Category Archives: Lentils

Coconut Red Lentils With Spinach, Cashews & Lime

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This is really good served over brown or jasmine rice. If you don’t like rice, try serving it with chapti or naan bread (Costco sells both!)

This recipe is from ExtraVeganZa cookbook (Buy Here).

Ingredients:

  • 1 onion, diced
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons curry powder – I use my usual, Kashmiri favorite but you can use whatever you have
  • 1/2 teaspoon black mustard seeds
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 cup red lentils, rinsed and sorted
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt (to taste)
  • 1 (14 ounce) can light coconut milk
  • 1 lime, juice of
  • 1 3/4 cups water
  • 1/3 cup whole cashews
  • 1 cup fresh spinach, roughly chopped – I used 2 bundles of organic spinach since it wilts down so much and we love spinach!
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped (optional)

Directions:

  1. In a large pot saute the onion in the olive oil over medium heat for about 5 minutes. While the onion cooks get the rest of the ingredients ready to go.
  2. Add in the curry powder, mustard seeds, turmeric and red lentils – cook for another 5 minutes. Watch the lentils don’t stick by stirring frequently and/or adding more oil if necessary.
  3. Mix in the coconut milk, salt, lime juice and water. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium low, cover the pot and let simmer for about 20-25 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Unlikely, but if you find the lentils have absorbed all of the liquid and are still not cooked, add a bit more water.
  4. Once the lentils are cooked they will break down quite a bit and you’ll have a reasonably thick dahl like consistency. Stir in the cashews and spinach, along with cilantro if using. Give those ingredients about 3 or 4 minutes to warm through and then you’re ready to serve. Garnish with additional cilantro, lime wedges and/or cashews. I added a bit of shredded coconut to the top of ours and it was good!

Italian’ish Lentil Tomato Soup

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I make a ton of soup when the weather gets cold but this is our absolute favorite soup. It’s really easy to make and doesn’t require a ton of ingredients plus it tastes better the longer it sits for leftovers. In fact, I’m eating a bowl of this soup as I type this post!

Lentil Tomato Soup

Ingredients:

* 1 1/2 cups dried lentils – we like red lentils the best but you can use whatever

* 4 cups No-Chicken Broth (OR 4 cups veggie broth)

* 1 cup water

* 1 onion, chopped

* 2-3 garlic clove, minced

* 1/8 tsp black pepper

* 2 tsp maple syrup

* 1 tsp dried oregano

* 1 tsp dried basil

* 1/4-1/2 tsp salt – you can add at the end if you want to, if the soup seems bland you probably need a bit more salt

* 1- 2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

* 1 (16 ounce) can chopped/diced tomatoes, undrained OR use a tetra pack of no-salt added tomatoes

* 3 Tbsp tomato paste

Directions:
* Sort and rinse lentils in colander
* In a large soup pan, saute onion in the butter until they are tender but not browned
* Add garlic, saute until fragrant – don’t burn it!
* Add broth, water and lentils to onions/garlic

You can buy this broth at Sprouts

* Stir in salt, pepper, maple syrup, oregano, basil and parsley
* Bring to a boil; reduce heat.
* Cover and simmer until the lentils are tender, about 25-30 minutes.
* Add tomatoes and tomato paste.

You

* Stir well.
* Simmer 10 – 15 minutes longer.
* Serve!
* Add salt if you wish – I rarely add salt when I’m cooking, we prefer to add it later.

One more time...

YUMMY!!! Or as my good friend Meah would say… Nom Nom!!!