If you're like me, the holidays may have given you one or a zillion opportunities to overindulge at the table, buffet line, cocktail bar, dessert counter … So if you are trying to eat a bit healthier this year, consider just one or two ways to tweak your cooking to help you along. My first suggestions for anyone seeking a healthier diet involve two simple steps:
- Work more fiber into your meals, and
- Work more vegetables into your meals.
This dish does both. Packed with lentils, it's an easy fiber boost without a lot of fuss. While the lentils simmer, you can prep the rest of the vegetables to keep the preparation time down for this easy dish. You definitely want vegetables in this, but you can pick and choose what goes in based on your preferences, what's in the fridge, or to cater to any picky eaters in your home. I try to keep the mix pretty colorful. You'll note that there are a couple colors involved. Do that often and it will add color, flavor, and nutrition to your plate while making healthy eating that much easier.
This is an easy recipe that can be the foundation of a bowl dish (stir-fry or poke anyone?), a great side dish to everything from steak to seafood to poultry and more, or a main course when cooked protein gets stirred into the mix at the end (animal protein, tofu, or even a mix of whole nuts all work). However you choose to serve it, give yourself a pat on the back for choosing healthier meal options for you and your family. Oh … and enjoy!
Mushroom Lentil Sauté
- 1 cup uncooked French green or black lentils
- 2 cups water
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 8 oz. baby bella mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt - I used Kinder's Woodfired Garlic Seasoning
- 8 oz. baby spinach
- 1 cup coarsely shredded carrot
- ¼ cup sliced almonds
In a medium saucepan, combine the lentils and water and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 17 to 20 minutes or until tender but not mushy. Drain any excess water; set aside.
Add the olive oil to a large, nonstick skillet or sauté pan and heat it over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and sauté until tender within and crisp at the edges. Add the seasoned salt and stir. Add the drained lentils, spinach, and coarsely shredded carrot. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes until the spinach is wilted and the carrots are slightly softened. Sprinkle the top of the pan with the sliced almonds before serving.
- Yields: 4 servings
- Preparation Time: 30 minutes