Red lentils are the easiest of all legumes to cook with – no pre-soaking required, quick-cooking and mild-flavoured. In this recipe, I’ve combined them with high-nutrient vegetables to make a tasty, versatile sauce.
- Red lentils are high in protein, fibre, folate, iron and the important trace elements molybdenum and manganese;
- Tomatoes are high in lycopene, which protects against heart disease and prostate cancer;
- Vegetables are your best defence against cancer.
Ingredients:
2 cups water
1 cup red split lentils
1 onion, chopped
1 clove fresh garlic, minced
Your choice of any or all of these vegetables: ¼ eggplant, diced; ½ cup mushrooms, thinly sliced; 1/3 green or red capsicum, diced; 1 medium zucchini, diced
400 g can diced tomatoes (no added salt)
2-4 tablespoons tomato paste (no added salt)
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
freshly ground black pepper
Method:
Place the water, lentils, onion and garlic in a medium saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare vegetables and add to the lentil mixture. Simmer until all vegetables are tender; if using eggplant, add first and simmer for 10 minutes before adding other vegetables.
Stir in remaining ingredients and simmer for another 5 minutes.
Serve over baked potatoes (as shown above), brown rice, quinoa, wholemeal or legume pasta, or just over steamed vegetables.
