Red lentils on their own might not be fantastic to you, but pairing them with these simple ingredients has them bursting with flavor! If you can find flaxseed oil in your grocery store, this is a great opportunity to try it in a dressing.
It can’t be used for cooking since it’s unstable at high heat, but is the richest source of the omega-3 fatty acids that are essential in our diet.
Maple Dijon Red Lentils Recipe
Prep time:
Cook Time:
Time from start to eating:
Makes enough for 2
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Ingredients
- 1 cup red lentils
- 3 medium beets
- large handful of spinach, chopped
- 2 Tbsp flax or olive oil
- 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 tsp maple syrup
- 1 Tbsp fresh thyme
- handful fresh sprouts
Directions
- If you are using dried lentils, they must be fully cooked before you begin. Lentils do not need to be soaked before cooking, but if you like to it doesn’t hurt to soak them for an hour. This will reduce their cooking time by about 10 minutes. Be sure to drain the soaking water since it contains some of the gas-producing power of the beans. Add enough water to cover them by 2 inches, then gently boil them with NO salt. You can add a bit of kombu (seaweed) to the cooking water while they boil for improved digestibility. Red lentils will take about 20 minutes to cook.
- If you are using canned, look for a can that does not have any salt listed in the ingredients. Some varieties are actually cooked with kombu, which is ideal. Be sure to rinse and drain the lentils before using them.
- While the lentils are cooking, steep the beets by putting them, whole and with their skin on, in a pot with enough water to come halfway up the beets. Sprinkle a bit of salt on them, rub it into their skins, cover the pot and bring to a boil. Turn down to simmer, and allow the beets to cook for about 20 minutes, until they are soft when pierced with a fork.
- Whisk together the rest of the ingredients, except the chives, and let the dressing sit for the flavors to come together while things finish cooking.
- Drain any excess water from the lentils and remove the beets from their pot. Peel and chop the beets, putting them in a large bowl with the lentils and the chopped spinach. Toss them together, allowing the spinach to wilt in the heat. Pour the dressing over and toss again to coat the vegetables and lentils. Serve topped with a sprinkle of fresh sprouts.
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