Recipe ideas for lentils
 

Hello!!! I've been a vegetarian for 17 years and I'm hoping you all can help me with some ideas for helping me clean out my pantry and fridge. We're trying to use everything up before we go on an extended vacation.

I've got some lentils, roasted red peppers, baby spinach, and artichoke hearts left. Do you think this would go well together? Cook the lentils and throw everything else in there? I've got a little bit of chopped walnuts, too.

Thanks for any advice!

Kara

We have a previous thread about lentils. My favorite lentils recipe is sloppy lentils. It's pretty flexible recipe, you can pretty much use almost any veggies you want. If you don't have any tomato sauce I would think extra water and some tomato paste or even ketchup if you have it would do the trick. Those roasted peppers would add nice flavor. Don't know about the artichokes though, might be better to make a salad with those. Happy cooking.

I cook my lentils with whatever I have in the fridge. The one constant is I like mine tomato based, either canned or fresh. I've been know to toss in a can of V8 when I didn't have anything else. Then I'd dump whatever fresh veggies I have siting arond: mushrooms, spinach, peppers, onions, kale, potatoes etc. I bring everything to a boil turn down the heat and let it stew. Sometimes I add some curry powder for an extra kick. Add salt and pepper to taste and you've got a nice hearty meal.

Ooooh, curry powder! I've got some of that, too!

Thanks for the ideas, and the link to the other thread. Sorry I didn't poke around more before asking the question...I hate when people do that and here I am being a lazy bum!

Kara

I did them with curry powder and then at the end put in the sliced artichoke hearts and roasted red peppers. It was really good! My kids loved them, too! And the best part is that there are leftovers, so tomorrow's lunch is already done.

Thanks for your advice!

Kara

i love lentils!!! i usually throw anything and everything into a pan, lentils (soaked in water overnight) chopped tomatoes, peppers (All colours), finely chopped carrots, spring onions, mushrooms, mixed herbs, bit of salt, bit of ground chilli, basil leaves.

YUM!

I usually eat it for the next 3 days... still tastes as good

mmm this is fantastic! i just bought a big bag of lentils from the bargain rack and i am psyched to try some new stuff with them.

one thing i used to do with them was cook them and mix them in with tomato sauce for my pasta... nice added texture and protein, and super simple!

Thank you, thank you, thank you guys so much! I've always tried to sneak beans/lentils into as much food as I can, like cannelini beans into Italian recipes, kidney beans into chili, red lentils or aduki beans into soups and stews, that sort of thing. But I've never been one to just eat beans or lentils on their own. Close as I ever came was baked beans as a side.:D So after I read this thread yesterday, I took down my (what has mostly been decorative) jar of split red lentils for lunch. I heated some EVOO in a saucepan, put in two bay leaves, chooped up an onion, tossed in some crushed garlic and stirred til the onion was translucent then added a squirt of tomato paste and stirred that up. Then I added a cup of the lentils and 2 cups of water, heated to boiling then turned down to simmer for about 30 minutes. I did have to add some more water about half-way through cooking, though so keep an eye on it.

Oh wow, it wasn't like "okay, I'm gonna choke this down because it's good for me" edible. They were just really delicious! 1 cup made enough for me to have two servings yesterday (one for lunch and one later as a snack) and still have some for today for lunch. Even my 3 year old daughter liked them.

Just wanted to say I appreciate the way threads, advice and personal stories can be so inspiring here at 3FC. This place is great.:carrot: