Happy Friday!  It is COLD here (for Charleston), and we are headed to the mountains because, you know, because we want to be even colder…  I’m excited to ski, get cozy by the fire and eat and drink, of course.  I made this yummy vegan bolognese from the new Deliciously Ella book, and it made for some seriously satisfying comfort food.  It’s the perfect healthful dish for cold weather!

| LENTIL BOLOGNESE | (the books says it serves 4, but I’d say it’s more like 6-8)

• 3 large carrots
• 6 oz. sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil
• 3 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
• (2) 14.5 oz cans chopped tomatoes
• (1) 12 oz can tomato puree
• 3 cups green lentils, rinsed
• 2 cups of boiling water
• Salt and pepper
• 1 lb. of gluten free pasta (it’s also great over quinoa and fresh baby spinach)

Start by peeling and grating the carrots using the coarse side of your grater. Chop the sun-dried tomatoes into small pieces and finely dice the onion.

Add the grated carrot, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, diced onion and crushed garlic to a large saucepan with the tins of chopped tomatoes, tomato puree, lentils and 2 cups of boiling water.

Stir everything together and then allow the mixture to simmer for 45 minutes to an hour, stirring it every now and again as it cooks. (If it looks too dry, add some more boiling water; if it looks too wet, turn the heat up for a bit to let some of the water boil away.  Ella serves the bolognese with gluten-free pasta, but I really like it with quinoa and a handful of spinach.)

Enjoy, stay warm and have a wonderful President’s Day Weekend!

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