Red Lentil and Carrot Stew Recipe

Name: Red Lentil and Carrot Stew Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon coconut oil; I shallot (diced); 1 teaspoon garlic (minced); ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper; ½ teaspoon dried thyme; 1 cup carrots (chopped); 1 cup dry red lentils; 3½ cups water or vegetable broth; 1 cup kale (thinly sliced); ½ cup red cabbage; 2 tablespoons fresh oregano (minced (optional)); 1 teaspoon salt; ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

Many of you Beauties have asked me how I get such healthy, shiny hair. And while I’d love to tell you that it comes naturally, I must admit, I’ve had my struggles. MAJOR hair struggles! I used to hide my hair in a bun, pretty much every day because it was so course and unmanageable. As shiny as sandpaper.

Well no worries Beauties, because my Red Lentil and Carrot Stew Recipe is packed with nutrients that will get your hair to where you want it to be (along with eating The Beauty Detox Solution way, on a regular basis), as well as radiant skin to boot.

Let’s find out how…

Beauty Protein: Lentils

Lentils are a great addition for soup and stews, and that’s because they are pretty quick and easy to prepare (especially when compared to other types of dried beans), and, they absorb flavors from the seasonings and other foods you throw into the mix.

Because lentils are available throughout the year, we can add these nutritional little guys to many recipes and reap the benefits. One cup of lentils has a 18 grams of easy to digest and assimilate plant protein.

Lentils really are the leader of the pack when it comes to their fiber content too. They are rich in dietary fiber—the soluble and insoluble type. The soluble fiber forms a gel-like substance in the digestive tract that grabs bile and pushes it out of the body (hooray). The insoluble fiber helps cleanse our system and prevent the dreaded constipation.

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You can buy lentils whole or split into halves—brown and green varieties retain their shape after cooking better than others. They come in prepackaged containers but bulk bins is probably where you’ll get the best deals. Just be sure that the bins are covered and that the product turnover is good, to ensure its maximal freshness.

Also, look for lentils are whole (not cracked), and that there’s no evidence of moisture or insect damage. If you can find them “germinated” or “sprouted” it means you won’t have to soak them overnight—which is something I recommend (always), to help our bodies digest them easier.

Canned lentils can be found in some grocery stores but I don’t encourage them, unless you’re in a bind, since they lose much of their nutritional value. Since they cook pretty easily please try to make them yourself if at all possible!!

Beauty Veggie: Carrots

At this point, I think that we’ve all heard that carrots are good for the eyes. And while this is true, carrots are also a top beauty food that helps create gorgeous hair too! They are #25 on my top Beauty Foods list from my book The Beauty Detox Foods, as an awesome hair-building food.

This bright colored orange root contains the highest amounts of beta-carotene, the precursor for Vitamin A. Vitamin A is necessary for a well-moisturized and shiny head of hair, but most important is in promoting a healthy scalp (needed for the growth of healthy hair).

Natural healers have long believed that carrots possess strong cleansing properties that are extremely effective in cleansing our livers and removing toxins from the blood—aiding in transporting nutrients and nourishing hair, and all around our bodies.

Carrots also contain calcium, potassium, iron, fiber, vitamins B1, B2, B6, C, K, and biotin—amazing skin refresher and beautifying properties. They also boost your immune system, improve digestion, detoxify the body, and boosts oral health. Carrots really do provide loads of other vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients.

Because carrots grow relatively easily and are very versatile in a number of dishes, they tend to be one of the most widely used and enjoyed vegetables in the world. They are typically orange in color, but there are a variety of colors, from purple and white, to yellow and red), so try incorporating a variety whenever you can.

I love crunchy texture and sweet taste, so adding this fibrous veggie is a great way to take the edge off of hunger, while still providing tons of nutrients. Hungry yet? Let’s get prepping…

Prepare ingredients.

Add the coconut oil, garlic, shallots, and sliced carrots to the saucepan.

Add the dried thyme.

Add the cayenne pepper. Mix well and let simmer.

Next, add the vegetable broth.

Then add the lentils. When the stew comes to a boil, cover and turn the heat down to low to let it simmer. Cook until carrots are tender, about 30 to 40 minutes.

Once the veggies and lentils are cooked, stir in the red cabbage.

Then the kale.

And fresh oregano (optional).

Top with fresh parsley and serve hot.

See full stew recipe below…