Are you fascinated by changing eating patterns like me?
One of my favorite projects had me in the homes and riding shotgun on shopping trips with people across the US and Canada.
Our mission: to talk about and buy meat!
We didn’t interview anyone among the estimated 4% of the population (at the time) that identified as vegetarian.
Do you need evidence that eating less meat is good for you?
Of all the info that has been shared with me, I find this lecture to be compelling. Long, but compelling, that for a robust life, meat is a treat.
Meat-eaters taught me that, even with rising food costs, meat was the focus of almost all of their meals. They just chose cheaper cuts and put more effort into deal hunting.
The people I met in Philadelphia, Dallas, LA, Vancouver, Montreal, and Toronto planned almost all meals to include meat.
When they raised the issue of expenses, I asked “have you made friends with the lentil?”
The answer was always no.
Today’s missive is an invitation to find a new friend in the lentil, if you haven’t already.
Let’s not get caught in the “plant-based” marketing craze.
You’re very capable of telling the difference between food that is essentially in the same shape as it came out of the ground vs. processed food-like items.
I’ve found that changing my eating has been like taking on a new job. Finding recipes, amending them to my taste, figuring out where to buy the best ingredients, and learning new cooking skills all take time.
So let me share one of my favorites and help you swipe right on the lentil.
This recipe is not processed, easy, and delicious.
Let me know if you give it a try!
THE BEST LENTIL SALAD
original recipe by Sarah Britton with some tweaks by me
INGREDIENTS
SALAD
2 ¼ cups Black lentils (look for these at Whole Foods in a pack or at a store that sells health foods by the pound)
Optional - 3 cups of stock to cook in or use water
1 medium red onion diced
1 cup dried currants (you can use other dried fruit, I like dried cherries)
½ - 1 cup of walnuts
Serve each portion on a bed of arugula
VINAIGRETTE
⅓ cup cold pressed extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
2-4 Tbsp. maple syrup (to taste)
1 Tbsp. strong mustard
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. ground cumin
½ tsp. turmeric
½ tsp. ground coriander
½ tsp ground cardamom
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
¼ tsp. ground cloves
¼ tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
OPTIONAL ADD-INS
Goat cheese
Capers
Fresh herbs: flat-leaf parsley, cilantro, basil
Sprouts
Roasted seasonal veggies
INSTRUCTIONS
Rinse lentils well, drain. Place in a pot and cover with a 3-4 inches of broth or water, bring to a boil, reduce to simmer. Check lentils for doneness after 15 minutes, but they should take about 20 minutes in total. You will know they are cooked if they still retain a slight tooth – al dente! Overcooking the lentils is the death of this dish. Be careful!
While the lentils are simmering, make the dressing by placing all ingredients in a jar with a tight fitting lid and shake vigorously to combine.
Finely dice red onion – the salad is best if all the ingredients are about the same size. If using other dried fruit, chop them roughly to make them a bit smaller.
When the lentils are cooked, remove from heat, drain and place under cold running water to stop the cooking process. Once cooled slightly but still a little warm, place lentils in a large serving bowl and toss with dressing. Add onion, walnuts, and currants. This salad keeps well in the fridge for several days. Serve on arugula, and add-ons like roasted veg if you like.