In high school, I’d be on a drive with one of my besties over lunch break and she’d ask, “What song is playing in your head right now?” I had nothing to offer, because of course, there was no song playing in my head. I’d always ask her back, “What song is playing in yours?” and inevitably she’d list off some trendy lyric to add to the ever-growing soundtrack to her teenage life. Dreamy.

Apparently I’m not that musical, but I like to think that I have a mealtrack to my life instead. During the upbeat parts of the story, I’m eating blueberry oat pancakes for breakfast, and when I’m heartbroken, I’m baking up a batch of chocolate chip cookies. The days I’m feeling nostalgic, I have the random urge to make Ukrainian pyrohy, and playful moments deserve tacos. Foodie friends, are you following me?

This recipe is for a moody day, maybe a slight drizzle on the windows. We’ve been having a lot of rainy days around Alberta lately, and this is just the meal for that. Cozy up after a rainy day with a bowl of this alongside a slice of crusty bread and it’s the perfect melancholy meal for your mealtrack!

This recipe was created in partnership with the Alberta Pulse Growers , a not-for-profit organization that supports Alberta farmers who grow pulses (dried peas, beans, chickpeas, lentils and faba beans) Check out their website for a long list of incredible recipes, and more tips on how to incorporate pulses into your everyday meals!

Recipe

Savoury Lentil Bowl with Sweet Potato + Zucchini

Ingredients

1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced
1 tbsp canola oil, divided
1 large zucchini, diced
2 tbsp butter
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
½ tsp red pepper flakes
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
4 stalks celery, finely chopped
1 cup dry green lentils, rinsed and drained
1 tsp fresh thyme, stem removed
3 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
½ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
2 cups of hummus
Salt and pepper, to taste
Optional: 1 round of sourdough or rustic french bread

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment. Spread out the sweet potato on the parchment, drizzle with ½ tbsp canola oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Spread sweet potato out, with space between each piece. Cook in preheated oven for 20 minutes, turning once halfway through cook time.
In a bowl, combine remaining 1/2 tbsp of oil, zucchini and a pinch of salt and pepper. Toss well to combine and set aside.
Meanwhile, heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the cumin, coriander, red pepper flakes and garlic, stirring for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Add the onion and celery, and cook, stirring often for another 10 minutes, until the onion is softened and slightly browned.
When the timer goes off for the sweet potato, take out the baking sheet from the oven and push the sweet potato to one side of the cookie sheet. They should still be in a single layer, but it’s ok if they are touching. Spread the zucchini on the other half of the baking sheet in a single layer. Roast for another 15 minutes.
Add the lentils and thyme to the onion mixture, and stir to coat. Pour the broth into your skillet and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 12-15 minutes, until the lentils are tender but not mushy.
Once the timer goes off for the roasted vegetables, without removing the baking sheet from the oven, change the setting to broil and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and add the roasted sweet potato and zucchini to the skillet, stirring everything together until evenly combined.
To serve, spread the hummus on the bottom of a large bowl or platter, topping with the skillet mixture. Sprinkle with fresh chopped herbs and serve warm alongside a crusty loaf of bread, if desired.