A nourishing, simple staple in our kitchen. Provides a nice boost of iron, and of course, goes great with lemon.
Ingredients (makes 2)
1 cup of black lentils or small french lentils
1 clove of garlic- diced
1 cup of fresh spinach (regular or baby)
Lemon
Olive Oil
Salt
Black Pepper
optional: add yogurt.
Recipe
Boil the lentils and garlic separately in salted water. 15-25 minutes. Aim for fork tender , make sure the lentils don't overcook and fall apart into a mush. Strain when finished.
Saute spinach in olive oil, salt, black pepper.. Cook down until wilted, but not mushy. If the spinach isn't cooking down, add a touch of water to the pan and cover to steam.
Add spinach to the lentils in a serving bowl, add black pepper and lemon as preferred. Try not to over-stir or add too much oil as it can get a little slimy.
Accompaniments
This can be enjoyed straight up or with chicken breast, pork tenderloin, fish. It pairs well with mustard based foods as well.
Thoughts on Lentils:
Lentils can be featured prominently, or add body to carry the flavor of a dish through. There are tons of varieties, my advice is to find a brand and style for which you can gain consistency in the cooking process. Be careful of overcooking lentils to avoid creating a mush/soup.
Black Lentils:
Strong in flavor, and they hold texture, can be eaten hot or cold and pair very well with peppery greens.
https://products.wholefoodsmarket.com/product/365-everyday-value-organic-black-lentils-a4665c
Beluga Lentils: https://products.wholefoodsmarket.com/product/timeless-black-beluga-lentils-a32b09
Hard to find, a lot meatier, pairs well with seafood
French Green Lentils:
Smaller Green lentils seem to have a more robust taste and texture, whereas plain old flat green lentils can turn into mushed peas. These are the best lentils for cold preparations.
https://www.bobsredmill.com/petite-french-green-lentils.html
https://products.wholefoodsmarket.com/product/truroots-organic-sprouted-green-lentils-fcf176
Red Lentils
These are a staple of arabic and indian dishes, but mostly in pulses/soups. However, it has been found that they contain neurotoxins so skip the red lentils altogether.
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