Week 37 -- Plum Lentil Stew

I'm calling this soup "Plum Lentil" because it uses dried plums for some wonderful sweet and deep flavor.  What's that?  You don't have dried plums?  You may know them by their old name: prunes.

I don't know why prunes get such a bad reputation.  They're sweet and delicious!  Sure, they keep things moving smoothly, but that doesn't mean they're only for old people.

I like the prunes cut into pieces.  The easiest way to do this is with a pair of kitchen shears or scissors.  Prunes are fabulous in oatmeal (especially in oatmeal mix because they add so much sweetness and flavor) or on top of nut butter on crackers.  In this soup, they cook down right into the lentils.  Don't tell anyone they're in there, and they would never guess your secret ingredient.

The warm spices make this perfect for cool, rainy fall days.

The molasses and spices make this so dark,
you'd think they were brown lentils!

Plum Lentil Stew

1 lb dry red lentils
1 cup dried plums or prunes, cut into smaller chunks
1 small sweet onion, diced
1/2 tsp ginger powder
1 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
1 Tbsp molasses
About 6 cups water

1. Boil the red lentils in about 5 cups water.  Add the dried plums and onion.  Cook until everything is tender (about 15 minutes).
2. Add spices, molasses, and more water as needed.  Let simmer on low heat about 30 minutes (you can speed this up if needed, but the longer it simmers the more the flavors will meld).  Let cool before eating.

Makes about 5 servings.