Sweet Potato and Lentil Stew

What's Going on Today: Packing for a night away at a friend's house upstate with daughter's best friend!

Naptime Goals: Prepare Sweet Potato and Lentil Stew - for all of us to eat tonight, then for my husband to eat tomorrow night while we are gone!

Tonight's Menu: Sweet Potato and Lentil Stew, Toasted Pitas, Chocolate Chip Cookies

Parenting Lesson of the Day: Sometimes Dad's need a break, too.


Tomorrow night my daughter and I are heading up to my friend's house in upstate New York for a girls night. My friends two daughters are "bff"with my daughter - at least in their toddler minds - so I am sure everyone will have a screaming good time together. I am even packing an extra set of jammies, a key outfit for any sleepover, just in case that's all we end up wearing the entire time we are there.

The only problem with this scenario is that my husband will be home alone for a night. Sure, I leave him home alone all the time like when we go here, or here, but it is still kind of sad when I do. He misses us and we him, so I like to try to leave him with some good food while I'm away. This time I'm going to whip up a batch of Sweet Potato and Lentil Stew for us to eat tonight - the night before we leave - and for him to have tomorrow night while we are gone. I will also make him a batch of our favorite chocolate chip cookies to have around for snacking after he gets home from work.


My friend Kristina first made this soup for me when she was visiting my in NYC many moons ago. At that point I was still single and living in my studio and she was on break from her Peace Corps duties. When she visited she made this in the morning before she went out sightseeing for the day. Not only was this convenient for her - nothing opens in NYC to see until 10am - but she also did it for taste purposes. 

Making this dish ahead of time is ideal for many reasons. Like any good stew, with time the ingredients have a chance to intermingle, adding a great complexity and depth of flavor to it. Of course, not only is this desirable, but it fits perfectly with my agenda of cooking during naptime. I love to put this together in the afternoon while my daughter is asleep. The ingredients are easy to prepare and the assembly straightforward, and it fills the whole apartment with fantastic aromas which linger all afternoon. After I'm done cooking it I simply leave it, covered, on the stove until dinner time. If you happen to make this stew even further ahead of time, like in the morning, just put the whole pot in the fridge until you are ready to reheat and eat it.


Tonight we will eat it with a side of toasted pita wedges. Then, tomorrow, my husband will probably eat it tossed with egg noodles. We'll miss him while we are at our girls' night upstate, but I'll take comfort in knowing that he's been well fed.


Sweet Potato and Lentil Stew

based on a recipe from my friend Kristina

2 T. olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped

2 t. curry powder

2 T. fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

1 t. Kosher salt

2 large sweet potatoes,

1 14oz. can chopped tomatoes with juice

1 c. brown lentils

28 oz. low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth

1. In a heavy bottom 4 quart saucepan or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and gently saute them until tender, about 5 minutes.

2. Add the ginger, garlic, curry powder and salt. Stir until fragrant and everything is evenly incorporated. About 2 minutes.

3. Carefully, pour in the potatoes, lentils, tomatoes and chicken broth. Raise heat the medium-high and bring stew to a boil. Allow to boil for one minute. Then, reduce heat and allow to simmer, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes, or until sweet potatoes are tender enough that they can easily be speared with a fork. While it is simmering feel free to do other things about the house, just be sure to come back and check on it once in a while.

Naptime Notes:

Make-Ahead Tips: Soups and stews are one of the best things to make ahead since, as with this recipe, their flavors improve with time. This stew is a snap to pull together during naptime, or even up to a day before you want to eat it. After the ingredients are fully cooked simply place it in the fridge, covered, until you are ready to re-heat and serve. This will keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days, fully cooked.This is also great to eat for a mid-day lunch.

Serving Tips: Whole-wheat pitas cut into wedges are great to enjoying with this stew. I like to toast them until they are almost crispy then use them to scoop up the stew in the bowl. This is also delicious when tossed with egg noodles.

Naptime Stopwatch: 10 minutes for assembly, 45 minutes for simmering

Naptime Reviews: My daughter was initially skeptical, but enjoyed the chunks of sweet potatoes. My husband, not necessarily a vegetarian, loved it and devoured two huge bowls!

Napping with Lunch Punch

My daughter has recently picked up a new eating habit - playing with her food. Luckily, she is not a picky eater per se, but she enjoys exploring her meals as much as she does consuming them. All in all, I don't mind letting her peel apart her sandwiches and eat them layer by layer, or separate her vegetables into little piles. I think it is important for children to understand what's on their plate, just as much as it is for them to eat it. But, every so often the mother in me can't resist making meal time a touch more interesting for her. Which is why I was thrilled to discover this awesome new kids food tool, the Lunch Punch.


Just to clarify, I am not getting paid to endorse these in any way, I am writing about them because I think they are clever and interesting. Plus my daughter loves them! As you know, I do the majority of my cooking when she naps. But, in this case, I have let her in on some of the fun. Since the Lunch Punch arrived in the mail I've been using them for all sorts of things in my kitchen, including making fun shapes out of Rice Krispie Treats, grilled cheeses, cinnamon-sugar toast and iced sugar cookies. The cookies have been her most favorite things so far. Not only because they are sweet, but because I let her participate in the cookie making.

Since she is not yet two, my daughter lacks any basic culinary knowledge. To her the kitchen is a place filled with wonderful gadgets and toys she can play with. At the present time her favorite thing to do is switch the mixer on and off on my command. She also likes to lick the icing and batters right off the spatula. I can't say I'm surprised by any of this since her actions closely resemble my memories of baking with my mother.


I have been making these classic iced sugar cookies for years on end, they are unfailingly buttery and delicious. Since I usually make them for Christmas and Valentine's Day most of my cookie cutters are in the shapes of hearts and stars. However, now that the Lunch Punch is in my cabinet, I have opened up a whole new world of shapes. During snacktime last week my daughter actually tried to assemble the Lunch Punch puzzle piece cookies. Then, later that week, she correctly identified the Lunch Punch animal shapes in front of her, before biting their heads off. I couldn't have been more proud.

(cookies decorated by my daughter)

Clearly the Lunch Punch would be useful for all kinds of reasons, they are a great way to get kids to take interest in their food, no matter what you are trying to serve them. For me, they will forever be the best tools for sugar cookies and grilled cheeses, as well as Play Doh fun. As a mother, and the Home Cook-in-Chief, I highly suggest you pick some up today and enjoy the time with your kids.

Naptime's Perfect Iced Sugar Cookies
adapted from an old recipe from my friend Andrea's mother
1 c. unsalted butter, room temperature
2 c. sugar
3 eggs, lightly beaten
6 T. whole milk
2 t. vanilla
5 1/2 c. flour
3 t. baking powder
1 pinch Kosher salt

Frosting:
1/4 c. butter
1 box (16 oz.) confectioners sugar
1 t. vanilla
1/2 c. whole milk - added gradually Food coloring as desired

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, beat until combined. Add milk and vanilla, mix until combined.
3. In a separate bowl sift together flour, baking powder and salt. With the mixer on low, gradually add the flour to the wet ingredients, adding slowly until flour mixture is incorporated.
4. Chill batter in the fridge for 4-6 hours, or overnight.
5. When ready, roll dough out until 1/8 inch thick on a floured surface. Using Lunch Punch, cut cookies in desired shapes.
6. Transfer shapes to cookie sheets and baking for 12-14 minutes, or until the edges turn golden brown.
7. When cookies have cooled, whisk together frosting ingredients and decorate cookies as desired.

Naptime's Cinnamon-Sugar Toast
1 t. sugar 1 t. cinnamon 1 pat salted butter Thick slice of bread 1. Mix sugar and cinnamon in small bowl. Set aside. 2. Press Lunch Punch into the bread slice to create your desired shape. Trim the edges of the bread to polish. 3. Toast bread to desired dryness in toaster. 4. While bread is still warm spread butter across entire shape. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture. Serve.

Naptime Notes for Lunch Punch:
More Ideas:
- Rice Krispie Treat shapes
- Jello Jigglers in all shapes and sizes
- Thin crust sandwiches
- New biscuit shapes
- Grilled Cheese shapes

Napping with a BLT Lunch

Happy Friday! I am posting a quick one today, since I think a lot of you will find this helpful. For some reason there has been lots of chatter about BLT's this week. I've been hearing about them on Facebook, from friends around town, and even on Twitter. So, a bunch of us food bloggers decided we would all take this day to share our favorite version of this beloved sandwich. Earlier this winter I gave you my recipe for a B.E.A.L.T., and today I am giving you another variation.


In this case I replace mayonnaise with fresh slices of avocado, and substitute bacon with leaner prosciutto. I also add a small drizzle of balsamic syrup for a finishing touch. This is perfect for picnics, hearty lunches or even light dinners. I know we love it in our house, and hope you will as well.

Naptime's Friday PLT - Prosciutto, Lettuce, Tomato
4 slices thick ciabatta
1/2 avocado, thinly sliced
2 slices tomato
4 strips prosciutto, thinly sliced
Handful Arugula

For Balsamic Syrup
1/2 c. good balsamic vinegar
1/3. c. sugar

1. Place sugar and vinegar in a saucepan. Swirl until sugar is dissolved and vinegar thickens, about 5 minutes. Do not let boil too long.
Yields two PLT's

1. Drizzle balsamic syrup on two slices of bread. On top of balsamic arrange the avocado slices. Top with arugula, prosciutto and tomato. Close sandwichs with second slice.
2. Serve with Mint Lemonade.