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Easy vegan holiday recipes: French lentils with spinach and nutmeg
Providing an entree for your vegetarian and vegan guests for the holidays doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. Western New York shoppers can buy French lentils in bulk at the Lexington Co-op (807 Elmwood Ave., Buffalo, 886-COOP).
French lentils are firmer than their brown lentil counterparts. French lentils make an excellent entree substitute for vegans or vegetarians, because they remain firm after cooking, adding texture to any dish in which they are added.
The nutmeg and tumeric in this recipe for vegan French lentils with spinach add sweetness and flavor to the lentils. If you don’t have fresh nutmeg, you can substitute nutmeg that is already ground.
While you’re shopping at the Lexington Co-op for your French lentils, you can also purchase fresh nutmeg in the bulk spice aisle. If you won’t use a lot, you can buy just one nutmeg, and it won’t cost you very much. You can also buy tumeric in the bulk spice section. But just a couple of teaspoonsful, and it will only cost pennies. You can also buy bay leaves in the bulk section at the Lexington Co-op.
When purchasing your French lentils, if you don’t think you’ll use them again, or you want to try the recipe before committing to an several pounds, simply buy what you need. That’s the great thing about shopping at the Lexington Co-op in bulk, you buy just what you need. For easy reference, 1 pound of dry French lentils equals approximately 2-1/4 cups dry lentils. You’ll need just under 1/2 pound for French lentils with spinach, nutmeg and tumeric.
French lentils with spinach, nutmeg and tumeric
- 1 cup French lentils, rinsed and picked over
- 4 cups water
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 clove garlic, finely minced
- 1/4 cup carrot, peeled and finely chopped
- 2 celery ribs, finely chopped
- 2 Tbsp. red or yellow onion, finely minced
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1/2 tsp. ground tumeric
- 2 cups fresh spinach leaves, rinsed, stem removed, torn
- fresh nutmeg
- salt, to taste
Directions:
- On stove top, place 4-quart soup pot on burner and turn up to medium-high. Let pot get hot, then turn down to medium, olive oil, onion and garlic.
- Saute onions and garlic for approximately 2 minutes, until translucent.
- Add celery and carrots. Saute until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add bay leaf, water and lentils. Return heat to medium-high and bring to a boil.
- Once boiling, reduce heat to low, cover and cook for approximately 30 to 35 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove the bay leaf.
- Stir in torn spinach leaves.
- Grate a little (about 1/2 tsp.) fresh nutmeg over French lentils. Stir, turn off heat, let stand, covered, for 2 minutes. Serve over hot cooked Jasmine rice or hot cooked farro. Yield: 2 servings (approximately 1 cup each serving).
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