Lentil spaghetti bolognaise

How crazy authentic does this bolognaise look?

I was so happy with my lentil 'mince'. Super impressive on all counts….looks, taste and how easy it was to prepare.

This is probably the easiest and healthiest spag-bol you’ll ever make!

Ok, so the ‘spaghetti’ is green I give you that, I julienned a courgette to make spaghetti noodles but you could easily swap in actual spaghetti instead, no dramas, I won’t mind. I just fancied doing some ‘julienning’ since I love the peeler so much! In any case it’s the bolognaise that’s the real star of the show.

You could eat this on its own as a warming snack, spooned over a jacket potato or on a bed or spinach or kale. It’s just so versatile. The flavours are really authentically ‘bolognaisey’ as well- at least I think so (don’t shout at me if you disagree). I added a little beetroot chutney since I had some in the fridge, this simply gives it a greater richness of flavour but isn’t critical or you could add another condiment or chutney of choice for added body and depth.

The one and only important part of this recipe is to use the right lentils! Mine were ‘dark speckled green lentils’ that I’d soaked overnight from dried and cooked up a big batch of to freeze leftovers. Just make sure they are dark lentils (not red or yellow) and that they hold their shape firmly once cooked. I made the mistake of first experimenting with this recipe a few weeks ago at my dad's house and the lentils I took out of the freezer I thought were the ‘hold their shape type’ er no…I ended up with a pile of mush. Edible but not great to look at. You have been warned!

Recipe: Lentil spaghetti bolognaise

Serves 2

Ingredients

1 tbs olive oil

1 small red onion

1 1/2 cups cooked dark green lentils- either cooked from dried or tinned (important to use lentils that hold their shape stay firm once cooked)

1 small tin (200g) chopped tomatoes

1-2 cloves garlic or ¼ tsp garlic powder

¼ cup beetroot chutney (optional for richness of flavour)

1/2 tsp mixed dried Italian herbs (or use fresh)

2 courgettes or use pasta or choice

Method

 

Saute the onion for 5 minutes until softening. Add all remaining ingredients other than the courgettes and simmer for 5 mins.

Whilst the ‘bolognaise’ simmers, slice the courgette into noodles using a julienne peeler. I set the bolognaise aside once cooked and used the same pan for the courgette (to save on washing up) but you can use a separate pan if desired to cook the courgette for 3-4 minutes.

Serve the courgette ‘pasta’ around the edge of a plate and pile the bolognaise in the centre. Serve immediately.

For further guidance on making gluten free choices please see this post.

For tips and info on recipe measurement conversions, ingredients, substitutions and the methods behind how I do things.... check out my 'baking tips' tab at the top of the page.

lentil lunch

This is isn’t even a recipe really, it’s more of a principle. So many people I know still get scared about the idea of vegan cooking….

“It will be boring”

“It will just taste of vegetables”

Or simply…

“I just wouldn’t know what to cook!”

We my point is it’s really none of the above…ok I admit at first it takes a little effort to get into the swing of things whether you are fully fledged vegan or simply trying to swap a in few healthy meals each week. It requires effort only because it’s different to how we’ve been brought up to perceive food, different to what we’re used to doing on auto-pilot…we need to break out of the cycle and yes that does require some effort until you get into the zone.

I personally enjoy the challenge, and when I first started the transition I loved the fact it forced me to think outside the box and come up with new quirky ways to enjoy these foods and flavours. However I fully understand that for the others that side of things just holds no interest, food is functional and the creativity is not sparked…but that’s ok too ya know!

So, here’s where we strip it back, keep it simple…but tasty.

As I said, this is not so much a recipe but a principle. A quick and easy light lunch (as it was here) or bump it up for a hearty dinner. Combine as many colours and textures as you can with some beans of lentils for protein, all wrapped up with some tasty seasoning and you are pretty much there, and we all know the general principle…the more colourful a meal the more nutritious it is. Good to remember!

I have provided the ‘recipe’ below but it felt a little silly since the whole point is to mix it up with whatever you have to hand. This lunch came off the back of my ‘freezer prep session’ a week or so ago, when I cooked batches of beans and lentils (and much more) and bagged them up in potions for the freezer.  I used these lentils as my main source of protein, lovely green lentil as they hold their shape and texture so well once cooked, I also used grated courgette for cooking speed along with a lot of chunky chopped tomato as I had a surplus of those too and not much else in the fridge at the time! A sprinkling of cashews  gave a satisfying finish…perfect!   You could easily increase the portion size or add some toasted pitta bread or flatbread with a dollop of humus at the side for some extra carbs.

Recipe: Lentil lunch

Serves 1 for a light lunch

Ingredients

1 tsp curry paste (I used madras)

½ cup cooked green lentils (see this post)

½ medium courgette grated

3 tomatoes cut into chunks

Handful of cashews

(note: you could add or substitute chickpeas, grated carrot, cauliflower, peppers, spinach…or so many more vegetables if you wished)

Method:

In a medium frying add the curry paste and grated courgette and stir fry for a couple of minutes. Add the cooked lentils (or pre-cook in a separate saucepan) along with the chopped tomatoes and continue to stir to warm through and allow the tomatoes to soften down and create a flavoursome sauce. Once fully cooked through, serve with a sprinkling of cashews.

For tips and info on recipe measurement conversions, ingredients, substitutions and the methods behind how I do things.... check out my 'baking tips' tab at the top of the page.

peanut butter and lentil dip

This is the best one yet…I promise you!  I’m actually surprised I haven’t got it up on here before now.

I love this dip so much I haven’t really had much need for exploring other dip or hummous type recipe in recent weeks…and that is very unlike me!

So simple. I use my freezing method and whip up a big batch (often  doubling the recipe) and then freeze dollops ready for when I need a dip or sandwich filler at short notice.

This dip is deliciously smooth and creamy and with a lovely warming amount of spice. Not overly spicy (well that’s up to you!) but just super tasty and also smoky if you use smoky chipotle sauce (I really recommend you do!) I love the peanutty taste, if you make your own PB make sure you roast the peanuts first to give it a great depth of flavour. You could of course use other nut butters if you fancy, although I find peanut butter has a strength of flavour that works really well with the lentils.

I nearly always serve this dip warm with a load of raw veggie sticks, as that’s my personal preference, but if you prefer it cold….go right ahead.  If serving from frozen, defrost a ‘dollop’ and then mix through with a spoon, adding a splash of oil or milk alternative as necessary to get a good cream texture. Warm through in the microwave for a few seconds…and there you have it..

So, how would you dress this dip up? When I’m not simply ‘dipping it’, I use it as a base for a sandwich or a wrap,  I have also used it to fill a jacket potato…now that was yummy! With a little more liquid it would probably make a great pasta sauce too.

Get creative…have fun!

Recipe: PB and lentil dip

Makes approx. 3 cups

Ingredients:

1 tbs olive oil

1 onion- chopped

1 cup red lentils

2 cups veg stock

1/3 cup peanut butter (or other nut butter)

½ tsp each garlic powder, cumin powder, chilli or smoky chipotle sauce

Method:

Cook onion in olive oil for approx. 5 minutes to soften.

Add the lentils and veg stock and cook for 20 minutes. Drain the lentil mixture and return to a food processor/blender.

Add the remaining ingredients and puree all together to get a thick smooth dippy paste.

Store in the fridge (eat within 2-3 days) or spoon serving sized dollops on a baking sheet and freeze individually on the sheets before removing and storing together in the freezer.  Simply defrost to serve.

For tips and info on recipe measurement conversions, ingredients, substitutions and the methods behind how I do things.... check out my 'baking tips' tab at the top of the page.

Lentil dhal with aubergine

I thought I’d throw in another simple savoury recipe to interrupt the recent flow of sweet treats. Also since today is Pancake Day and I just know that I will indulge later on…I am hoping that posting a super healthy savoury recipe will go some way to in re-addressing the balance. That’s how it works, right?

So for a cheap and easy protein kick, we have…lentils.

Lentils are a little underused in my kitchen. Crazy really , since they are so versatile and so full of protein (a nice change from beans!). Similarly aubergine (eggplant) is also an unknown entity to me.

Both have been put to good use in this recipe. The simple principle of the dhal can easily be combined with other vegetables.  One of the things I like most about the dhal is that it creates a lovely moist ‘bed’ for the topping in a similar way to how rice, quinoa or cous-cous would otherwise be used. It is a lovely light meal on its own or can be combined with some carbs by way of potato or some bread on the side.

Aubergine works really well here and provides a really substantial almost meaty texture and not at all mushy (the mushiness in some recipes has put me off aubergine in the past). I added some tomatoes at the last minute which give an amazing sweetness. I served this dish with my flatbread which can be made gluten free.

This lentil exploration came about as a result of my other lentil experiments - namely this dip recipe. Now I want to explore further and try out all the variations… green, brown, puy, beluga, and not just stick with the regular red split lentils that are found most commonly here. I’m also curious to see whether lentils could be used in any sweet dishes….well, chickpeas and sweet potatoes do lend themselves to the cause so why not lentils?  Watch this space!

Recipe: Lentil dhal with aubergine

Serves 2

Ingredients

120g red lentils

1tsp turmeric

1 tbs curry paste

2 tsp olive oil

1 medium onion- sliced

1 garlic clove

3 cm ginger- grated

1 tsp garam masala/curry powder

1 medium aubergine- cut into 1cm rounds

Large handful of cherry tomatoes- halved

Method

Cover the lentils turmeric and curry paste with 500ml water, add a pinch of salt. Boil for 15 minutes until the lentils soften.

Meanwhile cook the onion, garlic and ginger in the oil for 5 minutes. Add the curry powder/garam masala along with the lentil mixture and simmer for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile griddle the aubergine in a little oil plus seasoning to taste if desired. Cook for approx. 3 minutes on each side until cooked through.

Add the tomatoes to the griddle during the last couple of minutes cooking time.

Serve aubergine and tomatoes on a bed of the lentil dhal, with a naan/flatbread side dish for a more substantial meal.

 
For tips and info on recipe measurement conversions, ingredients, substitutions and the methods behind how I do things.... check out my 'baking tips' tab at the top of the page.