A few days ago, my husband had a hankering for something made with lentils. He brought home a one-pound bag of beans from the grocery store, so I had to decide what to do with them. The neat thing about lentils is that they have the wonderful nutritional values of other beans but don’t have to be pre-soaked, and most only take about 20 minutes to cook.
A common way to prepare lentils is as a soup with onions, garlic, tomatoes, carrots, and any other vegetables you want to add, seasoning with your favorite herbs and spices. They are a very easy and nutritious meal.
Well, I cooked the whole bag of beans – wow, did I ever have a big dish of beans! Since it has been so hot this summer, I decided something cooling and refreshing would be good to eat.
First-half of the Lentils
About three years ago, I posted a Southwestern Black Bean Salad recipe on my blog. I went back to that recipe and made it with half of the lentils. I always keep corn in the freezer, but I did not have a fresh jalapeño, so I minced up a canned one and it gave just the right amount of warmth.
As I try to limit the amount of oil in our diet, the only oil I used in the recipe was a teaspoon of olive oil for cooking the corn and the jalapeño. I sautéed a 12-ounce bag of defrosted and drained corn with the jalapeño in the olive oil with a little water added to keep everything from sticking to the pan.
It is important to have some crunchy vegetables in the salad with the beans, as they add a variety of texture to the food while eating. I used a bell pepper, celery, and onions, all in a medium dice. There were, of course, tomatoes. I did not have the small ones, as the recipe specifies, but I chopped a large whole tomato, which was fine. I mixed the beans with the crunchy vegetables and the corn/jalapeño mixture.
Remember to make the dressing first so the flavors can marry: 1/4 cup lime juice, 1/8 cup balsamic vinegar, 1/8 cup pear or raspberry infused vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon chili powder,1/2 teaspoon cumin, a finely chopped clove of garlic, 2 teaspoons Sriracha, 2 teaspoons sweetener such as maple syrup or date syrup. Mix in a small jar so you can shake it up. Pour the dressing over the lentil mixture and gently turn it over with a big spoon until the dressing is thoroughly incorporated. Let the salad sit in the frig for a few hours. Chilled, it keeps well for about 4-5 days and makes it so nice to have a nutritional meal ready without having to fuss with preparations.
Second-half of the Lentils
Then, I thought, what can I do with the other half of the beans? We love curries, so I decided to make a curry. I really didn’t measure anything but kept tasting it till I thought I had the spices and hotness right.
First I washed and quartered a 1.5-pound bag of small gold potatoes and steamed them until they were tender but not falling apart. Then I chopped up 2 small cloves of garlic and let them rest while I prepared the other ingredients. The rest after chopping (or slicing, crushing etc.) allows the garlic to release the enzyme Allinase. This enzyme interacts with Alliin in the garlic cells to produce Allicin. Allicin is what gives garlic its wonderful pungency and flavor, as well as its health benefits.
I finely sliced an onion, some celery, and carrots and sautéed them in one teaspoon of olive oil with a little water. When the vegetables were soft, I added the garlic, cooking for two minutes while stirring constantly (you don’t want the garlic to burn, as it gets bitter). I added an assortment of curry powders, some Thai red curry paste, and a shake of cayenne. I cooked these together for a few minutes to allow the spices to express themselves, then added a can of petit diced tomatoes, potatoes, and beans. I added some water, but broth or low-fat coconut milk could be used because the mixture needs thinning. Add salt (go lightly) and pepper to taste. I tasted several times to be sure I got the spices right. This is important because each family defines their level of tolerance for spices.
Curry can be served alone, with rice or Indian bread (naan). Sometimes, I serve something cooling like raita, a combination of chopped cucumbers, mint, and yogurt with it. An Indian restaurant where we sometimes eat adds cumin seeds to their rice, which is especially delicious.
Nutrition of Lentils
Lentils are very nutritious. One cup of cooked lentils has 230 calories, 24 grams of protein, and 15.6 grams of fiber, almost half of the minimum fiber recommended for a person each day. Fiber stabilizes blood sugar, contributes to regular bowel movements, helps develop the growth of healthy bacteria in the intestines (called the microbiome), and gives one a sense of fullness. Lentils contain phytochemicals – only found in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts, and seeds – many of which act as antioxidants.
Lentils are rich in folate, an essential vitamin for pregnant women, providing about 90% of the daily value based on a 2000 calorie intake per day. They are also a good source of many other B vitamins, iron, and other minerals.
Types of Lentils
There are basically five types of lentils:
Brown is the most commonly available. They take about 20-30 minutes to cook.
Yellow and red, which are split, cook quickly. They are used in making Indian dal and other curries, and thickening for soup.
Puy are smaller and firmer than the first two types mentioned and come from the area in France called Le Puy. They have a peppery/nutty flavor. Because of their firmness, they are good in salads and dishes where the firmness of the beans is important. Of course, coming from one small region in the world, they are also the most expensive.
Green lentils can be used the same way as the Puy because they are firm but less expensive than the Puy.
Belugia are small black beans that resemble Belugia caviar in looks. They have a robust/nutty/earthy flavor. They are also good in salads because they keep their shape.
I was an adult before I was introduced to lentils. I hope that that is not your fate or that of your children, as they are really delicious, nutritious, easy to cook, and can be used in a variety of recipes. So, happy cooking and happy and healthy eating to you and your family!
