Dinner day 15: moroccan lentil and vegetable stew

INGREDIENTS

• 2 Tbsp olive oil ($0.26)
• 1 medium yellow onion ($0.32)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced ($0.32)
• 4 stalks, about half a bunch celery ($0.75)
• 1/2 Tbsp ground cumin ($0.15)
• 1 tsp turmeric ($0.10)
• 1 tsp cinnamon ($0.10)
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper ($0.02)
• 15 oz. can chickpeas ($0.69)
• 28 oz. can diced tomatoes ($0.89)
• 1/2 lb. frozen cauliflower florets ($0.70)
• 6 cups vegetable broth ($0.78*)
• 1 cup brown lentils ($0.70)
• 1 bay leaf ($0.15)

INSTRUCTIONS

• Dice the onion and mince the garlic. Sauté both in a large pot with olive oil over medium heat until softened. Dice the celery while the onions and garlic are sautéing, then add to the pot and continue to sauté for 2-3 minutes more.
• Add the cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper to the pot. Stir and cook the spices with the vegetables for 1-2 minutes.
• Add the diced tomatoes (with juices), chickpeas (rinsed and drained), and cauliflower florets (no need to thaw). Stir the pot until everything is well mixed.
• Add the vegetable broth and bay leaf, turn the heat up to high, place a lid on the pot, and allow it to come to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, add the lentils. Stir and let it come back up to a boil, then turn the heat down to low. Let the stew simmer on low, with the lid, for 30 minutes.
• After simmering for 30 minutes, the lentils should be tender. Remove the bay leaf and give the stew a taste. Add salt if needed (this will depend on the type of vegetable broth used. I did not add any additional salt), then serve.

NOTES*I use Better Than Bouillon soup base to make my broth.

Source: Budget Bytes