After the birth of our second baby, we had an amazing outpouring of support in the form of a meal train. Meals were provided for us for over a month – and it was the best gift we ever could have received. We tried many new recipes, and I vowed to create a cookbook perfect for meal trains. It’s been 4 1/2 years, and I still haven’t done that yet – but I have been collecting recipes and sharing them all along the way!
This lentil recipe is one of our favorite ways to eat lentils – and it’s so easy to throw together at the last minute. It’s one of my favorites on chilly nights, it only takes about an hour to cook, and you can throw just about any vegetable in it. In the Spring, you can use whatever you can find - spring turnips, mushrooms, garlic scapes, spring onions. In the Fall, you can substitute yellow potatoes for the sweet potatoes, and in the Winter, it’s a great way to use up some of that winter squash in your storage room. You can also add in some greens for extra veggie power. I’d saute them until wilted and throw them in before serving, rather than cook them with everything else. The recipe as written below is our favorite way to eat it, but trust me when I say anything goes with this one!
Everyone in the family loves these – and baby E thinks they are like candy. This makes a big batch, so it gives us dinner plus several lunches. It also freezes well - so you can eat half now and save half for a night when you need something quick. We often eat previously prepared meals out of our freezer on those nights when all I really want to do is order take out. It’s way cheaper, and it tastes much better too!
Teriyaki Lentils
Adapted from several sources
Ingredients
1 1/2 cup dried green or brown lentils
1/2 cup onion, chopped
2-3 carrots, chopped
1-2 cloves minced garlic
1-2 sweet potatoes (depending on size)
1 T grated fresh ginger (or 1 teaspoon powdered ginger)
1 quart chicken stock (if you don’t have it, you can use veggie broth, water, or any combination of. You can also add some white wine if you’re short on broth)
2 T soy sauce
1/4 cup honey
1/4 tsp chili powder
1 1/2 T olive oil
salt/pepper to taste
Preparation
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Put all your veggies & the lentils in a 9×13 baking dish. Pour broth and seasonings over the top. Mix well. Bake for 1 hour (or until lentils are tender, but not creamy).
Serve over rice.
I’ve also successfully made this in the crockpot, cooking on low for 4-6 hours. You’ll want to make sure you’re around to check them though, because if lentils cook too long they breakdown and get creamy. They are still delicious that way, just have a much different texture.
Photo by Gaelle Marcel on Unsplash.