Lentils & Beans

Bowls of various legumes (chickpeas, green peas, red lentils, canadian lentils, indian lentils, black lentils, green lentils; yellow peas, green mung beans) on wooden background

Lentils and beans are an absolute must in plant based diets. It's time to drop any old story you may hold about legumes and accept that research has proven a daily intake of beans and lentils is directly associated with a longer lifespan across the board. So lets celebrate all they have to offer with these recipes.

Black Bean and Butternut Squash Stew

By Lauren | October 11, 2019

Is it simmering stew season yet? Just to be clear, that means a veggie-full stew, and this one totally fits the bill. Not only is it packed with fall harvest vegetables, the spice combination is…

Spicy Chickpea Soup

By Lauren | September 27, 2019

I first made this recipe during a cold, wet March in Austin. The good news is, I happen to love soup and have an endless array of recipes to help us wait out these Austin-style…

Roasted Eggplant with Spiced Chickpeas

By Lauren | September 7, 2019

If you eat seasonally and live in Texas, late summer means eggplant, zucchini and peppers. And the best way to use this limited range of veggies is to get creative — something I don’t mind…

Vegan Cassoulet

By Lauren | August 17, 2019

Cassoulet is a French classic and (traditionally) absolutely not vegan. But you can easily capture the essence of this comfort-food dish in my meat-free version. Even better on the second day, cassoulet can be made…

Smoky Black Bean and Quinoa Burgers

By Lauren | June 1, 2019

One look at Minimalist Baker’s latest veggie burger recipe, and I knew I had to make it. For me, the challenge was skipping the barbecue sauce (not a winner among the German guys I feed)…

White Bean Chili

By Lauren | October 5, 2018

I have been obsessing over the creation of this recipe all week. To be honest, I’m not sure I’ve ever had white bean chili, but somehow the concept worked its way into my imagination. Could…

Harira

By Lauren | February 9, 2018

We’ve had a string of cold gloomy days which had me searching for a slightly spicy comfort dish for dinner. When that’s the case it is always Heidi Swanson I turn to for help. It…

Vegan Shepherd’s Pie

By Lauren | January 19, 2018

We are having some unusually cold and icy days here in Austin, and I am pulling from the comfort food recipes I tucked away during the blasting heat of summer. This particular version of Shepherd’s…

Tea Lights

A Solstice Supper

By Lauren | December 15, 2017

Solstice is just around the corner, and I’ve put together a lovely spread you want to share with family or friends and mark the return to light in the weeks ahead. Since this year, the…

Heidi Swanson’s Leek Soup With Hazelnuts

By Lauren | April 18, 2017

If you could prepare only one more soup before spring weather turns to summer this would be my suggestion. I turned to Heidi Swanson for help when an abundance of gorgeous spring leeks filled my…

Lauren’s Kitchen: A Simple Soup of Lentils

By Lauren | December 25, 2015

Here’s a wonderful way to keep your time in the kitchen to a minimum AND have a delicious bowl of goodness to serve up for your evening meal. I first learned to cook lentils from…