Curried Lentils & Rice Bowl w Cashew Cilantro Dressing

I planned to make this dinner last week, but kept putting it off for some reason.  I just couldn't decide what it would turn out like and wasn't sure if we would like it.  Oh man it was delicious.  I think the thing with this meal is you can really have it anyway you like.  We chose to make it into big spinach salads with the cashew cilantro dressing with a big ole scoop of the lentils and rice on the side of the bowl.  It was nothing short of delicious!

I loved how the curry flavor wasn't overpowering at all.  I replaced some of the water with a can of coconut milk and it made the rice and lentils so creamy and delicious.  I also added sweet potatoes with the carrots and loved the combo.  I thought the salad dressing was delicious, but a little runny for my taste so that's the only other change I made in the recipe below.

Curried Lentils & Rice Bowl w Cashew Cilantro Dressing
adapted from In Pursuit of More
**Note this makes a TON of rice & lentils in my opinion.  If you are just cooking for two or don't want a ton of leftovers, half this part of the recipe.  I just put our leftovers in the freezer and defrosted them to have this dinner another week!


**Curried Lentils & Rice:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
3 tomatoes, chopped
1 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and grated
1 tbsp curry powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt
4 cups vegetable broth, 32 oz box
1 can coconut milk
1 cup water
2 cups brown rice
1 cup green lentils
1 tsp salt

Roasted Carrots/Sweet Potatoes:
4 medium carrots, peeled and diced
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
1 tbsp olive oil for roasting
salt & pepper

Cilantro Cashew Dressing:
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1.5 cups fresh cilantro (about 1 bunch)
1 fresh scallion, optional
1/2 cup cider vinegar
3/4 cup cashews
1/2 fresh jalapeño

To Serve for each bowl:
minced or sliced red onion (I omitted)
fresh spinach or greens of choice
1/4 cup roasted carrots/sweet potato
1/4 to 1/2 avocado
Cilantro Cashew Dressing to taste


To start, heat the olive oil in a large warm pot and add the chopped onion and salt. Cook, on medium, for 8-10 minutes or until the onion becomes translucent. Next, add the remaining dry spices and grated ginger to the pot and cook a further 2-3 minutes, stirring regularly until the spices become fragrant (being careful not to overcook and burn). Add the chopped tomato and cook a further 2-3 minutes. Next, add the lentils, brown rice, additional salt, broth, coconut milk, and water to the pot and stir well until thoroughly mixed together. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook, covered, on medium heat for 25-35 minutes, stirring here and there to ensure even cooking, until most of the liquid is absorbed and rice and lentils are tender. Feel free to add additional water if the mixture becomes too dry too quickly, a little at a time to achieve a mixture that isn’t too liquid-heavy.

While the mixture is on the stove, heat the oven to 400 degrees and wash, peel, and dice your carrots and sweet potatoes. Toss in the olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper and roast in the oven for 25-35 minutes or so, turning them once or twice to ensure even browning. Once ready, remove from the oven and set aside until ready to use.

Finally, throw all of the dressing ingredients together into a blender and blend until perfectly smooth and creamy. Set aside in a clean jar until ready.

Serve each bowl filled how you would like.  Again we filled our bowls with spinach, drizzled with the dressing, topped with carrots, sweet potatoes and avocado and a huge scoop of the rice and lentils on the side.