Post Holiday Sugar Overdose Hangover Cure: Lentil Curry Stew

I don't know about you, but there is something about going home for the holidays that brings out the glutton in me. I find myself unable to pass by a plate of cookies with grabbing two, a cream puff box without picking some up, and all of those delectable dinner goodies too. and then seconds, and followed by the bag of goodies that granny sent home with you, plus the left over container of home made candies that whatsername brought over.

Today, I allowed myself to gorge on sugar laden leftovers until noon, when I threw the best thing I could think of into the Crockpot for dinner. And just as I suspected, my sugar cravings are gone and the gooey goodness is going into the trash tonight.

Lentil Curry Stew

• boil 4 cups of water with 2 vegetable bullion cubes (look for msg free varieties)
• pour boiling water into crockpot
• add 1 cup of rinsed dried lentils
  
• add 1/2 cup of brown rice
• dice and add the following: 3 large carrots (cut length wise), 1 medium onion, 1 banana pepper, 1 bell pepper (I use red but whatever), as much garlic as you can stand (me=a whole bulb, my husband=3 cloves), and 1/4 cup cilantro
  
• add 2 bay leaves, 1 cinnamon stick, 2 Tablespoons grated fresh ginger, 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel, crushed red pepper to taste (maybe 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon), 1 tsp guram masala, 2 tablespoons curry powder
• add 1 or 2 cans of diced tomatoes
• add 1 can of coconut milk
• cook for several hours on a high setting, if it is too thick you can add broth or more coconut milk to the stew before serving.
• remove bay leaves and cinnamon stick
  
• serve in bowls, and add plain yogurt as a topping if you want to cut the heat

It is also goes down very well with a glass of dark red wine.

Happy Post Holidays!