Moroccan Lentil and Vegetable Stew

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 stalks, about half a bunch celery
• 1/2 Tbsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 15 oz. can chickpeas
• 28 oz. can diced tomatoes
• 1/2 lb. frozen cauliflower florets
• 6 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup brown lentils
• 1 bay leaf

Directions

1. Chop the onion into small dice and mince the garlic. Set a large pot over medium heat with the olive oil, then cook the onion and garlic until they’ve softened.
2. While that’s going, dice the celery. Add it to the pot and cook everything together for another 2-3 minutes.
3. Sprinkle in the cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, and cayenne. Stir them through the vegetables and let the spices cook for 1-2 minutes, just long enough to bloom a bit.
4. Add the diced tomatoes, including their juices, along with the rinsed and drained chickpeas and the frozen cauliflower florets, straight from the freezer. Stir until the pot looks evenly combined.
5. Pour in the vegetable broth and add the bay leaf. Raise the heat to high, cover the pot, and bring it to a boil. When it boils, stir in the lentils. Bring the stew back to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer on low for 30 minutes.
6. After 30 minutes, the lentils should be soft. Take out the bay leaf, taste the stew, and add salt if it needs it, depending on the vegetable broth you used. Serve.