Vegetarian/Vegan Monster Mash

This green and orange mash-up certainly doesn't look as good as it tastes.  It could be made vegan by substituting oil for butter.  It is also a magnificent side dish for bratwurst (for the carnivores in the audience).

It has two superfoods:  sweet potatoes and lentils!  This low-fat, tasty mashed dish provides a ton of fiber, vitamins A and C, and beta-carotene, as well as a bunch of things I don't really understand but I know are healthy like manganese and folate.

Monster Mash Ingredients:

1 cup green lentils, rinsed

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced

2 1/2 to 3 cups water

2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 Tbsp lemon juice

1/8 to 1/4 cup white wine

1 Tbsp butter

Salt and pepper to taste

Veggie Soup Preparation:

Add lentils, garlic, potatoes and water to a pot.  (remember you can always add more, but you can't take the water out.  I used three cups, so I think that's safe.)

Cover and simmer 30 mins or until the lentils are cooked through.  (potatoes will be mushy).

Add the remaining ingredients.  Stirring gently should reduce the potatoes to mush without damaging the beans.  The lentils will be about half-mashed.

DON'T skip the butter.  Besides adding slightly more richness, it apparently helps with the absorption of beta-carotene.  Or so I've heard.