All the lentils, all the time

Soo… mo’ lentils!

Mmm. For such a tiny little thing they pack a nutritional wallop and are astoundingly delicious.

In other news… I love when I can walk outside and pick a snack out of my garden.

And that the crepe myrtle in the front yard is practically exploding. When I was in school it seemed like I would always miss the blooms, but this year it’s making up for it in full force. See? Pink explosion.

Anyway. OH! I almost forgot. Pluots are amazing right now, you should go eat one.

Right. Lentil pasta. An excellent idea, not sure why I hadn’t thought to do this before. The sauce texture kind of resembles bolognese but is obviously meat-free, which is a nice alternative and just as delicious. Besides, lentils are cheap and filling and super good for you, so everyone wins! Besides all that there is essentially a metric ton of veggies crammed in here, so you can feel reeeeally good about eating it. Winner, winner, lentil dinner! Ha.

I don’t think my brain is working too well on account of a really filling and tasty lunch (nap time? I think yes) soooo… I’m going to leave it at that. Pictures for you, hooray!

Lentil Marinara

Recipe serves 3 for dinner, with bountiful leftovers (so really 4 for dinner with some change). Healthy and delicious, and relatively fast, this can be on the table in less than an hour.

• 1 c  lentils, rinsed (I used French lentils, they’re smaller and chewier)
• 2 c water
• 1 onion, diced
• a good glug of olive oil
• 1/2 clove garlic (I used 1/2 of the little frozen chunks TJ’s sells)
• fresh basil, marjoram, oregano and sage to taste (Dried is fine too)
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/6 c (ish) good red wine (Optional. I never measure)
• 1 bell pepper, diced
• a few heaping handfuls of mixed greens or spinach
• 1/2 zucchini, grated
• 2 c green beans, parboiled
• 1 can of tomato sauce (just tomatoes)
• pasta noodles of choice for serving
• avocado for serving, optional (but recommended!)

Combine lentils and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and let cook until the lentils have absorbed most of the water and are soft but still have a bit of bite, about 30 minutes. Drain and set aside.

In a  sauté pan, toss in a bit of olive oil and heat over medium-low. Sauté onions until translucent, about 5-10 minutes depending on your onion-crunchy preference. Add garlic, basil, marjoram, oregano, sage, and wine and sauté a few minutes more. Add in bell pepper, mixed greens, zucchini, and green beans, and keep sautéing, until the veggies are cooked and delicious. Toss in the can of tomato sauce, salt and pepper to taste, and the cooked lentils. Cover and let simmer for about 15 minutes to get all those wonderful flavors to comingle… then serve over noodles! This is excellent topped with avocado, or cheese if that’s your thing!