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Health experts say everyone should routinely include vegetarian meals in their diets to help reduce saturated fat and cholesterol. This hearty, Mediterranean-style dish is a satisfying and delicious way to do just that.
Prep time 45 min.Cook time 35 min.
Serves 4
You Will Need
3 cups water
1 cup brown lentils
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/2 cup diced, drained, and rinsed canned roasted sweet red pepper
1 medium stalk celery, diced
1/2 cup diced red onion
1 cup diced and seeded plum tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
What to Do
1. Bring water, lentils, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt to boil in 3-quart saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, until lentils are firm but fully cooked, 20 to 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, mix parsley, sweet pepper, celery, onion, tomatoes, garlic, lemon juice, oil, black pepper, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt in large serving bowl.
3. Drain lentils, add to serving bowl, and toss. Serve warm.
Round Out the Meal
Serve with leafy lettuce, goat cheese and flat bread. For dessert, a baked apple topped with vanilla frozen yogurt.
Health Hint
If you use enough of it, parsley not only adds its own earthy flavor to dishes, it contributes a significant amount of antioxidants such as vitamin C and beta carotene.
Cook’s Clue
Unlike most dried beans and other legumes, lentils require no soaking before cooking and in fact, if soaked first, will become mushy when cooked. However, you should always rinse lentils lightly in a sieve or colander before cooking and pick through with your fingers to be sure there are no stones or other debris in the batch.
Per serving
250 calories / 29% from fat
1 g saturated fat, 8 g total fat
0 mg cholesterol
253 mg sodium
34 g total carbohydrate
8 g dietary fiber
15 g protein
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