Curried Lentils with Sweet Potatoes and Swiss Chard

(recipe adapted from The New York Times)

2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
One 1-inch piece fresh ginger root, peeled and minced
1 1/2 tsp. garam masala
1 1/2 tsp. curry powder
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded if desired, then minced
4 to 5 cups vegetable broth as needed
2 lbs. orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 1/2 cups dried lentils
1 bay leaf
1 lb. Swiss chard, center ribs removed and diced, leaves thinly sliced
1 tsp. kosher salt, more to taste
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Finely grated zest of 1 lime
Juice of 1/2 lime

In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat.  Add onion and saute until translucent, 5 to 7 minutes.  Add garlic, ginger, garam masala, curry powder and jalapeño.  Cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

Stir in 4 cups broth, sweet potatoes, lentils and bay leaf.  Increase heat to high and bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium, cover, and simmer for 25 minutes.  (If lentils seem dry, add 1 cup stock, or more if needed.)  Stir in chard and salt and pepper, and continue cooking until lentils are tender and chard is cooked, about 30 to 45 minutes.

Just before serving, stir in cilantro, lime zest and juice.

(Good flavor and fairly easy to make.  Keeps well.)

Citrus Lentil Salad

(recipe from The Kinfolk Table by Nathan Williams)

1 cup dried lentils, picked over
6 scallions, white and pale green parts only, thinly sliced
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. white wine or apple cider vinegar
3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
Grated zest of 1 lemon or orange
1 Tbsp. sugar (I used honey)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place the lentils in a medium saucepan and add enough cold water to cover by 3 inches.  Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes or until the lentils are tender.

Drain the lentils and place them in a large bowl.  Add the scallions, olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, zest, sugar, and salt and pepper to taste.

Let the salad rest for at least 20 minutes to allow the flavors to combine.  Serve.  The salad can be stored, refrigerated, in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Note: The scallions may be replaced by 1/2 red onion or 2 shallots.

Coconut Beluga Lentils

(recipe from Saveur magazine)

1 1/4 cup beluga lentils
6 Tbsp. unsalted butter (I used coconut oil)
4 shallots, minced
1 cup coconut milk
1 cup shelled edamame
1 Tbsp. minced thyme
Salt & pepper to taste
1 Tbsp. minced parsley

Boil lentils in a 4-qt. saucepan of water until tender, 18-20 minutes; drain and transfer to a bowl.  Add butter to pan; melt over medium-high heat.  Cook shallots until golden, 5-7 minutes.  Add lentils, coconut milk, edamame, thyme, salt, and pepper; cook 5 minutes.  Stir in parsley.

(These lentils are delicious!  Creamy and light, unexpected flavor.)

Lentils With Carrots

(recipe from Cooking Light magazine)

3 cups water
3 cups finely diced carrot
1 cup dried small black, green, or brown lentils
1/4 cups minced fresh onion
1/2 tsp. salt
1 bay leaf
1 Tbsp. butter (I did not use)

Combine the first 6 ingredients in a saucepan; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, and simmer for 25 minutes. Drain.  Stir in butter.  Discard bay leaf.

(I did not drain, instead left it a little soupy and served over the celeriac puree (recipe follows).  The bay leaf amps up the flavor.)

French Lentil Salad

(recipe from wholeliving.com)

2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 red onion, finely diced
1 carrot, finely diced
1 stalk celery, finely diced
1 cup French green lentils, rinsed
salt & pepper
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/2 cup toasted almonds, roughly chopped (optional)
1 cup shredded red cabbage
1 cup torn fresh herbs, such as flat-leaf parsley, tarragon, basil, and/or mint

In a medium saucepan, heat 1 Tbsp. oil over medium heat.  Add onion, carrot, and celery, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 6 minutes.  Add lentils and cover with 2 inches of water.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until lentils are tender, about 20 minutes.  Drain and season with salt and pepper.  Let cool.

In a medium bowl, whisk together remaining oil, lemon juice, and pepper flakes.  Season with salt.  Add lentils, almonds (if using), cabbage, and herbs and toss to combine.

Refrigerate lentil salad in an airtight container up to 3 days.

(I made this using parsley and omitting the almonds.  Such a good lunch salad!  Make sure to let the lentil mixture really cool well, so when you combine with the cabbage and parsley at the end, everything stays crisp and vibrant.  Stores and travels well, good at room temp or refrigerated.)

French Indigo Lentil Soup

(recipe adapted from Cooking From an Ecological Kitchen by Lorna Sass)

2 quarts mushroom or vegetable broth, or water
3 cups chopped onions (2 very large onions)
3 large cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. dried thyme
3/4 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. Aleppo pepper (or crushed red pepper flakes)
2 cups chopped celery (3 large ribs, halved lengthwise and sliced)
2 cups chopped carrots (about 2 large carrots)
8 ounces mushrooms, wiped clean and sliced
2 cups French indigo lentils, rinsed (also known as Du Puy lentils)
3 small bay leaves
1 28-oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained
3/4 cup shredded greens (baby spinach or Swiss chard)
1/4 cup finely minced parsley
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp. salt, or to taste
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

Add 2 Tbsp. of the broth to a heavy saucepan and heat over medium high heat.  Add the onions and garlic, reduce the heat to medium, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 to 7 minutes, adding small amounts of broth to prevent burning the bottom of the pan.  Add the thyme, oregano, and pepper flakes, and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes.  Add the celery, carrots, mushrooms, remaining broth, lentils, and bay leaves.  Bring to a boil, then simmer for 40 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, shredded greens, parsley, balsamic vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste.  Simmer an additional 10 minutes.

Taste and adjust seasonings, ladle into bowls, and serve.

(Packed with veggies, hearty and makes a ton!)

Spiced Lentil Soup with Coconut Milk

(recipe from Sprouted Kitchen)

1 1/2 cups green lentils, rinsed
4 cups vegetable broth
1 1/2 tsp. tumeric OR curry powder
2 tsp. dried thyme or 1 Tbsp. fresh thyme leaves
1 Tbsp. coconut oil (I used olive oil)
1 large yellow onion, diced
2 stalks lemongrass, outer layer removed, lower portion finely minced
1 tsp. sea salt, plus more to taste
1/2 tsp. cardamom
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
pinch of red pepper flakes to taste
pinch of fresh grated nutmeg (I used dried)
1 1/4 cup coconut milk (full fat)
3 Tbsp. lemon, lime, or orange juice
a few handfuls of swiss chard, spinach or kale
1 cup flake coconut, toasted (optional)
chopped cilantro, for garnish (optional)

Add the rinsed lentils, broth, thyme, and tumeric or curry powder to a large pot.  Bring to a boil, turn down to a simmer, and cook for about 20 minutes.

While the lentils cook, heat the oil in a pan.  Add the onion and saute until just browned.  Add the lemongrass, salt, cardamom, cinnamon, pinch of red pepper flakes, and some fresh ground nutmeg and saute another minute.  Add the onion mixture to the lentils and stir, keeping the heat on a low simmer.

Add the coconut milk and greens and simmer another five minutes, stirring occasionally until just wilted.  Taste for salt and spice and add as you prefer.  Finish with the citrus juice and serve warm with toasted coconut flakes and cilantro on top.

4 cups broth yield a stewier soup.  If you prefer more broth to your soup, add another cup or two when cooking the lentils.

(Amazing!  I liked the stewier consistency.  I added the toasted coconut flakes and cilantro right in at the end.  This was wonderful for work lunches, so hearty.  The citrus juice really makes the whole thing pop.  Really unique dish.)

Pasta With Lentils and Kale

(recipe from Gourmet - Italian Kitchen magazine)

Serves 4.

1/2 cup French (small) green lentils
2 cups water
5 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
2 medium onions, finely chopped (2 cups)
3/4 lb. kale, preferably Tuscan (lacinato)
3/4 lb. dried short tubular pasta (I used radiatore)

Simmer lentils in 2 cups water with 1/8 tsp. salt in a small saucepan, uncovered, adding more water if necessary to keep lentils barely covered, until tender but not falling apart, 20 to 30 minutes.  Remove from heat and season with salt.

While lentils simmer, heat 3 Tbsp. oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers, then saute onion with 1/4 tsp. pepper and 1/2 tsp. salt, stirring, 1 minute.  Reduce heat to low and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft and golden (stir more frequently toward end of cooking), about 20 minutes.  Remove lid and increase heat to medium, then cook, stirring frequently, until onion is golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes more.  Sitr in lentils, including their liquid, and simmer, scraping up any brown bits, 1 minute.  Season with salt and pepper.

While onion cooks, cut out and discard stems and center ribs from kale and coarsely chop leaves.  Start cooking pasta in a 6- to 8-quart pot of well-salted boiling water, according to package instructions.

Seven minutes before pasta is finished cooking, stir in kale and boil uncovered, until pasta is al dente. Reserve about 1 cup pasta-cooking liquid, then drain pasta and kale in a colander.  Add pasta mixture to lentils along with about 1/3 cup of pasta-cooking liquid (or enough to keep pasta moist) and cook over medium-high heat, tossing, 1 minute.  Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with remaining 2 Tbsp. oil.

(Ate for my lunches at work.  Found that it got better after a few days, once the flavors combined.  The step of cooking the kale along with the pasta was so easy!  I cut down on the oil and salt a bit.  Also, my onions didn't really brown, but the slow, long cooking time made them sweet and tender nonetheless.)

Hearty Lentil and "Sausage" Soup

(recipe from Whole Foods Market, but I made it vegan)

1/2 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 Tbsp. finely chopped garlic
1 package Gimme Lean vegetarian sausage
1/2 lb. mushrooms, chopped
1 cup dried lentils, picked through and rinsed
5 cups vegetable broth
1 cup chopped tomatoes, with their juice
1 cup dry red wine
1 Tbsp. chopped thyme (or 2 tsp. dried)
pinch red pepper flakes
1/4 lb. baby spinach, thinly sliced
salt & pepper to taste


In a large pot over medium heat, saute carrots, celery, onion, and garlic in 1/2 cup broth, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent.   Add sausage and cook, breaking into small chunks, until it begins to brown.  Add mushrooms and continue to cook until mushrooms have released most of their liquid.  Add lentils, broth, tomatoes and their juice, wine, thyme, and pepper flakes; cover pot and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer until lentils are tender, about 30 minutes.

Add spinach, salt, and pepper, stir well, and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes more.

French-Style Warm Lentil Salad

(recipe from Epicurious.com)

1 cup French green (also known as "Puy") lentils
3 cups water
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp. salt, divided
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 medium carrot, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. finely chopped fresh thyme (I used dried)
5 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
2 Tbsp. plus 1/2 tsp. red wine vinegar
1/2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp. finely chopped Italian parsley

In a medium saucepan, bring the lentils, water, and bay leaf to a boil over medium-high heat.  Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until almost tender, about 15 minutes.  Stir in 1/4 tsp. salt, and then simmer, covered, for another 3 to 5 minutes, until tender but not falling apart.

While the lentils simmer, warm 1 Tbsp. of the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-low heat.  Add the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, thyme, and 1/8 tsp. salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are just softened, about 7 to 9 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the vinaigrette.  In a small bowl, whisk together 2 Tbsp. vinegar, mustard, and remaining 1/8 tsp. salt.  Add the remaining 4 Tbsp. olive oil, and whisk to emulsify.

When the lentils are ready, drain them in a colander and discard the bay leaf.  Dump them into the skillet with the vegetables, and add the vinaigrette.  Cook over low heat, stirring gently, until heated through.  Stir in the remaining 1/2 tsp. vinegar, and serve warm, with salt and parsley for sprinkling.

4 side-dish servings

(Delicious!  Simple to make!  Yum!)

Potage de Lentille (lentil soup)

(recipe from Cooking Light magazine)

2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 1/2 cups chopped sweet onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrot
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 cups dried petite green lentils (Puy lentils)
4 cups vegetable broth
1 cup water
1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add onion and next 5 ingredients (through bay leaf) to pan; saute 12 minutes.  Add lentils; cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.  Stir in broth, 1 cup water, and tomatoes; bring to a boil.  Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 40 minutes or until lentils are very tender.  Remove from heat; let stand for 5 minutes.  Discard bay leaf.

Place 3 cups lentil mixture in a blender, and blend until smooth.  Return pureed mixture to pan; stir in lemon juice, salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper.  Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 tsp. pepper.

8 (1 cup) servings.

(Made 9/12/11.  Brought for lunches.  Nice, simple soup with good flavor.)