Category Archives: Lentils

Sprouting Made Easy

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10

Let me start by saying I SERIOUSLY lack in the green thumb department… I can kill a cactus. I taught myself how to sprout and I have a new sense of confidence when it comes to growing something, that makes me so happy! I’m not ready to start my own kale garden yet but in the meantime I’m having a blast sprouting in my pantry.

Once you get the hang of it, it’s super easy and fun! I always keep a jar or two in my fridge, I love to add sprouts to my daily salads! I added sprouts to my recent copycat Whole Foods-like Oil-Free Lentil Salad, that was delicious! The past few weeks I’ve been sprouting spelt, wheat berries and buckwheat groats together to make a delicious live-food breakfast! I add a little walnuts or raw pumpkin seeds, some fruit and a little almond milk, it’s really delicious.

** Tools you will need to do this:

1. Grains, seeds, beans, lentils or whatever else you want to sprout! I like green lentils, mung beans, spelt, wheat berries, buckwheat and variety packs the best. I’m still experimenting with other ones, there are so many! You can sprout quinoa, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds (I tried this and didn’t really get any growth… still mastering this one!)… so many options! I’ve sprouted garbanzo beans before and made hummus out of them… tasted kinda funky, I have to admit but I’m willing to try it again. 

2. 1/2 Gallon Mason Jars – They work the best and allow the most sprout production due to their larger size. I like the wide-mouth ones the best! You can also use them to store your dry beans and grains, I do!

3. Sprouting Lids or Cheesecloth and a rubber band – I like the lids the best

4. Dark pantry or cupboard – time to clear out a space for your new sprouting habit! Now, some sprouts (from what I’ve read) need sunlight but I haven’t gotten to that level yet. I tried leaving my lentil sprouts out on the counter for sunlight and they ended up brown and odd tasting. For now, I’m sticking to the cupboard/pantry method!

5. Bowl – large enough to hold a mason jar upside down to catch excess water

** Instructions:

1. I add about 1/2 – 1 cup of whatever I want to sprout to my 1/2 gallon mason jar (some more, some less depending on the size of the seed/grain you’re growing)… fill the jar with water, attach my sprouting lid (or cheesecloth if you don’t want to use a fancy lid) and drain the water out. I then fill the jar up again and let it sit in my cupboard with the LID ON (metal one that comes with the jar or a plastic one you can order separately) overnight – about 12 hours.

2. The next morning – attaching the sprouting lid or cheesecloth, drain the jar into the sink and place it upside down on a towel to get most of the excess water out. Then place the jar upside down in a bowl, lined with a paper towel. Place this getup in a dark cupboard or pantry.

3. WRITE YOURSELF A NOTE SAYING “SPROUTS”… that’s what I do. It’s taped to the outside of my cupboard to remind me to rinse my sprouts a few times a day. Out of sight out of mind, they’re easy to forget about.

4. Continue to fill the jar up with water and drain 2-3 time a day, placing the jar back into the bowl in your cupboard or pantry each time. Make sure you get most of the water out or your sprouts will MOLD! If you forget about them and leave them in there without rinsing them for 24 hours they will most likely mold… just happened to me today! AGH!!! I hate wasting two whole jars of sprouts!!!

5. When you’ve achieved your desired growth on your sprouts rinse them one last time and place a metal or plastic lid on the jar and place in the fridge for up to a week.

6. TIME TO EAT! Add them to salads, eat them for breakfast or snack but most of all ENJOY THEM because they are SOOOOO GOOD FOR YOU!!! 🙂

Day 1 - soak overnight

Wheat Berry's on LEFT, Green Lentils on RIGHT

Day 2 - Drain and rinse

(Day 2) Lid Options: Sprouting lid or cheesecloth and rubber band

Day 2 - Place in cupboard upside down. Line bowl with folded paper towel to absorb more water

(Day 3) Beginning of growth!!

Day 3

(Day 4) Continue to rinse and drain 2-3 times a day, keeping jars in your pantry or cupboard

Day 4

Day 5

Day 6

(Day 6) Ready to add to salads and recipes!!

Crunchy Cold Lentil Salad (Oil-Free)

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5

Life has been CRAZY lately! Our youngest is almost 8 months old and just started crawling! I’m almost completely done with my shopping/wardrobe makeover so I’m really happy about that! Life is good, I can’t complain!

So… I’m totally addicted to the oil-free lentil salads at Whole Foods! Since WF is 20 miles away and costs a wee bit more than you’re usual takeout food (my hubby calls it “Whole Paycheck”) I decided to come up with my own lentil salad recipe. This is a mixture of several different recipes. It’s not exactly like theirs but it’s pretty darn good! I usually double this recipe and eat it all week. It makes a great after-workout snack! Our toddler loves it too!

Crunchy Cold Lentil Salad

Crunchy Cold Lentil Salad

– 1 cup of lentils – I use green lentils

– 1 bay leaf

– 2 cups mini heirloom tomatoes (YUM!)

– 1 cup bean sprouts – I use mung bean sprouts but you can leave this out if you don’t like sprouts

– 1 green onion sliced

– A handful of Flat leaf parsley, chopped

– 1 bell pepper, diced (red would be good too!)

– The juice of a lemon with a little or a lot of zest

– A splash of apple cider vinegar

– 1 shallot, diced

– A little Dijon mustard – about 1-2 tsp

– 1/3 cup dried cranberries

– 1 T honey or agave syrup

– 3 to 5 garlic cloves , minced

– 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

– 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

– Salt, to taste

– Ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Bring water to a boil and add lentils and bay leaf. Let lentils stand in hot water for about 30-40 minutes. I like mine super crunchy but test them to see how you like them. Drain and let cool for another 30 minutes.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together lemon juice and zest, vinegar, shallot, Dijon mustard, honey/agave, garlic, thyme, cumin, salt and pepper. Add chopped tomatoes, parsley, green onion, dried cranberries, sprouts and bell pepper.

3. Remove the bay leaf and add the lentils to the mixture. Put in fridge and chill for a couple of hours or more. It’s really good the next day! Serve cold.

Mini heirloom tomatoes are really good in this dish!

So colorful! Ready to add lentils!

I used brown lentils... or maybe these are considered green? Either will work!

Delish!

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Tomato & Red Lentil Soup

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2

You know how much we love soup and lentils! Here’s an easy lentil soup using the unique spice sumac.

What in the heck is sumac? I found this description on WorldSpice.com (where I buy all my spices… YUM!) “The deep red sumac berry is ground and dried to impart a tart, lemony flavor with a refreshing complexity. Sumac’s traditional usage in middle eastern cuisine sees it added to rice or kebabs and sprinkled as a condiment atop bowls of hummus.”

Ah ha… that’s what that red powder is on top of the hummus served at Mediterranean restaurants!

I serve this soup with a scoop of grain (quinoa this time) and a hefty portion of greens (kale, of course)… Like my RD says – make sure to add a grain and a green at every meal! Oh and sometimes I add a scoop of plain soy yogurt on top too.

Our toddler loved the soup... our 7 month old isn't quite ready for that yet so he's enjoying his spoon for now 🙂

Tomato & Red Lentil Soup

 

INGREDIENTS

* 1 medium onion , chopped

* 1 stalk celery , chopped

* 1 medium carrot , chopped

* 2 garlic cloves , minced

* 1 (28 ounce) can chopped tomatoes (I use a box of Pomi chopped tomatoes and a can of tomato sauce in a pinch too)

* 4 cups vegetable stock or water

* 1 cup red lentil

* 2 tablespoons dried parsley (or one bunch fresh, chopped – I like to use fresh)

* Salt and pepper, to taste

* 1 to 2 teaspoon sumac (I use 2)

* 1 small lemon, juice of (optional but good)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Saute (using broth, water or bean cooking liquid) the onion, celery, and carrot, and cook until softened (a few minutes). Add the garlic, then, in a minute add the tomatoes and stock or water.

2. Simmer for about 20 minutes, season, and let it cool.

3. Puree the soup – I use my immersion blender for this. You can puree the soup after it’s done too if you’re like me and you always forget at this point! 😉

4. Add the lentils and return to a low simmer. Taste a lentil in about 15 minutes to see if it’s tender. If not, continue cooking, but don’t let them get mushy. 

5. Add the sumac and parsley. Taste for seasoning and add lemon juice if you like.

Saute the onion, celery and carrot. Add garlic.

Add tomatoes and stock/water

Simmer for a bit then add lentils

Puree soup when done

Add parsley, sumac and lemon juice

Sumac

Serve with steamed greens, grain scoop of your choice and a little dollop of soy yogurt, if you wish

 

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Red Lentil Curry

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4

I love anything with curry and lentils! This is quick and easy to make and it makes the house smell awesome! Our toddler enjoyed this; I added a little plain soy yogurt to hers before I tasted it, thinking it would be spicy but it wasn’t.

Red Lentil Curry

Toddler approved! She insists on wearing a bib now like her little brother 😉

This recipe comes from Vegetarian Hostess.

Ingredients

1 cup red lentils
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 tablespoon vegetable oil – I omitted this and sauteed with leftover bean cooking liquid (my usual)
1 teaspoon mustard seed – I used black mustard seeds
1 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon fennel – I used ground fennel
1 tablespoon curry powder – I used Organic Tandoori Masala from Whole Foods
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 tablespoon salt – I added less than 1/2 tsp, this seemed like too much
1 tablespoon brown sugar – I used a tiny scoop of Kal Brand Stevia instead
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ginger root, minced
2 large red tomatoes, chopped
¼ cup tomato puree – I used tomato sauce, all I had
¼ cup shredded coconut – optional but really good!!!
1   Wash the lentils in cold water until the water runs clear (this is very important or the lentils will get “scummy”), put the lentils in a medium sized pot with water to cover and simmer until lentils tender. This should take 10-15 minutes.
2   While the lentils are cooking: In a large skillet, heat oil over medium high heat. Add the onions  and coat with oil, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes or until onions are browned somewhat.
3   While the onions are cooking, combine the mustard seed, cinnamon, fennel, curry powder, turmeric, cumin, chili powder, salt, sugar, garlic, and ginger in a mixing bowl. Mix well. When the onions are cooked, add the curry mixture to the onions and cook over a high heat stirring constantly for 1 to 2 minutes.
4   Stir in the tomatoes and tomato puree and reduce heat, allow the curry base to simmer until the lentils are ready. When the lentils are tender drain them briefly (they should have absorbed most of the water but you don’t want the curry to be too sloppy). Mix the curry base into the lentils and serve immediately garnished with coconut.

Cook lentils, saute onions

Mix garlic, ginger and seasonings together

I used Organic Tandoori Masala from Whole Foods

Add spice mixture to onions

Add lentils, tomatoes and tomato sauce/puree

Top with unsweetened coconut and serve over brown rice

 

 

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Lentil Quinoa Stew with Red Chard

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7

This is one of our new favorites FOR SURE! My hubby loved it and so did our toddler, she ate two bowls! I reduced the amount of spice for her and I have to admit, I was a little surprised she ate so much because it still had quite a kick!

The original recipe is from Melody from Melomeals – I made a few changes to make it a wee bit healthier.

This recipe calls for her Goaty Cashew Cheeze and Easy Garlic-Roasted Marinara Sauce (Oil-Free) so if you just made the sauce from my post yesterday… save some for this! The Goaty Cashew Cheeze is excellent to have on hand so whip up a batch of that tonight so it will be ready to use!

I’ve learned a ton from Melody’s website! She uses a few base recipes to make a bunch of different dishes, all delicious!

This stew is nice and thick, perfect for turning into burgers!! I mixed 1 cup of the leftover soup with 3/4 cup rolled oats and 1 Tbsp flax meal. It’s sitting in my fridge tonight and will make perfect burgers tomorrow! I think I’ll wrap them in collard greens, that sounds delish! Here’s the “How to Make Burgers Out Of Leftover Soup” recipe if you need a reference.

Lentil Quinoa Stew with Red Chard

  • Water or broth for sautéing
  • 1 tsp good quality Italian Seasoning
  • 1/4 – 1/2 t crushed red pepper flakes (omit if you don’t like hot – I only used a few dashes and it was a little spicy but good)
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 3 c cooked lentils – I used 2 cans of Lower Sodium Organic Black Lentils, rinsed well (Sprouts sells them)
  • 3 cup water or broth – I used water
  • 2 cup Easy Garlic-Roasted Marinara Sauce (A MUST!)
  • 3 Cup greens of choice, chopped – I used a whole bunch of red chard, stems included
  • 1 cup sliced mushrooms – I used one whole package of sliced mushrooms
  • 1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed
  • 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 2 – 4 Tbsp Goaty Cashew Cheeze (I used 4Tbsp)
  • 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1/2 – 1 tsp t lemon zest (I zest all citrus before using and freeze it!)
  • Pepper to taste
Method:
  1. Saute dried spices, onions, chopped chard stems and garlic for 3 minutes
  2. Add the rest of the ingredients EXCEPT the chard leaves, balsamic vinegar, Goaty Cashew Cheeze, nutmeg, lemon zest and pepper – cover and bring to a boil for 15 minutes
  3. Remove lid, add chopped chard leaves and cover, cook for a few minutes or until chard wilts
  4. Take off heat, stir in vinegar, goat cheese, nutmeg, zest and add pepper to taste

Saute onions, garlic and chard stems with red pepper flakes and italian seasoning

Add selected ingredients (I messed up and added the Cheeze early but it was still good!)

Add chard leaves

Add balsamic, Goaty Cheeze, fresh nutmeg, lemon zest and pepper

Enjoy!!!

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Easy Red Lentils with Scallion Flatbread

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0

There’s a theme here lately… easy! I have a few recipes waiting for me to make them but I haven’t had much time lately so I’ve been powering through my SUPER easy recipes first! I’ve made this one several times, it’s really good and pretty basic. My toddler loves these lentils and so does my hubby. You can find the Scallion Flatbread recipe here.

Easy Red Lentils with Scallion Flatbread

  • Lentils (Dal)
    • 1 cup red lentils, picked through for stones
    • 2 cups water
    • 1 onion, diced
    • 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
    • 1 (1/2-inch) piece ginger, peeled and minced
    • 2 medium tomatoes, diced
    • 1 serrano chile, sliced in 1/2, optional (I omitted to make it toddler friendly)
  • Tempering oil (bagaar)
    • 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
    • 1/2 teaspoon black mustard seeds
    • Generous 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
    • 1/2 teaspoon paprika or bafaat powder (I’ve used both, bafaat powder is pretty good with it!)
    • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
    • Handful chopped fresh cilantro leaves
    • INSTRUCTIONS
        1. Put the lentils in a strainer and rinse them under running water. Add them to a bowl, cover with water and let soak for 30 minutes. Drain and set aside.
        2. In a medium saucepan, combine 2 cups of water, the onions, garlic, ginger, tomatoes, chile (if using) and the lentils. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Skim any scum from the surface. DO NOT ADD SALT YET; it will toughen the lentils, thereby lengthening their cooking time. Lower the heat, cover the pot with a lid and gently simmer until the lentils are tender, almost translucent, and almost falling apart, about 30 to 40 minutes.
        3. Whisk the lentils, releasing its natural starch, and mash some of them so the mixture becomes thick. Add salt, to taste.
        4. Tempering oil (bagaar): In a small bowl, combine the cumin and mustard seeds. In another bowl, combine the spice powders. Have all the ingredients ready because this will move very fast!
        5. In a small skillet, over a medium-high flame, warm 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Once the oil is shimmering, add seeds and immediately cover so you don’t get covered in spluttering oil and seeds! Add the spices. They should sizzle and bubble a little – that’s the blooming and it’s exactly what you want. Don’t let them burn. The mixture should bloom for about 30 seconds, no more.
        6. Pour the oil mixture into the lentils, standing back so you don’t get hurt when the mixture splutters again. Stir to combine. Transfer the lentils to a serving dish and garnish with cilantro.

Per Serving: Calories: 237; Fat: 5 grams (Saturated Fat: 0 grams); Protein: 14g; Carbohydrates: 35g; Sugar: 4g; Fiber: 9g; Cholesterol: 0mg; Sodium: 23mg