Lentils

[Anonymous]

Please share your best recipes with lentils. I need to eat more iron-rich foods and I'm particularly interested in lentils since they're not too expensive. TIA!

[Anonymous]

My go-to red lentil soup:

Start a pan with garlic and carrots with a little olive oil
Before the garlic starts to brown add tomato paste, water (3x the amount of lentils), salt, pepper, and thyme.
(Lentils and black pepper go really well so I put more than seems reasonable.)
Add lentils, bring to a slow boil then cook on low, at least 30 minutes
I add a slice of butter at the end, which makes up for the fact I don't use stock.

Depending on what I have, I include sweet potatoes and/or bitter greens

[Anonymous]

This looks like a terrible recipe but it's one of the best lentil recipes out there. I have no idea why it turns out so well without onions or garlic. We make it without coconut milk, just broth. Mark Bittman.

https://www.bootsintheoven.com/boots_in_the_oven/2009/10/lentilpotatocurryrecipe.html

[Anonymous]

Mujadra (makhbousa) - https://zaatarandzaytoun.com/mujadara-three-ways/

It's #2 in the link above. So easy. Only three ingredients. I used to make this for the kids when they were babies and put in blender as baby food. I now make it whenever I'm in a pinch on a school night and serve with salad.

[Anonymous]

Red lentil dal:
https://thewanderlustkitchen.com/indian-red-lentil-dal/

Beluga lentils cooked until just done, topped with parsley, feta and squeeze of lemon.

I also make rice bowls with rice, beluga or green lentils, cherry tomatoes, shredded carrots (add rice vinegar and salt to these) and a fried egg.

[Anonymous]

I like this one for lentil sloppy joes

https://minimalistbaker.com/vegan-sloppy-joes/

[Anonymous]

I am very lazy because I don’t enjoy cooking at all. I buy the Annie’s lentil soup and serve it over rice. Dinner is usually just me and DD (10) so one can us enough for the 2 of us.

[Anonymous]

I buy the precooked ones at Trader Joe's in the salad/veggie section and then put some in my salads.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I like this one for lentil sloppy joes

https://minimalistbaker.com/vegan-sloppy-joes/

yum. I wish I had buns -- I would make this tonight.

[Anonymous]

Sautee onion and carrot pieces in olive oil.
Add lentils. Add chicken or vegetable stock and cook until tender. Add balsamic vinegar.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My go-to red lentil soup:

Start a pan with garlic and carrots with a little olive oil
Before the garlic starts to brown add tomato paste, water (3x the amount of lentils), salt, pepper, and thyme.
(Lentils and black pepper go really well so I put more than seems reasonable.)
Add lentils, bring to a slow boil then cook on low, at least 30 minutes
I add a slice of butter at the end, which makes up for the fact I don't use stock.

Depending on what I have, I include sweet potatoes and/or bitter greens

I use the same base recipe. I use chicken or vegetable stock instead of water (no butter). Salt and Pepper. Rather than thyme, I add a tsp. of cumin, dash of chili powder, and a TBSP of cilantro (parsley is good if you don't like cilantro). Then garnish with the juice of half a lemon when it is done cooking. I frequently add onions to the base as well.

You really can't wrong with some variant of this base recipe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I buy the precooked ones at Trader Joe's in the salad/veggie section and then put some in my salads.

I SO love those. Mostly on salads, but sometimes for bolognese or in quesadillas or on nachos.

[Anonymous]

Melissa Clark has the best, easiest lentil soup - but I can’t link. Basically you caramelize an onion in a decent amount of olive oil, add lentils and broth and thyme and then add sherry wine vinegar at the end and top with fresh herbs or greens or veg - it is UGLY but amazing!!

[Anonymous]

These Ecuadorian style lentils are so good:

https://www.laylita.com/recipes/ecuadorian-lentil-stew-menestra/

[Anonymous]

The topping with vinegar thing is interesting.