Sprouted Lentils with Asparagus

Sprouted lentils might be my favorite sprouted legume to eat raw, as they taste essentially like a cooked lentil with a little more flavor and crunch. Lentils sprout easily in a short amount of time, and once sprouted they are tender enough to eat raw or slightly cooked if desired. Any variety of lentil may be sprouted; however, because the red lentils are small and usually split, they sprout in rapid time and are generally sprouted and ready to eat within a day. Sprouted lentils with asparagus are delicious with stuffed bell peppers and beets and tangerines.

1 c sprouted lentils

½ lb asparagus, trimmed and roughly chopped

1 small yellow onion, finely diced

1 tbsp fresh basil, roughly chopped

¼ red bell pepper, thinly julienned

½ lemon, juiced

2 tsp olive oil

salt and pepper

1. First, sprout lentils, which takes 8-24 hours, depending upon the variety of lentil.

2. Next, heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Add onion and sauté until golden brown and caramelized, about 20 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. Once onions are caramelized, add asparagus and bell peppers, stir until combined and remove from heat.

3. Combine sprouted lentils, caramelized onions and vegetables, basil and lemon juice and gently fold to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

4. Serve salad room temperature or chilled.

Serves 3-4

Sprouted Lentils

As a child, my parents co-owned a small sprout business based in Montana and only recently have I revisited the culinary practice of sprouting seeds. Germinating seeds into sprouts for consumption, either raw or cooked, is most commonly known as sprouting. Sprouting has a long history of use among humans, recorded by Chinese physicians thousands of years ago; sprouting continues to be a popular culinary tool in present day societies. To sprout any seed, two basic steps need to be followed including soaking the seed in water for a period of time and draining the seed thus exposing the sprout to oxygen required for continued growth. Seeds germinate best at temperatures around 60-75 degrees out of direct sunlight. Different seeds have different soaking and draining requirements, depending upon the dormancy of each seed. Sprouted seeds are a versatile ingredient and may be consumed raw or cooked depending upon the seed sprouted and personal preference. For more information on sprouting any number of nuts, seeds and grains, visit sprout people.

½ c lentils

water

1 quart glass jar

cheese cloth

rubber band

1. Place the lentils in the quart glass jar. Add about 3 c water. Cover the opening of the container with cheesecloth and secure with a rubber band. Keep the container at room temperature out of direct sunlight. Soak the lentil for 8-10 hours.

2. Leaving the cheesecloth and rubber band intact, drain the lentils, thoroughly rinse them and drain again. Place the drained lentils at an upside down angle, to allow proper and thorough drainage (e.g. on an angled dish rack). Keep the upside down container at room temperature and out of direct sunlight for 24 hours, allowing the lentils to sprout.

3. Drained and mostly dry sprouted lentils may be kept in the refrigerator for 5-7 days.

Makes about 1 c sprouted lentils

Warm Red Lentil and Spinach Salad with Goat Cheese

Lentil salads, such as warm red lentil salad, are the perfect way to continue eating lentils during spring and summer. Lentils, a member of the legume family, were one of the first crops domesticated by humans in the Near East. Due to their high protein content, lentils remain an important part of the diet around the world, especially in South Asia and the Middle East. In the States, it seems lentils are frequently cooked in lentil soup and while delicious, is certainly not the only way to cook lentils. Warm spiced red lentils with caramelized shallots over sautéed spinach and fresh tomatoes topped with crumbled goat cheese are reminiscent of similar dishes served in Persian cuisine and are delicious with tangerine beets and roasted potatoes.

Any variety of lentils may be used, though cooking times and water quantities may vary. Feta could be used in place of goat cheese. Yellow or red onions may be used instead of shallots. Omit the goat cheese to make the dish vegan.

For the Samimi-Aazamis, my Persian dears, in celebration of their anniversary.

1 c red lentils

2 c water

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp grated ginger

1 clove garlic, pressed or finely chopped

2 medium shallots, trimmed and thinly sliced

1 lb fresh spinach, trimmed

1 medium tomato, finely diced

1 tbsp mint, finely chopped

1 tbsp cilantro, finely chopped

2 tbsp plus 1 tsp olive oil

salt and pepper

4 oz goat cheese, crumbled

1. Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a Dutch oven or similarly heavy pot over medium heat. Add lentils and cumin, sauté until lentils become slightly translucent, 3-5 minutes, stirring continuously. Add ginger and garlic, sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add water, bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium low and simmer lentils until water is almost completely reduced and lentils are tender, 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Once cooked, remove from heat and set aside.

2. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat, add shallots. Sauté shallots, stirring often until shallots are golden brown and caramelized, 15-20 minutes. Once caramelized, remove from heat and combine with cooked lentils, mint and cilantro. Season lentils to taste with salt and pepper.

3. Using the same medium skillet, heat 1 tsp olive oil over medium heat. Add spinach and sauté until wilted, 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in tomatoes. Season spinach to taste with salt and pepper.

4. Serve lentils over sautéed spinach and tomatoes and top with crumbled goat cheese.

Serves 3-4

Tomato Braised Lentils

Lentils, a type of pulse or legume, have been a part of the human diet for thousands of years and were one of the first crops domesticated in the Near East. They are an excellent and inexpensive source of protein and so an important part of the diet in parts of the world with large vegetarian populations. Lentils are easy to cook and a versatile ingredient, which lend them well to an array of dishes aside from lentil soup. I like braised lentils along side feta roasted potatoes and fried sweet potatoes.

Any type of lentil will work for this dish, though water amounts and cooking times might require adjustments.

1 c lentils

1 medium carrot, peeled and finely diced

1 stalk celery, trimmed and finely diced

1 medium yellow onion, trimmed and finely diced

1 clove garlic, pressed or finely chopped

½ c white wine

3 c water plus more as necessary

1 c tomato purée

1 tbsp parsley, finely chopped

½ tsp oregano, finely chopped

½ tsp basil finely chopped

1 tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper

1. Heat olive oil in a medium Dutch oven or similar style heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrot and celery and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and lentils, stir to combine, add wine and bring to a simmer. Add water, cover pot, reduce heat to medium or medium-low and simmer lentils until tender, about 30-45 minutes.

2. Once lentils are tender, stir in tomato purée, bring to a simmer, cover and braise until liquid has been reduced.

3. Add freshly chopped herbs, remove lentils from heat and set aside for about 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve warm or room temperature

Serves 3-4