Herbed Lentils with Vegetables

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Lentils are the perfect side to start the week with in your fridge. They are healthy, nutritious, and can be used as the foundation of many types of dishes. They can be served hot as a stewed option, they can be served chilled as a salad, or they can be mixed into a Mediterranean-like bowl. You could even use them as the base of a soup by simply adding stock!

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Another thing we love about lentils are how comforting they are! We work this recipe onto our weekly meal-prep and highly encourage you do the same.

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What is a Lentil?

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A lentil, which is actually a legume, is a type of plant that grows stems that contain pods with beans such as peas, beans or lentils inside them. Other common examples of popular legumes are English peas, chickpeas, lima beans and even peanuts. Legumes have been the nutritional foundations for people since the rise of civilizations. With a high concentration of protein and fiber per serving, legumes serve as the perfect plant-based substitute for meats and are a staple of most well-balanced vegan and vegetarian diets.

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Lentils are cultivated throughout Europe, Asia, and North Africa and are a popular choice source of protein for the surrounding populations. With hundreds of different varieties, lentils can vary in size, shape, color, and flavor. The lentil, which is essentially the seed of the plant Lens Culinaris, is grown in fields and then picked, and most commonly, dried to be sold.

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Types of Lentils

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Another cool thing bout lentils are the variety there is! While we like using green lentils, it's great to know your options in case you're trying to get a specific flavor profile. While this recipe seems like it has lots of ingredients, most of them are dried spices, herbs and a variety of vegetables.

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• Brown: The most common type of lentil that have a deep “earthy” flavor.
• Green: These range in sizes and have a slightly “peppery” flavor.
• Red + Yellow: These lentils are typically grouped together because they range in color from red to orange to yellow. They typically have a slightly sweeter and nutty flavor
• Black (Beluga): These lentils are much smaller in size and have an appearance similar to that of beluga caviar, hence the name.
• Le Puy: Le Puy, or French lentils, are considered to be a specialty lentil. They are renowned for their texture and shape and also have a unique flavor that comes from the volcanic soil common to the region they come from in France (Le Puy). This is also my personal favorite type of lentil!

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Tips for Making Herbed Lentils with Vegetables

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1. You can always add more liquid: When cooking the lentils, lean on the side of adding less liquid at first. As the lentils cook and the liquid evaporates, you can add more if they are not finished cooking. The broth will take on a lot of flavor so you don’t want to have to strain any of it off at the end.
2. Don’t forget to toast your spices: Once adding your dried spices, make sure you take the time to lightly toast them in your pan. Cooking them slowly for about 2-3 minutes over a low heat helps to really bring out the strong aromatics and flavors and truly makes a difference when trying to develop flavor in your lentils.

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This is one of our personal favorite recipes and one that we truly make all of the time at home! We are so excited to be sharing this one.

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Cheers and eat well!