Friday, April 29, 2011

Lentils: A Hero in Disguise

I think lentils must be the unsung heroes of the legume world.

These little pods are truly a nutritional powerhouse. For every cup of lentils, you're packing 16 grams of fiber and 18 grams of protein.

It's like music to my fiber-lovin' heart.

Plus, lentils are super versatile. You can use them as a base in veggie burgers, toss some into a pasta dish, or jazz 'em up for a lovely side dish.

Unfortunately, I feel like these guys are often forgotten in the vast world of beans, legumes, and other vegetarian protein sources. Their blase color leaves much to be desired, am I right?

But friends, don't judge a book by its cover. It's time to get over the boring lentil look and look inside for the all the wonders this rockin' legume has to offer.

My friend
Diane recently emailed me a recipe for her family's Favorite Lentils--they're cooked in veggie broth and spices, and seasoned with a sherry-mustard vinaigrette. Seemed simple enough.

So I made the lentils. I ate the lentils. I promptly fell to my knees and shouted "Hallelujah for lentils!"
This is the best lentil dish I've ever eaten, friends.

Need proof? I actually made them
again the next night. I repeated the recipe the very next day. We just couldn't get enough of Diane's fabulous lentils.

Now it's your turn. Make, eat, and shout "Hallelujah for lentils!"

Warm Lentils with Sherry Vinaigrette
(adapted from
Diane T.'s recipe)

Ingredients:
  • 1 cup lentils
  • veggie broth
  • 3/4 tsp. - 1 tsp. dried rosemary
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 1 small onion, minced
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 2 carrots, finely diced
  • 1 - 2 stalks celery, finely diced
Vinaigrette Ingredients:
  • 3 TBSP sherry wine vinegar
  • 2 TBSP dijon mustard
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 2 - 3 TBSP olive oil
Directions:
1) Place lentils in a large pot and cover with veggie broth (about 3 cups). Add remaining lentil ingredients. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 20 - 30 minutes, or until the liquid is mostly absorbed.

2) To prepare the vinaigrette, whisk ingredients together in a small bowl. When lentils are done cooking, pour vinaigrette on top and stir to combine.



11 comments:

  1. I have never bought and prepared lentils at home :( For some reason I find them intimidating!

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  2. Lentils are so, so under-appreciated, right?

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  3. I love lentils - you just need to be creative and know what to do wtih them. This looks like a great recipe for getting lots of flavour in there!

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  4. I just love lentils, but I actually prefer the red ones because they cook so much faster. I can eat lentils any time, any place, any way! They're a definite staple in our house. :)

    Your friend's recipe is one I would try this weekend if I had any dijon mustard and sherry wine vinegar in the house. Unfortunately I don't. :( I wonder if jalepeno mustard would work? Uh...probably not? :)

    Thanks so much for sharing such a great recipe, and let's have three cheers for lentils!! :)

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  5. I LOVE lentils! They really are under-rated.

    And you are so right, the color leaves a lot to be desired...BUT there's always red ones right? ;)

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  6. I'm with you - lentils are definitely the unsung hero. Just wondering...what type of lentils did you use for this dish? It looks wonderful and I'd like to replicate it as close as I can! :)

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  7. I totally agree with you! I love lentils. I have sprouted them and I just started juicing them too (which can be gross if I add too many!). The juice pulp is going to be perfect for burgers....mmmm.

    This recipe looks awesome---thanks!

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  8. I'm totally guilty of neglecting lentils, which is silly since I love them. This dish sounds delish!

    p.s. Have you seen Marcel the Shell with Shoes On? If not, google it...whenever I hear the word lentil, I think of it. :)

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  9. I'm not very good at making lentils, but I love them when someone else prepares them!

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  10. I love lentils, and try to use them as often as possible.
    Your dish sounds great, thanks for sharing Kylie

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