Butternut Squash | Carrots Onion | Celery Tomatoes | Brown Lentils Garlic | Dried Basil Dried Oregano | Dried Thyme Bay Leaf | Vegetable Broth
Rinse the brown lentil beans under cold water in a fine mesh strainer and drain well. Cut the butternut squash in have and clean the center of strings by using a spoon to scrap them out of the center. Cut the butternut squash into small pieces and peel the tough outer skin with a vegetable peeler.
Place the butternut squash into the slow cooker and add the diced celery, diced carrots and diced onion to the crock pot. Open the can of whole tomatoes and pour them with the liquid into the crock pot. Add the rinsed and drained lentil beans to the crock pot.
Next add the minced garlic, dried basil, dried oregano, dried thyme and bay leaf to the crock pot. Pour the vegetable broth to the crock pot. Place the lid on and cook for 4 hours on high or 6 to 8 hours on low. The cooking times will vary depending on how soft you like the dried lentils to be cooked.
• Any type of lentil bean can be used for this recipe but the cooking time will be different. • Peel the squash before cooking. Cut into small pieces that are easier to peel with a vegetable peeler. • Cooking times will vary. Cook until the beans and squash are tender.