Curried lentil and Swiss chard stew recipe

In an attempt to avoid going crazy from consuming greens at every meal, I made a list of every recipe in my cookbooks that calls for some type of greens. It didn't take long for me to turn to the list and figure out what to do with my most recent bunch of Swiss chard.

Curried red lentil and Swiss chard stew (adapted from "Bon Appetit: Fast Easy Fresh" by Barbara Fairchild)

(Printable version)

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 onion, sliced thinly

1 Tbsp curry powder

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

3 cups veggie stock

1 bunch Swiss chard, stems removed and leaves chopped

1 1/2 cups red lentils

1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas (or 1 can)

Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and saute until tender and golden. Then stir in curry powder and cayenne and cook for another minute. Add stock and chard leaves and bring to a boil. Toss in the lentils and chickpeas, cover, reduce heat, and let simmer until the lentils are tender (about 10 min), stirring a couple of times. Serves 4.

I made this on a whim, but ended up enjoying it far more than I ever thought I would. The flavors blended together nicely, and the curry and cayenne provided the perfect amount of spice. I liked the chickpeas in there - just when your mouth was getting used to the feel of lentils and chard, there was a new and surprising texture. I forgot how quickly red lentils cook, and I need to keep these around more often. This was definitely a winner! I'm submitting this to My Legume Love Affair, which is organized and hosted by Susan at The Well-Seasoned Cook.