Garden Lentils

Over the last couple of years, I've learned just how versatile the humble lentil is... it's not just for soup, you know. ;)

I think I've mentioned before how I grew up in a kind of "meat and potatoes for dinner" household, so I wasn't exactly exposed to a lot of different flavors. I had a stay-at-home mother who made dinner for the family each night, but what she cooked was geared towards my father's taste (thus the meat & potatoes) with a few of her (New England influenced) family favorites thrown in. So what does this have to do with lentils? Well, the only time I ever saw them was when they made an appearance in soup as a filler (much like barley was treated... but that's a post for another day), or in the bland, goopy lentil soup that only my mother seemed to like. I never had them as the main focus of a dish until I started experimenting with more and more vegetarian dishes in the last 2 years or so.

And can I just say... why the hell did it take me so long?! Lentils are one of my favorite go-to meals now, not only because they're so quick and easy to prepare, but also because the flavor possibilities are practically limitless. So, whether as a main or side dish, I've jumped on the lentil bandwagon!

Garden Lentils

Ingredients:
1/2 cup lentils
2 cups water
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 shallot, diced
1 carrot, diced or shredded
1 rib of celery, diced
6 oz spinach (fresh or frozen)
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, chopped
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. garlic powder (or fresh... but you know my feelings on this stuff by now)
salt & pepper to taste
1 Tbs. red wine vinegar
1 Tbs. fresh basil leaves, torn
1 Tbs. fresh mint leaves, torn

Directions:
In a medium pot, bring the lentils and water to a boil. (Do NOT add any salt to the water because the lentils don't soften if you do... trust me, I learned this the hard way in the beginning.) Boil the lentils for 10 minutes then drop the heat to low, cover, and simmer for another 20 minutes or until the water has been absorbed.

Meanwhile, in a large saute pan over medium-low heat, cook the shallot, carrot, and celery until slightly softened, about 5-7 minutes. Add in the spices (EXCEPT the fresh basil and mint), tomatoes, and spinach and continue to cook until the spinach has wilted.

Once the lentils are cooked, stir in the red wine vinegar before adding the lentils to the spinach mixture. (Why not just add the vinegar to the spinach directly? I find that the spinach turns brown, and although it's still mighty tasty, it's not very appealing in color.) Remove from the heat and finish with the fresh herbs. (Again, why not add in the herbs earlier? They too will turn an unappealing shade of brown when cooked, so it's best to garnish the finished dish with them.)

Enjoy!