Lentil Recipes - Get Your Fiber On!

Lentils are cheap and good for you and can be tasty if you do 'em right. A bag at the grocery store costs about $1.19 and will last you a long time. A cup has around 15 grams of fiber in it. Fiber keeps you full and clean in the abdomen. Lentils can be made into soup, salad, pate, dip, spread, and even burgers.

I find the best way to cook lentils is to think of them as rice. They have to absorb a lot of water (but not near as much as rice). The ratio of lentils to water should be 1:2. Rinse the lentils (just look for plant pieces) and put them in a pot with the water. Let it get to a boil and turn the heat off and put a lid on it. I add basil at this point, just to get some flavor in them initially. In about 20-30 minutes, they should be ready. They always taste a little grainy but the "shells" should be soft. Drain them. The water will be brown.

With some salt, lentils aren't half bad right out of the pot. They're also pretty good with some vegetarian spaghetti sauce and parmesan cheese (like pasta but with a lot more fiber). Lentils work well with Italian seasonings and dishes, and not as great when mixed with Mexican flavors, to my experience (warning: do not try salsa with lentils).They're a great side dish if your meal feels a little incomplete. Beans are an overlooked food-type that help out our bodies a lot.

Read on for my bona-fide recipes, time-tested and tasty.

1 tbsp. olive oil
1 med. onion, chopped
1 tsp. garlic, minced
1 small can tomato paste
8 cups water
1 c. lentils
1 tsp. fresh or dried basil
1/2 lb. ham, cubed (optional)
Pinch of pepper
1 small zucchini, sliced and halved
1/2 c. pasta spirals
1 tsp. Balsamic vinegar

I call it flexible because you can add or subtract  or substitute most ingredients and get a fine outcome. It's the spices and vinegar that give taste to this soup. The ham's fat helps, too. Bacon, chicken may also work.

In large soup pot brown onions in olive oil. Add garlic, tomato sauce, and water; bring to a boil. Rinse lentils and add. Add basil, ham, and pepper. Cover and simmer at medium heat 15 minutes. Then add zucchini and pasta. Cook additional 30 minutes. In the last few minutes, splash in the Balsamic vinegar. Serve hot with multigrain bread, parmesan cheese, and olive oil with basil dipping sauce.

Other fun add-ins are potatoes (put these in EARLY) and grated carrots. Spinach is also a good addition: add it near the end and cook until wilted.

1 cup lentils, cooked
1/4 cup chopped onion
3 teaspons minced garlic
2 tablespoons olive or canola oil
1 teaspoon black pepper
dash of parsley, oregano, salt and thyme if desired
Water if necessary
1/2 teaspoon (balsamic or ordinary) vinegar

Chomp on this pate with no guilt and a glass of wine.

In a saucepan over medium heat, saute onion and garlic in oil to desired consistency (rawer onions will have more flavor). Add lentils and desired spices and mix thoroughly, until mixture is warmed to a homogenous temperature.

Scrape lentil mixture into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal chopping blade. Process until smooth, adding water if necessary. Add vinegar and pulse until combined.

Serve lentil pate at room temperature with Triscuits, Wheat Thins (the flavored ones work well), tortilla chips, or any other favorite fancy cracker. It is pate, after all.

Makes 6 to 8 servings