Lentils anyone??

Ok, so I heard somewhere that lentils are supposed to be good for you, low cal, high fiber, etc etc.  So I went a got a bag but not sure what to do with them.  I know you can make soup with them and I've thought about using them with ham instead of split peas.  Has anyone else every bought them and how did you eat/prepare them?  I'd like to start making them a food I eat often due to the fact they are so high in Fiber.

Thanks ~ Carla!!

I've been asking this same question for about a week now. 

Yes! Lentils are good. I make a lentil soup, and one of my family's favorite dishes is Lentil-Bulgur Salad. I'll be back with a link for you on that one; brb.

http://www.calorie-count.com/recipe/59094.htm l

Yum! I took this to a dinner party a couple of weeks ago, and people LOVED it. It's not a pretty dish, but wow, is it ever good!

http://homecooking.about.com/library/archive/ bllentils.htm

(One of my cats is named "Lentil," so reading lentil recipes is sometimes... a little disturbing! :-D )

I love lentils, here's one of my favorite lentil soup recipes.  The recipe calls for red lentils, but if you bought brown lentils, they will work just as well, though you may need to cook them a little longer, just test them to make sure they're tender.

http://caloriecount.about.com/recipe/71879.ht ml

And here's another lentil thread that has some good recipe ideas also (including one of mine for a lentil salad)

http://caloriecount.about.com/forums/post/593 48.html#3

 

I just boil them in a pot with a 3:1 ratio of water to lentils.

I make lentils often.  I cook them in veggie stock to give them more flavor.  Soups are great, but I also love veggie lentil loafs...similar to a meat loaf without the meat!!! LOL!

Lots of recipes here http://vegweb.com/index.php?board=178.0

I love this site and this soup looks tasty http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/lively-u p-yourself-lentil-soup-recipe.html 

This Carrot-Lentil loaf recipe looks tasty and low-cal! http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinde r.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=2263 95 ;

Cold lentil salad is also really good!  Loads of lentil salad recipes here http://www.cooks.com/rec/search/0,1-0,lentil_salad,FF.html

I eat lentils at least twice a week. They're sooo cheap and easy to cook. I prefer red lentils, mostly because they cook quickly (about 15 minutes boiling). I basically just boil them and toss in chopped onions and garlic. I use coriander and turmeric as seasonings. If I'm feeling fancy, I'll add chopped fresh jalapenos, or diced tomatoes, or cubed tofu for protein. I like to eat them with a big dollop of greek yogurt and some naan.

Edited to add: I never add salt until the end of cooking (with lentils or beans) because it can make them a little tough.  

I honestly don't even know what lentils are!

Lentils are like a super-food. I eat them at least 3-4 days out of the week.

I usually just make a soup because I'm too lazy to make a loaf or anything. My favorite is lentil and squash soup. Mix lentils, squash, and chopped onion until the lentils are cooked and the squash is soupy.

Lentils are also great when seasoned with garam marsala to make dahl, an Indian dish. Mix with tomatoes and, if you like, potatoes with onion.

I have a wonderful lentil recipe I just made up one day.  Here it is....

Cook your bag of lentils (after you wash them and check for any rocks, etc in the bag) in chicken broth.  This is virtually calorie free and gives the lentils a rich flavor.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, stir fry with a little olive oil, salt and pepper (to taste), and a couple teaspoons cumin, your favorite veggies (I usually use carrots, celery, bell pepper, broccoli, onion, garlic, mushrooms, zucchini, etc.) - make sure to cut them small (like dice).  Cook until no longer raw, but take them off the heat while they're still crisp - you don't want them mushy.

Remove veggies from the skillet with a slotted spoon and in the same pan, brown some lean ground turkey with salt and pepper to taste.

Once the veggies are done, the turkey is browned,  and the lentils are tender, combine all three (mix well but gently so you don't mush the lentils) and pour  into a big 13x9 pyrex oven-proof dish.

(Optional)  Mix together some Bisquick biscuits (single biscuit packs where you just add water) and drop them on top of the lentils - two rows of three or four, depending on how large you want your biscuits.  Sometimes I just line one side with biscuits so I can have the option of no biscuits if I want it. 

Cook at 400 degrees, or whatever temp the biscuit pack says, for about 15 minutes until biscuits are light brown.  Or, if you're not using biscuits, you can still use the same time and temp.

This is delicious, and really doesn't take long to make - chopping the veggies is the most time intesive.  But, you can cook the veggies and the turkey while the lentils are cooking - by the time you're done, the lentils are just about done and you're ready for the final step.

Give it a try - my husband who is definitely NOT a veggie lover, LOVES this dish and requests it by name at least four times a month.  Let me know what you think if you try it. 

This is an old Persian recipe. Stir fry an onion with a little olive oil. Peel and cook a medium butternut squash. Boil 1/3 of a cup lentils. Once the squash is ready mash it and mix it with drained lentils and sprinkle some cinamon over it. My grandma used to add a spoon of brown sugar to it but I don't. I can eat this 7 days a week and love it.

I use lentils a lot, so useful to up your fibre, I add them in lot's of things, curries, stews, soups - yummy and filling.

I Haven't had lentils in years and this week I made Lentils Soup.

Rinse the lentils and check for pebbles first always!

Soak in boil hot water 1/2 lb of lentils for 15 min. 

I Did about 1 cup onion , celery, carrot chopped in a little olive oil cumin and thyme a dash of ground red pepper s&p med heat 5 min. 

Then add the lentils 4 cups chicken stock or water 1 can diced tomatoes and the rind from some parmasan cheese. Simmer on low uncovered for 1 hr adding water as needed. A little red wine at the end if you like. 

ITS SO GOOD! yummm!

It was filling and the first time since I started CC I actually got 26 grams of fiber in my daily meals.

Some of you may already know this but just in case...  I LOVE pork but it only seems to love my thighs and butt so I try to avoid using the (yummy) ham hocks when I cook beans, lentils especially.  Instead I use smoked turkey wings to make a stock, then add lentils for a soup or stew.  For extra protien cut up a hard boiled egg to garnish your soup or stew.  I also could eat lentils nearly every day but it's been a while, thanks for reminding me and inspiring me with new recipes!

There are tons of ideas on the Recipes Forum!

Search:  Lentils

I use Indian spices to make Dal Lentil soup.
Boil 4 cups water. Add salt, 1/2 teaspoon tumeric, and 1 cup lentils.
Cook for 30-45 minutes or until lentils are soft.
Then in a separate pan, put 2 tbsp oil with about 1-2 teaspoon of each spice: turmeric, cumin, red chilli powder, garam masala and heat until there is a froth.
Add spice mix to lentils.
I love this because I love flavorful food and I feel like some lentil soups have lots of sodium and this is just spices and oil. I usually use canola oil but you can use oilve oil too!

Hello Carla,

For a quick & easy low calorie lentil recipe visit

http://fatfreeindiancooking.blogspot.com/

HTH

i make lentil noodle soup. I will cook the lentils and add some cut up spaghetti in the pot until cooked... very yummy! :)