red lentils?

[nameless]

So every week I'm trying a new food, this week is red lentils!  I saw them on The Chew - good protein, fiber, etc. good for vegetarian meals. I'm trying to do vegetarian lunches.

Any easy recipes for the lentils? I'm finding lots of complicated indian dishes, moroccan, but nothing that looks easy.

Anyone?

Adrienne

[GoingNuts]

I would just use them in a good lentil soup. 

I just bought some myself; after 30 years I got the courage to try them again, and no GI issues - hooray!    I'm hoping to have time to make soup with them this weekend.

[nameless]

I'm not a soup person, nor have ever eaten lentils (knowingly!)

I'd like something like a side dish, like what I do with quinoa. I opened the bag and I love the smell of it uncooked! I also like the smell of basmati rice.

Adrienne

[krasota]

They cook up mushy, like a puree.  We usually brown onions in oil with garlic and ginger and then cook. 

[CMdeux]

I just cook them up in chicken stock in the microwave.  I don't d brown rice with them the way that I do puy or green lentils, because the orange/red ones get a little overdone in the time it takes to cook brown rice.

We like them with cumin and garlic/onions, or with a little cinnamon and coriander.

They make a wicked good spread if you mix them with ground canned chickpeas or white beans, too.

[nameless]

Looks like I'll need to play this weekend!

Weeknight experiment is roasted beets. yes, that's right, I've not had beets since childhood. My mom gave up trying to get me to eat them how she prepared them.

Found some golden ones and light red ones and purpley ones at Whole Foods this week. Gonna roast w/ EVOO, sea salt, pepper.

This weekend - LENTIL FEST

Adrienne

[GoingNuts]

The beets will be heavenly!

[becca]

I had a lentil mix, and it cooked for just 15 mins, so the lentils were al dente.  You do it with some diced celery, onion and carrot.  Once drained and cooled toss with a dressing of lemon, olive oil, salt and pepper, and some raw diced crunch veggies of oyur choosing.  Parlsey would be good too.  And a little fresh raw garlic if that is your thing(I love garlic). 

Let me try to find the basic recipe i toyed with.  BRB.

It was this:

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Mediterranean-Lentil-Salad/Detail.aspx?a=b

And I played with it a bit, adding lebanese cucumbers, dices carrots, and celery after cooking and cooling the lentils.  Tomato would be good, if you had a good one, really anything, like you migh tdo with a rice or quinoa salad.  They take on what you use flavor them.  never used red ones alone, so just do not overcook, since they can turn to mush.

if you decide to go for a soup, i have a good lentil spinach soup recipe. 

[nameless]

thanks becca! that's the kind of thing I think I'm looking for, and I have gotten a lot of feedback on not cooking too much. I had no idea they got mushy.

Adrienne

[becca]

I once made an awesome dressing for a cous cous salad that migh tbe good as well.  More of a sweet balamic:  It is in this recipe:

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/couscous-salad-with-dried-cherries/detail.aspx 

This is not as light flavored as the lemon one.  BTW, this was an awesome salad.  I used the "Harvest Mix" from Trader Joe's.  it has Israeli cous cous, some lentils and quinoa.  Worked really well.   Dd eats it all the time(the mix, plain, not the salad, lol). 

[becca]

So, tonight we had the Trader Joe's Organic Tricoloroed quinoa mix.  I know how you love TJs, A!

I just ran across this recipe, in searching out some new ideas.  I have not made it, but it looks good!  Of course, you can leave out the walnuts(I would).  Sunflower seeds might work, or nothing).  It uses both lentils and quinoa.  I got a great blnd of lentils from the bulk bin at my local natural store(but not sure how that works for allergies for others).  This place will talk with you about it, but dd does not do lentils, si it is not a concern for me.  Any lentils would do.  But the smaller ones might match the cooking time well for the quinoa.

http://www.cookingquinoa.net/lentil-salad/

[hk]

I love the Red Lentil Dal on Epicurious.  I've been making it for years.

Running out the door or I'd look up the recipe now.  Will try to remember to do it later.

[Mookie86]

I have to say that the mention of The Chew makes me sad, for I watched All My Children.  With that said, keep me posted what you do with the red lentils because I recently decided I'd like to resume eating lentils.  Even if my kids don't like them, I love them and should have them!

[becca]

Are red lentils actually orange?  if so, I have had a bag here for a very long time.  Need to do something with them, lol.  If they are not too old.

[krasota]

They're reddish orange. 

You might also have chana dal, which resemble yellow split peas.  Those are hulled and split black chickpeas.