Red Lentil Stew Freezes Well

Red lentil stew is one of the better Costco meals because the ingredients are cheap, soft, and not interesting enough for anyone to complain about.

I simmer red lentils with no-salt-added tomatoes, diced carrot, sweet potato, and spinach. A little olive oil and mild paprika is enough seasoning. The lentils break down on their own, so the finished stew works for both a bowl and a toddler-sized portion without needing a blender.

The useful batch is small:

• 1 cup red lentils
• 1 can tomatoes
• 1 sweet potato
• 2 carrots
• a handful of spinach
• enough water to keep it loose

I cook it until the vegetables squash easily with a fork, then cool it and freeze the extra in small containers. I leave some room at the top because frozen stew expands. A portion thaws quickly in a saucepan with a splash of water, which makes it more useful than a freezer full of ambitious recipes.