Lentil & Bean Stew

My Mum came home today, after four months away.

Not much of a welcome, thick and constant rain and about 17C(62F).

The classic story of- if only you'd have been here yesterday!

We were going to go out to lunch, but her car battery died.. so house bound, I made lentil & bean stew.

She bought me gifts from Papua New Guinea, South Africa, India, Madeira & the U.K!? :)

Recipe Serves 4

Ingredients:

1Tbs olive oil

1/2 onion

1 clove garlic, minced

1 carrot, peeled and chopped finely

1/4 red capsicum, chopped finely

12 basil leaves

1 tin organic peeled tomatoes

1 tin organic borlotti beans

1 tin organic cannelini beans

1/2 cup red lentils

1 cup water

Chilli paste

Salt n pepper

Method:

1.After browning the onions with the capsicum and carrot, put all the ingredients in a pot and cook for about 30-40 minutes.

Lentil soup with homemade rye bread

I made this a while ago, but forgot to post it.

I made the soup ala my recent lentil and carrot pasta- adding more lentils & water.

The bread was made with rye & spelt flour.

It was ok, but I'm such a lazy kneader, and thus my bread is usually quite leaden!

Cucciolo mio remarked "You could kill someone with that thing".

I'm not sure if he meant by feeding it to them, or hitting them over the head with it!?

Either way, he was probably right. Still the soup, the soup was delicious..