Serving Size: 4

Ingredients:

• 1 & 1/2 cup lentils
• 4 cups water
• 1 vegetable bouillon cube
• 1 onion chopped (optional)
• 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped (optional)
• 1 tablespoon oil
• dash taco seasonings
• dash cayenne or Tabasco
• sun-dried tomatoes (optional)
• 1-2 tablespoons tomato paste (optional)
• 1 eggplant, cut in rounds
• oil for frying
• soy cheese, crumbled or grated
• rucola, chives or basil as garnish

Directions:

1. If you are including the onion and bell pepper, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a pot and saute the chopped onion and bell pepper.
2. When the onion becomes glassy and the bell pepper pieces soft, add the lentils and stir well to mix the flavors.
3. Add the water ad bouillon cube.
4. Cook the lentils until the lentils are soft but al dente.
5. While the lentils are cooking, slice the eggplant and lightly fry on each side.
6. The eggplant slices can be kept warm in the oven until ready to serve the meal.
7. When the lentils are done, remove from the heat and drain off any excess liquid.
8. Add the seasonings and chopped sun-dried tomatoes if using.
9. Crumble a piece of soy cheese.
10. To assemble, lay a slice of eggplant on a plate, then a layer of lentils, then another pice of eggplant, then top with the lentils, optionally top with another slice of eggplant.
11. Garnish with some greens or basil and crumbled soy cheese.
12. Optionally if you would prefer the lentil mixture to stick together a bit more, 1-2 tablespoons of tomato paste can be added to the lentils.

Serving Size: 4

Ingredients:

for the lentils:

• 2 cups red lentils
• 4 cups water
• 1 tablespoon vegetable bouillon powder or 1 cube

for the spicy root vegetables:

• 2 tablespoons oil
• 4 carrots, peeled and cut in chunks
• 2 parsnips, peeled and cut in chunks
• 4-6 medium red skinned potatoes, washed and cut in chunks
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 teaspoons curry powder
• 2 cups water
• 1 tablespoon vegetable bouillon powder or 1 cube
•  handful fresh coriander or cilantro, chopped
• 1/2 – 1 cup plain soy yogurt

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a large soup pot.
2. Add the carrots, potatoes and parsnips and begin to cook, stirring to keep them from sticking.
3. Add the chopped onion.
4. Add the water and vegetable bouillon and stir well.
5. Add the curry powder, bring the heat down, cover the pot and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
6. As the vegetables begin to soften, add 1/2 the chopped coriander and prepare the lentils.
7. Place the lentils in a medium pot.
8. Add the water, vegetable bouillon and curry powder.
9. Bring the mixture to a boil, then turn the heat down to simmer.
10. Taste and season according with additional salt and pepper.
11. Serve the vegetables on a bed of lentils. Garnished with a dollop of soy yogurt and fresh coriander.
12. This is very nice with a whole grain bread or served with naan bread.

Serving Size: 4

Ingredients:

• 1 head cauliflower, cut in florets
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup sunflower seeds or pine nuts, toasted
• 1 – 1 & 1/2 cups red lentils
• 2-3 cups vegetable bouillon
• 3-4 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
• pepper

Directions:

1. Prepare the cauliflower by cutting away the stem, cut or break the cauliflower into bite-sized florets and place the pieces in an oven-proof dish to roast.
2. Drizzle the olive oil over the cauliflower pieces and place in a preheated (425 F/218 C) oven to roast.
3. Roast the cauliflower 20-25 minutes until lightly toasty brown in places.

1. Meanwhile, chop the onion.
2. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan or soup pot.
3. Add the onions and saute until they become glassy.
4. Add the lentils and lightly cook to infuse the flavors.
5. Make the vegetable bouillon using the water and a vegetable bouillon cube.
6. Add the vegetable bouillon to the lentils and add the raisins and ground coriander.
7. Bring the mixture to a boil, then turn the heat down to simmer.
8. Add the balsamic vinegar to the lentils and when soft, remove from the heat.
9. If there is extra liquid still in the lentils then drain it off, or use a slotted spoon to place the lentils on a serving plate.
10. Toast the sunflower seeds or pine nuts in a dry frying pan.
11. Add the toasted seeds to the lentils and mix.
12. Serve the steamed cauliflower on a bed of the marinated lentils.
13. We garnished with a few more sunflower seeds, if you wish, chopped coriander would also be nice.

Serving Size: 4

Ingredients:

• 1 cup de Puy or brown lentils
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 2 cups water
• 1 vegetable bouillon cube
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 small bunch parsley, chopped
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 lb. smoked tofu pieces or faken bacon pieces
• 1 tablespoon oil to fry the tofu pieces
• 1 lb. of plums
• 1 tablespoon vegan margarine
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 3 teaspoons sugar
• potatoes for 4 people

Directions:

Begin to boil the potatoes so that they are ready at the same time as the lentils.

to prepare the lentils:

1. Heat the oil in a soup pot.
2. Add the onions and saute until they become glassy.
3. Add the lentils, garlic, parsley, water and vegetable bouillon cube.
4. Bring the lentils to a boil, then turn the heat down to a soft boil.
5. Add the balsamic vinegar and tomato paste.
6. Cook the lentils until they become soft, but not mushy, about 20 minutes.

to prepare the plums:

1. Meanwhile, cut the plums in half and remove the stone.
2. Slice the plums in eighths into a bowl.
3. Sprinkle the plums with the sugar and cinnamon.
4. Heat the vegan margarine in a frying pan.
5. Add the plums and lightly saute to caramelize them, but not so much that they loose their shape.

to prepare the tofu

1. Heat oil in a separate pan
2. Warm the tofu pieces.

Serve the lentils with tofu pieces on top, and a generous portion of plums on top of the tofu.
Optionally sprinkle with a bit of parsley, and the boiled potatoes on the side.

We also cooked the lentils from dried rather than buying prepared lentils. This really tastes lovely (even better the next day) and we will look forward to having it more often over the summer, and into the cooler months of fall.

Ingredients:

for the lentils:

• 1/4 cup beluga lentils
• about 2 cups boiling salted water
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

for the soy yogurt:

• 1&1/2 cups soy yogurt
• 1 clove garlic, mined
• 1/4 cup chives, minced
• splash lemon juice
• pinch salt and white pepper
• optional splash of Tabasco or cayenne pepper

for the toast:

• 8 slices whole grain bread
• additional chives for garnish

Directions:

1. Place the lentils in a small saucepan with 2 cups boiling salted water.
2. Cook the lentils 15-20 minutes until al dente.
3. When the lentils have cooked, drain the liquid, pour the 1 teaspoon of olive oil, 1 teaspoon of balsamic vinegar and small pinch of salt over the lentils and stir to mix.
4. Meanwhile, place the soy yogurt in a cheesecloth and drain the excess liquid, to thicken the soy yogurt.
5. Add the minced garlic and chives.
6. Add a splash of lemon juice and a small pinch of salt and white pepper.
7. If you’d like it to be slightly spice, optionally a dash of Tabasco or cayenne pepper.
8. Mix well ad season to taste.
9. Slice the crusts from the wholewheat bread and place in a toaster to lightly toast.
10. Once they are toast, slice into triangular points.
11. Spread a dollop of soy yogurt on each toast point, and sprinkle generously with the lentils.
12. Garnish with a few minced chives ad enjoy.

Notes:

You could optionally use a baguette, sliced in rounds and toasted as bruschetta.

Lentils are one of our favorite legumes to eat from fall through spring, so we are always happy to find a new way to enjoy them. This was a really tasty meal and quick & easy to make as well. I do hope you give it a try.
The recipe comes from the Vegetarian Times Issue: October 1, 2006, page 75 and can be found online here.

Lentils don’t photograph so invitingly and I knew that this would be a delicious meal, but wanted it to look attractive. I steamed the pumpkin al dente, and then added them to the cooked lentils about 5 minutes before serving. I saved a few pieces of pumpkin to use as garnish on top. We enjoyed this meal with a salad of raw beets and apples with sweet spicy sauce and a whole grain bread. It was a filling, hearty meal for a chilly night.

Serving Size: 2

Ingredients:

• 2 pointed romano peppers
• 1/2 cup lentils
• 2 cups water
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon vegetable bouillon powder
• 5 baby plum tomatoes, halved
• small bunch chives, chopped
• 1 teaspoon red pepper paste or tomato paste
• 2-3 tablespoons vegan cheese sauce (recipe below)
• optional basil as garnish

for the Vegan Cheese Sauce, which makes about 1 to 1.5 cups:

• 3/4 cup non dairy milk
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/2 cup cashew butter
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon light miso
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast.
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/8 cup coconut oil, melted
• pinch cayenne or splash Tabasco
• 1/2 lemon, juiced

Directions:

1. Cook the lentils al dente in a small saucepan with the water, vegetable bouillon powder and bay leaves. You want the lentils to be somewhat soft, but not mushy.
2. While the lentils are cooking make the cheese sauce.
3. When the lentils are cooked, remove from the heat and drain off any excess liquid.
4. Add the teaspoon of pepper pate (or optionally tomato paste), and mix with the cooked lentils.
5. Add 1/2 the chopped chives and mix.
6. Slice the peppers in halves but keep the stem on.
7. Remove the seeds and inner veins.
8. Lay the peppers on a cookie sheet that has parchment baking paper.
9. Fill the peppers with the lentil mixture.
10. Add the tomato pieces and a couple of dollops of the cheese sauce.
11. Place in a preheated oven 392 F / 200 C.
12. Bake about 20 minutes or until the pepper has become soft.
13. Serve the peppers optionally garnished with fresh basil or more chopped chives and some of the cheese sauce on the side.

To make the cheese sauce:

1. Place the non dairy milk in a small saucepan.
2. Add the cashew butter and mix well. I used a whisk, a fork or spoon are fine as well.
3. When you have a smooth even mixture, add the cornstarch and again, mix well.
4. Then add the rest of the ingredients and stir to mix.
5. Bring up the heat and bring to a soft boil, stirring constantly to keep from scalding.
6. When the cheese has become a thick mass, remove from the heat and allow to cool.

Notes:

There are any nice vegan cheese sauces available now. I wanted a white one this time and found a very good one at idealforeating.com, which I adapted for this recipe.

This was a really great meal. It was easy to make vegan, just by using soy yogurt. It’s basically a korma curry which is very tasty, and we used home made rhubarb chutney. The recipe makes a lot so we will be enjoying a nice meal of left overs sometime this week.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup lentils (I used red)
• 1 vegetable bouillon cube
• 2 bay leaves
• splash of lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons bread crumbs plus bread crumbs for rolling
• 2 tablespoons chick pea flour
• dash garlic powder
• oil for frying

for the mango chutney

• 1 tablespoon oil
• 2 spring onions, or 1 small regular onion
• 1 ripe mango
• 2 tablespoons vinegar
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1-2 jalapeno peppers, de-seeded and sliced
• dash of salt and pepper
• pinch cinnamon
• pinch allspice
• pinch cardamom
• pinch coriander powder

Directions:

To make the lentil croquettes:

1. Put the lentils and 2 cups of water in a pot and bring to a boil.
2. Add the vegetable bouillon, lemon juice and bay leaves.
3. Cook the lentils until soft. You may need to add more water. Keep an eye on them so that they do not burn or scorch.
4. All ow the cooked lentils to cool.
5. Add the chick pea flour, garlic powder and enough bread crumbs to make the mass stick together.
6. When it is cool enough to handle, roll a tablespoonful of the lentils to form a log.
7. Roll the log in dried bread crumbs and set on a plate to await frying.
8. Continue making all the croquettes until you have used all of the lentils.

To make the mango chutney:

1. Slice the spring onions in small rings.
2. saute in a small sauce pan with the oil
3. Peel the mango and de-seed.
4. Cut the mango in small pieces and add to the onions.
5. Add the vinegar, sugar and spices.
6. De-seed and chop the jalapeno in small pieces.
7. Add the jalapeno pieces to the cooking mango chutney.
8. Keep at a low simmer until the liquid has cooked off and it is a well blended mixture.
9. Season to taste with additional seasonings or slat and pepper.

Fry the lentil croquettes in a small amount of oil, drain on a paper town and serve with mango chutney.