This was delicious, satisfying, healthy and easy, and made enough for four big portions. Don't skip the lemon juice - it's the key to transforming a pile of lentils and rice into something special.
1. Soak 1-1/2 cups dry brown lentils for an hour or two. Drain.
2. Dice 1 large yellow onion. Saute in olive oil for 8-10 minutes, stirring frequently.
3. Add 2 carrots and 2 celery stalks, diced, and salt and white pepper to taste. Saute for another 4 minutes or until softened, stirring frequently.
4. Add 4-5 cloves of garlic,* minced, and 1-1/2 cups brown rice. Toast, stirring constantly, for about 2 minutes.
5. Add 6 cups vegetable broth and 2 bay leaves. Stir well, bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes.
6. Add the lentils, and stir well. Simmer 20 minutes.
7. Add 3 or 4 big handfuls of fresh spinach (baby spinach, or regular spinach chopped into 1/2-inch strips),** and stir well. Simmer 10 minutes.
8. Ladle onto plates. Add a generous squeeze of lemon juice to each serving, and a sprinkling of fresh parsley if you have it.
* I use a lot of garlic in just about every recipe. If you're not a big garlic lover, you can reduce it to 1-2 cloves.
** I have also made this with kale - it was just as delicious, and gave it a little more of a bite. I added the kale a little earlier to give it a chance to get tender.
Enjoy!
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