“This aromatic, fiber-packed, tasty Middle Eastern dish is great served over brown rice or your favorite pasta.”—Colleen Patrick-Goudreau, Vegan Table

Artichokes and garlic are two of my favorite foods.  To my mind, they elevate a dish from humdrum to heavenly.  When I saw the garlicky Red Lentil Artichoke Stew recipe in Vegan Table, it was a definite must-make. 

The thing that makes this recipe so easy, especially when juggling lots of to-do’s on the weekend, is that most of the ingredients are things in the cupboard that I usually have on hand.  Dried lentils, canned tomatoes, and jarred artichoke hearts make up the bulk of this stew.  While the lentils were cooking, I put a pot on for brown rice as well.  I let the stew & rice cook for a half an hour, while I was able to do other things around the house.  Especially after a busy day, it’s satisfying to have a meal come together that practically makes itself.

Once the stew was ready, I poured it over my rice and added on some toasted pine nuts.  (They’re my condiment of choice these days.)  The lemon juice in the stew brightened the flavors of this filling and delicious complete meal.  This stew would also be great with a side of sautéed spinach, roasted asparagus, or steamed broccoli.