (which is why there’s zucchini in the second photo but not the first).
it’s your choice whether to add the zucchini – I love it both ways.
.
Vegan Lentil Stuffing
(or pot-pie filling)
- 1 medium onion, sliced (175g)
- 1-2 cups spinach (I used 60g)
- 2-4 carrots, cut into coins (I used 140g, but feel free to use more) (I actually recommend non-organic carrots for this, as they tend to be much sweeter.)
- 1/2 can diced tomatoes
- Optional: 1 zucchini, cut in coins (I used 280g, but I steamed 1/2 separately and mixed them in later.)
- 1 stalk celery, cut into coins (I used 65g)
- 1/2 cup to 1 cup cooked lentils, drained and mashed (I used 110g Westbrae)
- 1 1/2 tsp dry basil
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup water
- 2 tsp olive oil, or more if desired (You can omit this, but you’ll lose the yummy, buttery taste!)
Heat oil, then add carrots, zucchini, onion, and celery. Cook a few minutes (like 10), then add spinach, lentils, spices, and tomato. Cook 2 more minutes. Add the water, bring to a boil, then cover and lower to simmer for 45-50 minutes, or until the carrots are soft and stuffing is flavorful. Without the optional ingredients, this makes around 3 cups, or around 2 servings. (However, if you follow my personal gram measurements, it makes quite a bit more.)
The ingredient list might seem long, but this recipe comes together surprisingly easily. (It helps to have a sweet mom willing to chop all the veggies for you.)
What’s your favorite way to eat beans?
Yes, I know lentils are technically not beans. But just go with me here. Some of my favorite bean recipes include bean soups, salads, refried beans on sandwiches, and bean chili.
All CCK bean recipes can be seen here: 50+ Healthy Bean Recipes.
Links Of The Day:
Twelve healthy & delicious ways to eat pumpkin for breakfast, including pancakes, cinnamon rolls, and pumpkin grilled cheese!
Mini Apple Pies – Baked In A Muffin Tin
First thing to do: stop staring at the stuffing.
Second thing to do: bookmark a.s.a.p.
I love all kinds of legumes and eat beans/lentils more often than anyone else I know. Regarding lentils, dal is my all-time favorite although I haven’t cooked it for long. I love putting tons of garlic, cumin and coriander in it 🙂 . And beans… I don’t know where to start. Baked beans, bean salads, dried peppers stuffed with beans, beans with cabbage, scrambled eggs with beans and onions, chilli, just beans directly from the can… I am a pro 😀 .
Do you buy organic carrots?
yeah
What a great meal for Thanksgiving! Yum! Stuffing is always the best part of the meal, I think, and yours looks amazing.
Beals, legumes, lentils – love them all! My husband really likes chickpeas and lentils, so we eat those a lot. My favourites are probably black beans and mung beans, but I like them all. We love making three- (or four-) bean chili, kabocha black bean stew, and lentil soup. Mmm… sounds like yummy winter fare to me!
Have a great week!
That picture of you and your mom is super sweet!! And I looooooove beans, pretty much anyway I can get them!
Love the photo of you and your mom! So gorgeous!
I love beans; my fave way to eat them is in hummus. 🙂
Another great recipe Katie!
I love beans, legumes, whatever! I’ve been making my own refried beans by mashing 1/2 a can of pintos and mixing it with sauteed veggies, spices, and salsa. And a quick go-to dinner for me is quinoa and lentils with a ton of curry powder and some roasted squash!
I like plain green beans actually with a bit of garlic. Sounds a bit strange I suppose ha. With a lot of my veggies I like to just have them steamed or eaten plain.
You and your mother look beautiful and as many people have said-I love your scarf!
Wow, this looks SO good! I love the idea of using lentils like a “gravy”! Are mashed lentils sort of like mashed chickpeas? I’m wondering if I could make something similar using chickpeas… I guess that would be sort of like hummus!
So many things to try! I was just trying to decide what to make for dinner tonight. I might have to try this!
Hmmm… I looooove your thinking! Now I want to try it with chickpeas too. If you make it, let me know how it goes! 🙂
The stuffing looks delicious, have to try it.I also want to tell you how much I enjoy the Single Lady cupcakes.I have made them several times.I was wondering if you have a recipe for Single Lady cookies, where I could just make 2-4. Molasses type cookie maybe?
Oh I am so going to have to try!
(And hehe I’m giving you a shout-out in my post for Wednesday :).)
YUM! I love lentils! I like throwing a bunch of veggies (this mix would work!) into the crockpot and letting it stew all day until the lentils are nice and soft 🙂
My favorite bean, though, are black beans!!! Soooo good 🙂 Especially with mexican food 🙂 🙂
Woah, I want to try that now. Do you season it at all, or just throw the veg/beans in the crockpot?
By the way-you and your mom look beautiful! I love that scarf and your mom’s top!