Lentils Bolognese: sneaking nutrition into a comfort food
Bopping along on the treadmill at the gym one day a while back, I saw a recipe on the distractovision -- those televisions the are visual distractions while you run but which have no sound.
I wasn't exactly sure what it was but 1 saw that it had zoodles (zucchini noodles), lentils and carrots and that was enough to pique my attention...if you've read this blog for any amount of time, you know that I'm a big fan of lentils. I usually eat the plain old green ones but this recipe called for red lentils., which are surprisingly cheaper.
The red lentils (which are actually kind of orange), are great for making a sauce because they boil down to a much softer consistency. The lentils mesh seamlessly into the tomato sauce, adding flavor and fibre to the sauce.
This is also a sneaky way to add some nutrition to a dish when you are cooking for someone who is averse to healthy eating...be it a little kid or a husband.
Zoodles are another great way to sneak in nutrition. It's a vegetable disguised as something that is a lot more fun to eat for those who a resistant to change.
Overall, this is a really fun dish that is packed with nutritious ingredients that tastes an awful lot like a comfort food. For me, it is a real comfort food.
Lentils Bolognese
Serves 4
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 2 carrots, finely shredded
- 1 pinch of salt
- 3 cups of your favorite tomato sauce (homemade or store-bought)
- 1 pinch of red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon of dried (or 1 tablespoon fresh) basil
- 1 teaspoon of dried (or 1 tablespoon fresh) oregano
- 1/2 cup water
- 3/4 cup red lentils, rinsed and drained
- 2 medium zucchini, rinsed and both ends sliced off
- Heat a large rimmed skillet over medium heat. Once it's hot, add the oil and garlic. Sauté for 2 or 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until the garlic is slightly softened and fragrant. Turn down heat if it starts to brown. You just want to bring out the flavor, not really cook it down.
- Add the carrots and a pinch of salt and stir. Cook for 3 or 4 minutes more, then add marinara sauce and stir.
- Add the red pepper flakes, basil, oregano, water, and lentils. Increase heat slightly and bring mixture to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low (or lower if your stove runs hotter) and continue cooking until the lentils are tender for about 17 to 20 minutes. Stir occasionally and add a bit more water if mixture gets too thick.
- Once the lentils are cooked, taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
- While the sauce is cooking, spiralize your zucchini into noodles. You can also just use a vegetable peeler to make flat, wide noodles. Sauté or serve the noodles raw.
- Top the noodles with the lentil sauce and shave some parmesan cheese or with a vegan substitute.
