Lentil, Tomato and Sage Stew with Ricotta

It would seem that my excitement about Spring having sprung was somewhat premature as we've seen more snow than sunshine this week! However, it makes a great excuse to cook up another comforting stew to warm through chilly fingers and this Lentil, Tomato and Sage Stew with Ricotta is just perfect for a filling lunch. 

Full of vitamin-packed vegetables and protein-rich lentils, this hearty dish tastes great on its own and equally delicious as a topping for a baked sweet potato. The creamy ricotta adds a freshness and a savoury richness to the bowl without loading up on calories. The fresh herbs on top add taste and texture to the dish, whilst the earthy sage brings a warm, aromatic edge which makes this a comforting treat. 

Make it vegan! Just leave out the ricotta topping to make this a vegan-friendly dish. 

As with all recipes and meal plans on the blog I have highlighted the protein sources (P foods) in red, the speed (S) foods in green, healthy extra allowances in blue and syns, with syn values in brackets in orange.

Lentil, Tomato and Sage Stew with Ricotta 

Serves 4 - 1/4 HEA or 1.5 syns per portion

100g dried red lentils

100g white lentils (urid dal)

1 tin chopped plum tomatoes

3 medium sized carrots, sliced into 1cm thick rings

2 red onions, finely chopped

5 leaves of fresh sage, sliced into long, thin strips

Sprigs of fresh oregano (curly leaf parsley would also work well) 

1 tbsp vegetable boullion

2 tsp dried mixed herbs 

2 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp garlic puree

1 tbsp tomato puree

Fine seasalt

Ground black pepper

100g fresh ricotta cheese

Put both the red and white lentils in a large pan and sprinkle over the dried mixed herbs, garlic powder and boullion powder. 

Pour in enough cold water to cover the lentils and then double that amount again. Don't worry, you can add further boiling water during cooking if it is too thick or gets too dry. 

Now add the onions, carrots, sliced sage leaves and garlic puree and bring to the boil. 

Allow it to bubble gently for around 10 minutes, stirring regularly, then add the whole tin of tomatoes, including the juice, and stir, bringing the pan back to the boil.

Turn it back down to a low simmer, stir thoroughly and leave to simmer for 25 minutes- checking and stirring regularly to avoid catching on the bottom of the pan. If the mixture becomes very thick and dry or catching on the bottom of the pan, add splashes of freshly boiled water as needed. 

Test to ensure the lentils are softened and that the carrots are cooked, but with some bite. Add the tomato puree, a sprinkle of ground seasalt and a generous few grinds of black pepper and cook for a final 5 minutes. 

Spoon each portion into a bowl and then spoon small dots of ricotta from a 25g tablespoon across the surface of the stew. Finish with a sprinkle of snipped oregano.