Adding kale towards the end of cooking boosts both the flavor and nutrients of this solar simmered stew.

Sun Oven Curried Lentil Stew

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

1 leek, white and pale green parts only, cleaned and chopped

4 cups water

1 pound butternut squash, peeled, halved, seeded, and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks

1 cup brown lentils, picked over, rinsed, and drained

1 tablespoon curry powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

salt and pepper to taste

2 cups coarsely chopped kale, lightly packed

Preparation

Set Sun Oven out to preheat.

In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and leek and saute, stirring often, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the water, squash, lentils, curry powder, and cumin.

Cover and transfer to Sun Oven

Cook until squash and lentils are soft. Stir in kale and continue cooking until tender, about 10 minutes longer. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

Makes 6 servings.

This simple, hearty, vegetarian dish is a meal on its own.

Sun Oven Rice and Lentils

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for serving

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1/4 cup strained tomatoes

5 cups water

1 cup dried green lentils, picked over and rinsed

1 cup brown rice

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Preparation

Set Sun Oven out to preheat.

Combine the oil and onion in a large pot. Place the pot in the Sun Oven and cook until the onion begins to soften, about 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic, then the tomatoes. Add the water and the lentils, cover and cook until the lentils are slightly tender, 30 to 4o minutes. Stir in the rice and salt, replace the lid and continue cooking until the rice is done, about 45 minutes. Remove the pot from the Sun Oven and stir in the parsley. Drizzle additional olive oil over each serving.

Makes 4 to 6 servings

I’m still not used to the Southern California weather phenomenon know as marine layer or June gloom. Many a morning starts out overcast only to clear up by noon; catching me off guard and unprepared for solar cooking. Red lentils are always a good choice on those days. They don’t need to be presoaked and cook faster than any other legume I know of.

Garlicky Sun Oven Red Lentil Soup

Ingredients

1 1/3 cups red lentils, rinsed and drained

2 small onions, very finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 carrot, very finely chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 bay leaves

1 1/2 cups water

2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar

salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

Set Sun Oven out to preheat.

Combine the first six ingredients, lentils through water, in a large pot. Cover and place in the Sun Oven. Cook until the lentils and vegetables are completely softened, 1 t0 1 1/2 hours. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Stir in the vinegar and season with salt and pepper.

Makes 6 servings.

Now that the days are getting warmer even more cooking can be moved outside. Get these lentils going in the Sun Oven then toss some sausages on the grill for a match made in heaven. The Italian answer to Bangers and Mash.

You’ll need two pots that fit in the cooking chamber together, either side by side or stacked, to cook the sauce and the lentils at the same time.

Sun Oven Lentils and Red Sauce

Ingredients

For the red sauce

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, peeled and finely sliced

1 small stick of cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, plus extra for dressing

2 (14-ounce) cans plum tomatoes

For the lentils

14 ounces green lentils, picked over and rinsed

2 cloves garlic, peeled

1 bay leaf

red wine vinegar and olive oil for dressing

Preparation

Set the Sun Oven out to preheat.

Start preparing the red sauce:

Pour the oil into a medium pot, add the onion, garlic, cinnamon stick, and red pepper. Cover and cook in the Sun Oven until the onion softens, 10 to 20 minutes. Bring the pot inside and place on the stove over medium-high heat. Add the vinegar, stirring until it has mostly evaporated. Add the tomatoes with their juices and break them up with a fork, cover and return to the Sun Oven. Let the sauce simmer 30 to 4o minutes. Remove the cinnamon stick and season to taste with salt.

For the lentils:

While the onions are cooking prepare the lentils. Put the lentils in a medium pot, cover with water. Add the garlic cloves and bay leaf. Cover and transfer to the Sun Oven with the red sauce, either by stacking the two pots or placing them side by side. Cook until soft, 30 to 40 minutes. Drain off most of the water, mash the garlic and stir into the lentils. Season to taste with salt. Dress with one or two tablespoons of vinegar and a generous drizzle of olive oil. Put the lentils in a large serving bowl and top with the red sauce.

Serve with grilled sausages and steamed broccoli rabe.

Serves 4.

Weight Watchers taught me that one of the best ways to avoid unwanted weight gain during the holiday season is to eat sensibly on the days surrounding the main event; essentially saving calories now so you can indulge (not over indulge) later. This filling lentil stew will keep hunger at bay while you look forward to Thursday’s feast. It can be served on it’s own as a soup or over rice.

Sun Oven Lentil Stew

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

1 cup carrots, chopped

3 cups celery root, peeled and chopped

2 cups rutabaga, peeled and chopped

1 pound brown lentils, picked over and rinsed

1 tablespoon herbes de Provence

8 cups vegetable broth

1 bunch kale, ribs removed, leaves coarsely chopped

Preparation

Set Global Sun Oven out to preheat. Remove the leveling tray and place a rack or trivet on the floor of the cooking chamber.

Heat the oil in a large (6 quart) light weight, dark pot. Add the onion, carrots, celery root, and rutabaga; sauté until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the lentils and herbes de Provence. Add broth and kale. Cover and transfer pot to the Sun Oven. Cook until the lentils are tender, about 1 hour. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Makes 8 servings.

If you have two pots that fit side by side in the Sun Oven you can get the base of this lentil stew going while the lentils cook in the other pot. Otherwise you’ll have to wait until the lentils are done and then make the base or cook it on the stove.

Ingredients

1 cup green lentils

1 cup red lentils

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

4 cups water

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 tablespoons curry powder

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

2 cups butternut squash, diced

2 potatoes, diced

2 carrots, diced

2 cups fresh spinach

1 Granny Smith apple, cored and diced

Preparation

Place the green and red lentils in a pot with the water and turmeric, cover and cook in Sun Oven until the lentils are tender, about 1 hour. Heat the oil in a separate pot, add the onion and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the next 10 ingredients, tomatoes through carrots, cover and cook in the Sun Oven alongside the lentils until vegetables are tender, about 45 minutes. Combine the ingredients of both pots into one large pot, stir in the spinach and apple, cover and cook in Sun Oven an additional 30 minutes.

Makes 6 servings

Cook the lentils in the Sun Oven the day before making this vegetarian twist on meatloaf. Serve it with a green vegetable, mashed potatoes, and vegetarian gravy. Any leftovers can be used for sandwiches.

Solar Lentil Loaf

2 cups cooked green lentils

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 small carrot, shredded

1 stalk celery, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

2 slices white bread, torn into pieces

3/4 cup vegetable broth

1 egg, lightly beaten

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1 tablespoon olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

Set Global Sun Oven out to preheat. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper leaving enough hanging over the sides to cover loaf while it cooks.

Soak the bread in the broth for 1o minutes. Combine soaked bread and remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Spread mixture into the prepared pan. Cover loaf with the parchment paper. Seal loaf pan with tin foil, cover tin foil with a dark tea-towel. Bake loaf in Sun Oven approx. 1 hour. Let loaf rest 10 minutes before serving. Use parchment to lift loaf out of the pan.

Makes 6 servings.

These vegetarian sandwiches are a lot less messy than traditional sloppy Joe’s, and in my opinion, tastier too.

Sun Oven Lentil Sloppy Joe’s

Ingredients

1 3/4 cups vegetable broth

1 cup dried lentils, picked over and rinsed

1 small onion, diced

1 jalapeño chile pepper, seeded and diced

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 cup ketchup

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 cup molasses

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon yellow mustard

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

6 whole-wheat buns, sliced dill pickle chips

Preparation

Set Global Sun Oven out to preheat.

Combine broth, lentils, onion, jalapeño, and garlic in a pot. Cover and cook in Sun Oven until lentils are tender, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Whisk together ketchup, salt, molasses, brown sugar, Worcestershire, mustard, and vinegar; add to lentils in pot and continue cooking in Sun Oven for another 30 minutes. Serve lentils on whole-wheat buns with dill pickle chips.

Makes 6 servings.

We have a busy week ahead and I’m using my Sun Oven to help me prepare for it. This big pot of lentils will come in handy. As is, they’re a side dish. Add a few more ingredients and some pasta and you’ve got soup. Mix them in with rice cooked risotto style and you have “Risotto con Lenticchie”. The main ingredient may be the same, but your taste buds will think it’s always something new.

Basic Solar Lentils

Ingredients

1 pound dry lentils, picked over and rinsed

1 large onion, chopped

2 carrots, peeled and chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

1 bay leaf

Preparation

Set Global Sun Oven out to preheat.

Combine all ingredients in a large, light-weight, dark pot. Add enough water to cover lentils by an inch. Place the lid on the pot and cook the lentils in the Sun Oven until soft, 1 to 2 hours. Remove bay leaf and discard. Store lentils in a covered container in the refrigerator up to three days or freeze.

Solar Red Lentil Soup

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon mustard powder

Zest from one medium lemon, roughly chopped*

1 1/2 cups dry red lentils, picked over and rinsed

Salt to taste

Preparation

Set Global Sun Oven out to preheat

Heat oil in a pot and saute onion until it begins to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the spices, lemon zest, lentils, and 4 1/2 cups water. Stir well, cover, and transfer to the Sun Oven. Cook until the lentils are soft, about 1 1/2 hours. Add salt to taste.

Makes 4 servings.

*Cut the zest off in strips (see picture below) and roughly chop. It will dissolve as the soup cooks.