MommyNOriana
Full Member
I'm about to explore the world of lentils tomorrow! I read all about them and I am so excited. If anyone has any useful recipes or anything I'm all ears!
Green Day lentils!
- Thread starter MommyNOriana
- Start date
hazysummer
Full Member
there must be loads of recipes on here and try the bbcgoodfood website, but here's some info. I love lentils (pre SW too!)
Red lentils are great for making indian dhals and soups no need to soak, and quite quick to cook. If you buy from a cheapy / ethnic shop then I'd take the time to rinse them - sometimes there are bits of stalk in there which float to the top. Supermarket ones are ready rinsed.
Yellow lentils / split peas dhals and soups again, they can take ages to cook if they are not fresh, so I soak the elderly ones
Green lentils / puy / brown are great in veggie bolognese type dishes, and lots of italian type
Most tinned lentils are the green ones
One of my fave soups is Ainsley Harriots Gourmet Express
Easy Lentil Supper soup
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion chopped
2 carrots finely chopped
1 red chilli seeded and finely chopped
1 tsp mustard seeds
3 tomatoes roughly diced
100g red lentils
1.2 litres stock (Veg or if you can get ham stock its better)
juice 1/2 lemon
salt and pepper
Fry onion and carrots 3-4 mins until beginning to soften, add chilli, garlic and mustard seeds and cook 2 mins
Stir in tomatoes, lentils and stock, bring to the boil. reduce heat and simmer for about 30 mins until the lentils are tender and easy to crush.
Beat the soup with a spoon to crush until you get a consistency you like (don't try using a hand blender, as the mustard seeds go blurg)
squeeze in the lemon juice and season
this is super yummy with bacon lardons, but still v. yummy without
what kind of lentils are you planning on trying?
Red lentils are great for making indian dhals and soups no need to soak, and quite quick to cook. If you buy from a cheapy / ethnic shop then I'd take the time to rinse them - sometimes there are bits of stalk in there which float to the top. Supermarket ones are ready rinsed.
Yellow lentils / split peas dhals and soups again, they can take ages to cook if they are not fresh, so I soak the elderly ones
Green lentils / puy / brown are great in veggie bolognese type dishes, and lots of italian type
Most tinned lentils are the green ones
One of my fave soups is Ainsley Harriots Gourmet Express
Easy Lentil Supper soup
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion chopped
2 carrots finely chopped
1 red chilli seeded and finely chopped
1 tsp mustard seeds
3 tomatoes roughly diced
100g red lentils
1.2 litres stock (Veg or if you can get ham stock its better)
juice 1/2 lemon
salt and pepper
Fry onion and carrots 3-4 mins until beginning to soften, add chilli, garlic and mustard seeds and cook 2 mins
Stir in tomatoes, lentils and stock, bring to the boil. reduce heat and simmer for about 30 mins until the lentils are tender and easy to crush.
Beat the soup with a spoon to crush until you get a consistency you like (don't try using a hand blender, as the mustard seeds go blurg)
squeeze in the lemon juice and season
this is super yummy with bacon lardons, but still v. yummy without
what kind of lentils are you planning on trying?
MommyNOriana
Full Member
I have to see what my grocery store provides. Never a huge fan of split pea soup but ok with it now that I'm older. Also the Brits love their curries! I was never a fan. Just couldn't get into the flavor. 
but I'm very interested in using them in a bolognaise! Sounds great. I put weight on this week???? So I want to get away from the copious amounts of rice I've been eating.
but I'm very interested in using them in a bolognaise! Sounds great. I put weight on this week???? So I want to get away from the copious amounts of rice I've been eating.
BritMumInCanada
Gold Member
I buy dried green lentils, they are slightly bulkier than red lentils and can be used as a sub for meat in all kinds of recipes.
This is one of my favs off my blog
http://www.slimmingeats.com/blog/sweet-potato-vegetable-and-lentil-chilli
This is one of my favs off my blog
http://www.slimmingeats.com/blog/sweet-potato-vegetable-and-lentil-chilli
hazysummer
Full Member
Lentil bolognese
Serve with pasta, jacket potatoes or as a filling for stuffed vegetables.
Makes 4 servings. Freezes well.
1 onion
2 celery sticks
2 carrots
2 courgettes
red or green pepper (optional)
handful mushrooms (optional)
1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
100g red lentils
200ml vegetable stock
2 tsp dried mixed herbs
1 tsp balsamic vinegar (optional)
salt and pepper
Frylight or olive oil for frying
Chop the veggies except finely. Heat the oil in a saucepan, add the onion, mushrooms, peppers and celery and fry for about 10 minutes until soft. Grate the carrots and add to the pan, followed by the tomatoes, lentils and stock. Bring to the boil add the herbs and vinegar, then cover and simmer for about 40 minutes until the lentils are soft and have absorbed the liquid. Add salt and pepper to taste before serving.
Serve with pasta, jacket potatoes or as a filling for stuffed vegetables.
Makes 4 servings. Freezes well.
1 onion
2 celery sticks
2 carrots
2 courgettes
red or green pepper (optional)
handful mushrooms (optional)
1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
100g red lentils
200ml vegetable stock
2 tsp dried mixed herbs
1 tsp balsamic vinegar (optional)
salt and pepper
Frylight or olive oil for frying
Chop the veggies except finely. Heat the oil in a saucepan, add the onion, mushrooms, peppers and celery and fry for about 10 minutes until soft. Grate the carrots and add to the pan, followed by the tomatoes, lentils and stock. Bring to the boil add the herbs and vinegar, then cover and simmer for about 40 minutes until the lentils are soft and have absorbed the liquid. Add salt and pepper to taste before serving.
MommyNOriana
Full Member
BritMumInCanada said:
My grocery store only had one type of lentils. They are tan in color with a green tinge to them. Anyway. Made the chili recipe u provided. Made a lot (which is good). Very good. I will prob add a tin of tomatoes next time but it is good nonetheless. Didn't add the puree as one tablespoon prob wouldn't make much difference. Turned out great. Thanks. I'm going to post a link on here for a diff recipe I found. Not sure if I can make it sw friendly or not.
MommyNOriana
Full Member
Oh and I served it over elbow macaroni and threw a laughing cow light creamy swiss triangle in there. To. Die. For.
MommyNOriana
Full Member
That recipe sounds gorgeous to me! Not so friendly with the butter, oil and sugar. :s
BritMumInCanada
Gold Member
use some Pam buttery and a little bit of stock to cook the vegetables in place of the oil/butter, sugar won't be too bad for 1 tsp, so I would probably add it, rather than using sweeteners.
sounds yummy
sounds yummy
MommyNOriana
Full Member
Well I think I'll give it a go after I finish up this chili! Does it freeze well?
BritMumInCanada
Gold Member
yep the chilli freezes really well.
I always make up a huge pot and freeze in little single portions so I can take some out when needed for quickness. My 4 year old likes it too.
MommyNOriana
Full Member
My daughter asked to try it! She didn't spit it out but also didn't ask for more. She likes regular chili. But the stuff u gave me is VERY filling. Just what I need! I'm normally not very adventurous but I liked all the ingredients so I thought why not!
BritMumInCanada
Gold Member
ahhh that is good that she tried it. Sometimes children can be fussy little ones and won't even attempt to try something new. My son is getting much better, he surprisingly likes some spicy things too, as long as they are not too hot.
How old is your daughter?
Your right it is really filling, which is a good thing. Just shows you don't need carbs and meat together to have a filling meal and of course lentils can be so cheap, you can make some yummy meals with them. Would even work in a shepherds pie, replacing the mince with lentils.
How old is your daughter?
Your right it is really filling, which is a good thing. Just shows you don't need carbs and meat together to have a filling meal and of course lentils can be so cheap, you can make some yummy meals with them. Would even work in a shepherds pie, replacing the mince with lentils
.
MommyNOriana
Full Member
She is 3 1/2. She's kind of weird. She will eat veg if its in a soup. But not if its just sitting on her plate. She is pretty good about eating a lot of stuff. She even tried my quinoa. I never force it. She just usually asks. I'm pretty lucky. But I'm not the kind of parent who makes a separate meal for my child!
Based on my description, what kind of lentils do u suppose I bought? I will def be trying them with all kinds of stuff! I will prob start by using half lentils and half lean mince in my shepherds pie. My husband might freak out otherwise! He's a major meat lover.
Based on my description, what kind of lentils do u suppose I bought? I will def be trying them with all kinds of stuff! I will prob start by using half lentils and half lean mince in my shepherds pie. My husband might freak out otherwise! He's a major meat lover.
BritMumInCanada
Gold Member
ahh bless her, only a year younger than my guy then . He can be funny with veg sometimes too, but will nibble on lettuce leaves (all with the help of the hungry caterpillar book lol). He always has whatever I cook, unless it is something really spicy (I like hot curries) and will at least try a new food, might not always like it of course lol, but at least he tries. He has got better as he has got older too, I think he was fussiest when he was 2.
By the description of your lentils, it sounds like they are probably green ones. Green or brown work just as well as each other, as they are slightly meatier in texture than red lentils. I only really use red lentils in soups and much prefer the green ones now.
. He can be funny with veg sometimes too, but will nibble on lettuce leaves (all with the help of the hungry caterpillar book lol). He always has whatever I cook, unless it is something really spicy (I like hot curries) and will at least try a new food, might not always like it of course lol, but at least he tries. He has got better as he has got older too, I think he was fussiest when he was 2.By the description of your lentils, it sounds like they are probably green ones. Green or brown work just as well as each other, as they are slightly meatier in texture than red lentils. I only really use red lentils in soups and much prefer the green ones now.
MommyNOriana
Full Member
Lol Oriana loves the very hungry caterpillar! But she won't eat "one nice green leaf".
