Two lentil chili and skillet cornbread

As I was making this dish today, what came across my mind was how chilis are very similar to Indian dals. It's a legume stew with spices that have been simmered for quite a period of time. The difference? The spices used, the type of lentil at times, and some other "secret" ingredients.

Two lentil chili with butternut squash and okra

Skillet cornbread with lavender honey butter

The initial start of chili was made of grapeseed oil, garlic, chili spices (bay leaves, cumin, chili powder, rubbed sage, and red chili flakes), tomato paste, celery, carrots, and green bell peppers. I had debated in my mind whether or not to pre-cook the black beluga lentils as I know they take a bit longer to cook through than red lentils. I decided to stir in the uncooked belugas so that as they cooked, the flavors from the spices and vegetables would infuse. The butternut squash, okra, and tomatoes were up next, along with plenty of vegetable stock. Second to last, the red lentils. And to finish? Tamari, a wheat free soy sauce that gave the chili even more depth and umami-ness.

It was my first time making a skillet cornbread and after making the cornbread batter, I was a bit nervous of how it would turn out. The batter was quite thick as a blend of whole wheat flour and regular flour was used. Rather than questioning, I gave it a go and ladled the thick batter into hot cast iron skillets that had been heated with oil until smoky. After about 25 minutes of baking in a 340F oven, this was the result.