Most people are eating at home more often these days, including yours truly. Saving money is a big priority, and being experimental in the kitchen is key for avoiding boredom: With these ideas in mind, I suggest you test a lentil ragu.
Lentils are deliciously inexpensive and each serving offers tons of protein and fiber. Texturally, they are a perfect substitute for meat in a traditional ragu sauce. If you're using prepared pasta sauce, simply cook up some lentils and heat them with the sauce before serving. Season as you please.
Changing it up will help you from resorting to takeout, and you're giving yourself a healthier meal by adding these nutrient-filled legumes. Best of all, lentils are a snap to prepare, so you're not forced to choose saving time over saving money.
All Saints
American Retro
Yumi
I thought there was going to be a recipe posted here...
1me too!
2me three...I love lentils.
3Me 4!!! Dang...any tips, Fit? My son, DH and I all love lentils!
4me 5!
5Never had lentils...
6Lentils are awesome and can be put in so many different dishes.
I like to cook lentils with chopped onion, garlic, water and bay leaves in a pot (no salt during cooking, it makes them tough).
I then cook more diced onion, bell pepper, diced zucchini and more garlic in a pan with a bit of olive oil. Once that is heated up, I toss in some chopped stewed tomatoes and Italian herbs, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder and a bit of salt. I add cayenne too. Yum! Once the lentils are ready, I add them to the sauce and cook it down a bit. I serve it over my gluten-free pasta and it's filling and totally tasty.
I found a recipe for Middle Eastern Lentils in the New York Times (see their website) and adapted it to my own taste and it turned into a pasta sauce recipe. The recipe in the NYT had waaay too many lentils and hit my tummy like a brick the first time I made it, so after switching things around, I now have a weekly dinner that tastes great.
Lately my grocery store has only offered huge tubs of baby spinach, so I chop up a few handfuls to toss into the homemade sauce. It looks like fresh herbs, thus my boyfriend eats it. mwahahaha! >:D
Tonight I put lentils in my homemade vegetable soup, they add protein and the non-bean fan here doesn't notice them.
7Post New Comment
Please share your opinion with our community, but make sure it is on topic and follows our Community Rules. We moderate comments and prohibit personal attacks, threats, spam, lewd images, or the promotion of your personal website.