Spiced Sweet Potato Chana Dal Stew

Spiced Sweet Potato Chana Dal Stew

Before I get to this oh so good recipe I wanted to introduce you all to the barre3 giveaway. I'm going to be honest and mention that I am always hesitant to do giveaways on the blog because most of the time I am offered things that I don't find useful or don't entirely agree with. We have a box full of goodies that could be yours but that I don't feel right about reviewing. However, this giveaway is quite different.  If you've been reading this blog for a while then you already know the physical demands farming entails. I've been farming for 6 years now and let me tell you, my body has definitely suffered from all of the back-breaking days and hours spent hunched over. I have my chiropractors phone number memorized and a few sessions with the physical therapist is always an off season ritual as a farmer. However, every winter for the past 3 years I have subscribed to the barre3 online workouts to keep myself in shape and my muscles well stretched so that when spring comes rolling around I don't have to begin the farm season completely out of shape. I need to be able to continue farming well into my 80's so "working out" is an off-season must.  Barre3 is great for me because it's a combination of yoga, pilates, ballet and has been amazing for my body. I still see my chiropractor but the workouts have definitely helped with my alignment and strength. You'd all laugh out loud if you saw me and Henry doing workouts in the greenhouse with my yoga mat, laptop and winter hat. It's pretty embarrassing but what can I say, I'm trying to be a more graceful farmer! Another great thing about barre3 is that members of the company's core team who live in Portland all subscribe to the Tumbleweed Farm CSA. That's right folks, every Monday during the farm season Taylor and I drive a truck full of vegetables to the head quarters in Portland and drop off the barre3 CSA share.  We are so grateful to these amazing people for supporting our farm and for keeping us in shape during the off season.  If you subscribe to the barre3 online community you not only get access to hundreds of workouts but you also get some pretty amazing recipes to choose from (some of which are created by yours truly!) All of that is why I am excited to announce that barre3 is hosting a four-week, results oriented challenge that includes workouts, recipes, online support and more. You can learn everything you need to know about this awesome challenge right here. The lovely ladies at barre3 have offered 3 dishing up the dirt readers a chance to win unlimited access to the exclusive challenge, one month of free online workouts and the barre3's signature challenge kit. The kit includes a personal tracking system, a barre3 challenge glass water bottle, a barre3 challenge tote, weekly challenge emails, live Q + A's with founder Sadie Lincoln, and seasonal recipes. I think it's a great way to kick start the New Year! For a chance to win all you need to do is leave a comment below and let me know if you have any personal health goals for the 2015 season. All comments made before January 1st will be considered. And hey, if you're nervous just remember if a girl wearing carharrt overalls in a greenhouse can commit to these workouts you can too! To top it off all of my readers get access to a free online workout trial for 15 days which includes hundreds of online workouts and access to seasonal healthy recipes. All you need to do is visit www.barre3.com/redeem and enter the promo code barre3DishingUpDirt  Speaking of getting fit and healthy how about kickstarting your week with this lovely chana dal stew. I've been making this a lot during our kitchen renovation because it makes great leftovers and keeps us full and energized. I've gone back and forth over the past two weeks using either sweet potatoes or butternut squash. Either work well in this dish and I absolutely love the spices and texture of the chana dal. However, if you can't find chana dal (it's available at most supermarkets) you can substitute with yellow split peas. Taylor loves when we serve this with some toasted naan bread which I highly recommend. Enjoy!

Spiced Sweet Potato Chana Dal Stew

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 6

Ingredients

  • 2 Tablespoons coconut oil
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced
  • 4 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1  inch chunk of fresh ginger, peeled and minced
  • 1 large sweet potato, rinsed, scrubbed and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
  • 1 Tablespoon garam masala
  • 1 Tablespoon curry powder
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 2 cups chana dal, rinsed and picked over
  • 1 (15 oz) can crushed tomatoes
  • 4-5 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 (15 oz) can full fat coconut milk
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • minced cilantro for serving
  • Squeeze of fresh lime juice for serving

Preparation

  1. In a large dutch oven or large soup pot heat the oil over medium high heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until beginning to soften. About 5 minutes. Stir in the ginger, sweet potato, and the spices. Continue to cook, string often until the spices become fragrant. About 3 minutes. Add the chana dal, crushed tomatoes and vegetable stock. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer until the sweet potato and dal are tender. About 25 minutes.
  2. Stir in the coconut milk, salt and pepper. Let cook for about 5 more minutes to absorb the flavors. Taste test and adjust the seasonings as need be. I usually add a little more garam masala and curry.
  3. Serve warm with minced cilantro and a squeeze of fresh lime juice

Notes

*Use this recipe as a guide. *Adjust measurements and ingredients as necessary. *Taste test as you go. *Have fun in the kitchen and experiment with your own twist!

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