linguine alla lentils

a pasta dish that doesn't miss meat

Lately I've been really loving red lentils.  It's so easy to cook and it takes on flavours really well. It is the perfect replacement for ground beef in this pasta sauce; it helps thicken it and clings to the linguine beautifully.  Serve it up with some whole wheat pasta and you'll feel satisfied & full without feeling heavy.

what you need:

• 1 medium onion (yellow or red, doesn't matter)
• 2 medium carrots
• 2 sticks of celery
• 3 large garlic cloves
• 1 cup red lentils
• the rind of Parmesan (about 3x1" is enough)
• 1 large can of diced tomatoes (san marzano best)
• 1 tbsp oregano
• 1 tsp red chilli flakes
• 1 dried bay leaf
• 1 handful fresh flat leaf parsley
• salt & pepper
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Parmesan cheese for garnish
• about 1 cup of water
• whole wheat linguine

what to do:

1. Prep onions, carrots, and celery but washing, peeling, and dicing into small pieces. Roughly chop garlic.
2. Rinse dried lentils.  Get spices and other ingredients ready to go.
3. In a large pot on medium heat, add 2 tbsp olive oil.  Sauté onions, carrots, and celery until softened and lightly browned.  Add garlic and parmesan rind and continue stirring.
4. Add rinsed lentils, red chilli flakes and oregano.  Stir to avoid burning.  Add canned tomatoes after about a minute or so, water, and bay leaf.  Season with salt and pepper.  Cover and once it all boils, bring to a very low simmer.  
5. Let it simmer for about 45 minutes but check regularly and stir to avoid the bottom burning.  Add 1/4 cup of water at a time when needed (if the sauce is too dry it will burn easily).
6. In the meantime, roughly chop parsley and grate Parmesan cheese for garnish.
7. Cook whole wheat linguine as directed by your package.  
8. Toss linguine in a large bowl with desired amount of sauce, then plate it up with parsley and parmesan sprinkled on top.  Enjoy!

after 45 min of simmering, thickened and hearty

lentils & veggies provide lots of texture and body

lentil cakes

deliciously vegetarian

I always thought falafels were intimidating to make but they actually are really easy as long as you have a food processor!  I didn't have chick peas at home but I used red lentils instead and they turned out well.  These hold up really well so they could be made into small bite size appetizers with tzatziki, alongside a salad, in a wrap or sandwich.  They are an awesome snack the next day.

what you need:

• 1 1/2 cup red lentils (rinsed and soaked 4 hrs in water)
• 1 small carrot
• 1/4 red onion
• 1 egg
• 1 slice whole wheat bread 
• 3 tbsp milk or soy milk
• about 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• 1 handful cilantro
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp red chili flakes
• pinch each salt and pepper
• canola oil 

what to do:

1. Get your food processor ready.
2. Drain lentils.  Soak bread in milk.  Roughly chop carrot, onion, cilantro, and garlic.  Add chopped ingredients to food processor and pulse until very finely chopped, almost a puree but still with a little texture.  Add egg, bread, and spices, then pulse to mix well.
3. Transfer into a bowl and assess how wet the mixture is.  If it appears too wet, add bread crumbs a little at a time and stir well, until the consistency of the lentil mixture keeps together (you don't want it runny).
4. Heat a non-stick pan on medium with a thin amount of canola oil to coat the pan (about 2 tbsp).  Drop heaping spoonfuls of the mixture and press gently for an even cake, fry until golden brown then flip, about 2-3 minutes each side.  You can keep them warm in a 200 F oven while you cook the rest.
5. Serve with tzatziki or any other sauce you like.  Enjoy!

lentil cakes with greens and tzatziki

lentil cakes in a whole wheat wrap with spring mix, tomatoes,
cilantro, thinly sliced red onion, and homemade tzatziki

ryan approves:)