Announcing the winner of the DON'T EAT ME! fan drive! And, a recipe for all to enjoy...

Late Bloomers Publishing would like to announce that Jessica Shaffer, from Brooklyn, NY, is the winner of the DON'T EAT ME! fan drive contest!! Jessica recruited 31 great new fans, and will receive a free copy of DON'T EAT ME! A Cookbook for Animal Lovers.

As a thank you to all who participated in our fan drive, we would like to share one of our favorite winter recipes with you. Enjoy! --->

LENTIL STEW WITH NO-SAUSAGE AND PASTA
(from DON'T EAT ME! A Cookbook for Animal Lovers)

This stew makes a hearty meal. I even eat it for breakfast sometimes because I can’t stop thinking about it from the night before! Serves 6

-1/3 lb. of ditalini pasta (or similar soup pasta)
-4 cloves garlic, diced
-6 tbsp. olive oil
-1 large onion, chopped
-2 carrots, peeled and chopped
-2 celery stalks, chopped
-1/2 tsp. ground coriander seed
-1/2 tsp. dried parsley f lakes
-1/3 c. white cooking wine
-1 1/3 cups lentils, rinsed
-2 32 oz. boxes vegetable stock
-8 oz. no-sausage links (recommend Smart Links by Lightlife)
-1/4 tsp. Chinese hot mustard (you know, it comes in those yellow packets you get with Chinese food)
-1 tsp. salt
-5 shakes black pepper

1. Boil water for pasta while you chop vegetables. Cook pasta, drain and set aside.
2. In large soup pot, sauté garlic in 4 tbsp. olive oil about two minutes. Add onion and cook about five minutes over medium heat, stirring frequently. Next add carrots, celery, coriander and parsley and sauté another 15 minutes more until nice and tender.
3. Next add the wine. Cook about two minutes. Add the lentils and the vegetable stock. Simmer over medium heat 30-35 minutes until the lentils are soft. (For a more soup-like consistency cover the pot while simmering).
4. Meanwhile, cook no-sausage according to instructions. Cool briefly and slice into disks (8-9 a link). Heat remaining oil in frying pan and whisk in the Chinese hot mustard. Add no-sausage and fry up for about 2 minutes.
5. Now it’s time for them all to meet: Add no-sausage, pasta, salt and pepper and heat and stir about five minutes. Serve hot.