2016 is International Year of the Pulse! If you aren’t already including lentils and other legumes (aka pulses) in your meals at least twice each week, plan to make it happen soon.
Here are 7 more great ways to lentil-up your life. You can find my previous 7 ideas here.
- Puree cooked lentils and use as a sauce extender. Perfect in pizza sauce, tomato sauce for lasagna, curry sauces and even in a white sauce for pasta. Pureed tiny red lentils are ideal in this application.
- Add cooked lentils to brown and/or wild rice along with a few minced fresh herbs and a squeeze of lemon juice for an instant, seemingly gourmet pilaf dish.
- Replace or extend ground meat. In the tomato-meat mixture for lasagna, spaghetti sauce or even a spicy chili taco-themed pizza, lentils mix right in and are barely noticed by those who would prefer to think they’re eating ground meat only.
- Stir a few lentils along with toasted crumbled almonds, walnuts, hemp hearts or flax seeds into your oatmeal. Lentils at breakfast? Only a superstar eater does that!!!
- Last minute gift idea! Make a homemade soup kit to inspire a friend by packing together in a pretty box or basket: lentils, bouillon, wild rice or quinoa and a couple favourite dried herbs.
- Did you know you can sprout dried lentils? (Okay, this one needs some ‘recipe method’ guidance, but google if you are a sprout-maker or want to do a mini indoor garden science experiment with the kids.
- Sprinkle cooked lentils on cooked vegetable dishes for an attractive finishing garnish.
And, keep your eyes out to build a collection of reliable, amazingly delicious lentil recipes. They are one of the MOST IMPORTANT foods of the future! And, many are grown right here in Canada!
Have a happy, healthy 2016!
Cheers!
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Patricia Chuey
Working in the kitchen, Patricia turns evidence-based healthy messages into delicious ideas. This respected food and nutrition expert is the real deal.
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