Healthy Recipes: Cooked Lentils
One of my all time favorite foods happens to be a true soul food for me. It is cooked lentils. My grandmother always had these ready and on hand. They were a staple in her diet. In Lebanon, where she was from, they call them, Mujadara. It is a healthy meal that is inexpensive and easy to prepare.
Here is my grandmother’s recipe, which I have adopted. I make this dish often for my family. Sometimes, I will serve the whole meal Lebanese themed. Add some hummus, tabuleah, falafel and Ezekiel pita bread and you have an entire Lebanese table.
This recipe will make 4 servings. But, my family loves this dish so much, that I always have to make a double batch to ensure that everyone gets some!
Additional Related Article to Read : Vegan “Cheese” Sauce
Healthy and delicious lentils
Lebanese Lentils – Mujadara
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of brown lentils – soaked overnight (they will expand to about double)
- ½ cup of brown rice
- 2 yellow onions – peeled and chopped
- ¼ cup of olive oil
- Ground Cinnamon to taste
- Ground Cumin to taste
- Garlic powder to taste
- Dehydrated mint leaves – crushed – 1 teaspoon (optional)*
- 3-4 cups of water
- 1-2 vegetable bouillon cubes
Method:
In a large pot, sauté the onions in the olive oil until they are translucent (about 5 minutes).
Add the lentils and the rice to the onions and sauté for 5 minutes.
Add the remaining ingredients and stir well.
Bring to a boil and lower heat
Let the lentils simmer for about an hour or until all the liquid is absorbed.
The lentils should be soft and opened.
The consistency should a little bit mushy but not watery.
*My grandmother always had dried mint leaves on hand. We used to grow it in the garden and since it grows like a weed, she would take the extra, dry it in the oven and then crush it. She would then give me a little baggie of the crushed mint leaves. I use it to season just about everything. It is a great addition to salads, soups, and lentils!
This healthy recipe is a great side dish or can be served as a main dish with salad on the side. My grandmother always served it with a big salad, kalamata olives and pita bread. I was always happy when there were leftovers that I could bring home and eat later. Unfortunately, there were not always leftovers for me to take!
source : OUR 25 BEST LENTIL RECIPES! (PLUS HOW TO COOK LENTILS)