Are Lentils The New Chicken?

When I was eating more meat, I was always on the prowl for new ways to serve chicken. Mainly because of health reasons, but also financially, I’ve been cutting back on the animal products. Now, instead of chicken, I’m looking for more ways to serve legumes and create other vegetarian meals.

Long time vegetarians and vegans will be pleased to learn that their message is going more mainstream. PNN contributor goinggreen, in an earlier article, has written about Mark Bittman’s latest book, “Food Matters,” where he details his case for cutting back on meat. In a recent post in Tara Parker-Pope’s New York Times blog, Well, Bittman said that he is “vegan before dinnertime.” After that, anything goes (hard to completely convert a die-hard “foodie,” I guess). And media outlets as staunchly mainstream as Women’s Day have, in their monthly menu of meals, started advocating Meatless Mondays. These aren’t always the healthiest of meals – they swim in cheese and refined flour products – but, hey, they’re trying.

This reminds me of the stories that I heard from my parents and grandparents about the sacrifices people made during The Great Depression. Many meals were meatless (I believe there was a national call to have Meatless Tuesdays) and many people did without. And to all those people who say this current generation doesn’t know how to sacrifice? Let’s prove them wrong. Although I think that the economy may force our hand

And with that, here’s my favorite new way to cook lentils. Ironically, this comes from Mark Bittman, out of his “How to Cook Everything Vegetarian,” but I’ve made a few tweaks here and there. The first time I made it, I liked it so much that as soon as I ran out, I made more…and doubled the recipe.

Braised Lentils, Spanish Style (serves 4, theoretically)

Ingredients:

Extra-virgin olive oil
½ onion, chopped
1 stalk of celery, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
2 teaspoons of minced garlic, more if you want
½ teaspoon of turmeric
1 tablespoon of paprika (the Spanish kind works best)
Bay leaf
½ cup of dry red wine (if desired…I made it without and it was fine)
2 cups of vegetable stock, broth or water
1 cup of dried brown lentils, rinsed and picked over
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup (approx) of sliced black olives (if you like them)

1. Sauté the onion, celery and carrot in olive oil in a medium pot until the onion is soft. Add the garlic, turmeric, and paprika, and cook another minute or so.

2. Add the bay leaf, wine, stock and lentils. Add salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to medium-low until it gently bubbles along, and cook, partially covered, stirring occasionally. Add more liquid if necessary. This is done when the lentils are tender.  The consistency should be saucy, not soupy. Add the black olives, if you’re using them, at the end.

This is excellent served over cooked brown rice, and topped with chopped parsley or toasted pumpkin seeds.

Enjoy!