Lentils with Spinach, Sweet Potatoes, Lime and Mint

This wonderful winter meal is great by itself or served with rice or flatbread (such as naan).  Quick and flavorful meals that are heart healthy always make me happy!

Ingredients:

3 cloves of garlic, chopped
3 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 cup crimson or red lentils
1 large sweet potato or ruby yam - sliced and cut into bite sized pieces
12 ounces of fresh spinach - baby spinach works best
Zest of one lime
Juice of one lime
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 cup fresh chopped mint
Pepper to taste

In a Dutch oven or large saucepan, cook over medium heat the chopped garlic along with a few tablespoons of vegetable brother.  After about a minutes, add the rest of the vegetable broth, lentils and sweet potato.  Bring to a boil and then reduce heat, cover and simmer until the lentils are tender -- about 10-15 minutes.  Add the lime zest, lime juice and cayenne.  Stir.  Add the spinach, gently mixing it in.  Cover and simmer until the spinach wilts -- just a minute or two.  Just before serving, stir in the chopped mint and add pepper to taste.

We serve this in soup bowls along with naan or rice.  A romaine lettuce salad goes nicely with this filling dish.