By Besty Naselli
I spend a lot of time with food: soaking, sprouting, blending, baking. Most of the time I really enjoy the time I spend buying produce—whether it is in a grocery store or an outdoor market—and most of the time I really enjoy making meals for myself and my family.
There are those times, however, when I don’t. When I am just not in the mood, or have a touch of some flu or cold going around which makes me feel less than motivated to spend creative time in the kitchen. I like to have some “go-to” things on hand in my pantry or, ideally, my refrigerator ready for those days.
I have probably mentioned in earlier columns the convenience of having cooked grains, beans, and greens on hand.
Bowl of Goodness
This recipe does require that you have a cooked grain (pasta, quinoa, millet, rice, etc.) on hand, and that you have sprouted lentils at the ready. The amounts are for one generous serving; increase accordingly.
Don’t let the sprouted lentils allow your eyes to glaze over and decide this recipe is not for you—they are quick and super easy to sprout. Please, please do not use the microwave— you’ve gone through the effort to sprout the lentils, after all.
1/2 C cooked grain
1 C washed and finely chopped kale, collards, Swiss chard or spinach – this can be raw or steamed
1/2 C sprouted red lentils*
coconut or extra virgin olive oil tamari or raw apple cider vinegar
1/8 t. turmeric (optional)
1 t. dulse flakes (a sea vegetable high in minerals—optional)
salt and pepper to taste
Place a small amount of water in a saucepan with a stainless mesh colander that will fit inside, and find a cover to fit over it. If your greens are raw, place them in the colander and steam until tender. Then add the grain and sprouted lentils and steam again until heated and the lentils change color a bit. Done! Place in a large bowl and add a drizzle of your favorite oil and the tamari or vinegar. Sprinkle with turmeric (it is anti-inflammatory) and dulse flakes and salt and pepper to taste.
If you also have some other cooked vegetables on hand—carrots, peas, broccoli, whatever—you can add them in too.
*Sprouted Lentils
1/2 C red lentils
Soak lentils in water to cover overnight, drain and rinse and continue to drain and rinse until they develop little tails; this should take a day or two, perhaps three if the environment is chilly.
The easiest method to do this is to use a jar with a sprouting lid, which is an open screw-on lid that is fitted with a mesh screen. If you don’t have one of these, a canning jar or old mayonnaise jar with a double piece of cheesecloth rubber banded over the top will work. It helps to leave the jar on its side after draining so there is more air exposure. That’s it!
Once sprouted, rinse and drain and put in a covered container in the refrigerator. Use them raw on salads or toss into soups and stews in addition to using them in the recipe here.
Betsy Naselli owns The Holistic Lifestyle Company in the Syracuse area. www.TheHolisticLifestyleCompany.com
The Atlantic Chapter encourages you to move toward a plant-based diet to protect the environment, human health and wildlife, and to make better use of natural resources. To learn more and receive more recipes, contact the Biodiversity/Vegetarian Outreach Committee at LDESTEFANO3@twcny.rr.com, (315) 488-2140, 5031 Onondaga Rd., Syracuse, NY 13215-1403 or visit our website.