Reduce meat consumption by switching to a diverse, plant-based diet. This delicious recipe is based on lentils, a legume full of nutrients and a non-destructive crop that is actually good for the earth.
Sustainability tips:
Lentils are a sustainable food, low in calories and rich in fibers and vitamins. Read about the properties of lentils from WebMD.
Remember that supporting organic and sustainable produce goes a long way to reduce harmful pesticide use. I also suggest to avoid produce in plastic bags and to bring your own reusable bags to help reduce the amount of plastic dispersed in the environment. I can send you free cotton grocery and produce bags entirely upcycled from old fabric. Just contact me if you need any.
Useful things to have ready
Rinse and soak the lentils overnight. Drain the lentils and let them stay in a container, covered for about 2 days, rinsing and draining them at least once a day. On the second day the lentils will be sprouted.
I suggest to steam the sprouted lentils in the microwave or boil them for 5-10 minutes in lightly salted water. This will make them softer.
Preparation time: about 15 minutes plus 3 days to sprout the lentils
Ingredients (3-4 people)
- Sprouted lentils (about one fistful of dry lentils per person)
- 1/2 onion finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric
- 1 tablespoon of unsweetened shredded dry coconut (optional)
- Crushed red chili (optional)
- 2-3 tablespoons of oil
- Salt
Procedure
- Rinse the soaked lentils, drain them and keep them in a pot with closed lid.
- Check the lentils daily, making sure they don’t become too dry, you can rinse them and drain them once a day.
- The lentils should sprout in about 2 days.
- Option 1: Place sprouted lentils in a pot, cover them with water, add a little salt and bring to a boil for about 10 minutes. This will soften them.
- Option 2: Steam sprouted lentils in the microwave for 6-7 minutes.
- Heat up the oil and add chopped onions.
- Sautee onions until gold add turmeric and red chili (optional)
- If desired you can add the coconut powder at this point and sautee for 2 minutes.
Add steamed (or boiled) lentils and sautee for 5 minutes.
Enjoy!
Help reduce meat consumption! If you have a vegetarian recipe you would like to share please email me at info@choosesustainable.org and I’ll post it on this blog.
Still undecided? Read here about the destructive impact of the meat industry on forests.
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