Lentil recipes: Soup to crackers all from this amazing little legume!

Lentil recipes need to take into account the different properties of the varying varieties. French green lentils are best for soup as they keep their shape. Red, green and yellow tend to get mushy and very tender. Please sort prior to cooking as small pebbles make it through the sifters.

Lentil soup

• 1 medium onion, diced
• 3 carrots, scrubbed and finely diced
• 4 stalks celery, finely diced
• 3 potatoes peeled and diced
• 2 green zucchini, finely diced
• 1/2 c barley
• 2-3 medium tomatoes, diced
• 1 1/2 c French green lentils, sorted (look for pebbles) and rinsed
• 1/4 c coconut, olive or rice bran oil
• 2 Quarts vegetable stock
• 2 cloves garlic
• black pepper
• 2 bay leaves
• Sea salt to taste
• 2 c water

Saute onion, carrot, celery and garlic in oil until tender, add in all the other ingredients. Turn heat to medium - low and simmer for 30 minutes, stir often. Potatoes and barley will help to thicken the soup. Test lentils to make sure they are tender. Remove bay leaves prior to serving.

This soup tastes best the next day, once flavors get a chance to mingle. Thin with a little water if the soup gets too thick once cooled.

Lentil recipes for Dal

Dal is an Indian specialty. It's great served with pita bread, Naan or rice.

• 1 small onion, diced
• 2-3 medium tomatoes, diced
• 1 c Red lentils, sorted (look for pebbles) and rinsed
• 1/4 c coconut, olive or rice bran oil
• 2 C vegetable stock
• 1 T garlic
• 1t garam masala
• t cumin
• Sea salt and pepper to taste

Saute onion in coconut oil until tender, add the spices and cook a few minutes, then add in tomatoes, stock and lentils. Turn heat to medium - low and simmer for 30 minutes, stir often and add some water to desired consistency. Test lentils to make sure they are tender. Add salt and pepper in now and enjoy.

Oven 300 degrees

Food processor

• 1/2 c cooked French green lentils
• 1/2 c garbanzo bean flour
• 1/2 c raw sunflower seeds and 1/3 c raw Pepita that have been soaked and pulsed in food processor
• 1/3 c flax seeds
• 4 T balsamic vinegar
• 2 T coconut oil
• 4T curry powder
• 2 t cumin
• 1 t agave nectar
• 1 t sea salt

Put all ingredients in the food professor and blend until a medium density dough is created. Don't over process, a little texture is good.

Put parchment paper on a big baking sheet, then oil it up. Pat the mixture onto the sheet as evenly as possible (thin) and score into square shapes. Place in oven for 30 minutes, pull the sheet out and flip the crackers over. Bake for 10minutes more. Remove crackers and cool on a rack.

Lentils are great added to salads, soup and stews. They are a great source of protein and nutrients.

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