Makes: 2 to 2 1/2 cups cooked lentils, or about eight servings
Prep time: five minutes
Cook time: 10 to 20 minutes, depending on variety
Ingredients
- 1 cup lentils of your choice, rinsed well, and soaked if desired
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/4 tsp. sea salt
- Water
- Lemon juice
Directions
- Put the lentils, garlic, bay leaf, and salt in a saucepan, and add water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil over high heat, and then decrease the heat to low. Cover and simmer until the lentils are tender (see table at left for specific cooking times). Remove from the heat, drain completely, and discard the garlic and bay leaf. Spritz with a bit of lemon juice and let cool to room temperature.
Tip: Presoaking dried lentils makes them easier to digest and increases nutrient availability. Rinse, then soak in 4 cups of hot water plus 1 teaspoon of salt for 30 to 60 minutes; rinse again before cooking.
Why No Numbers?
Readers sometimes ask us why we don’t publish nutrition information with our recipes. We believe that (barring specific medical advice to the contrary) if you’re eating primarily whole, healthy foods — an array of sustainably raised vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, legumes, meats, fish, eggs, whole-kernel grains, and healthy fats and oils — you probably don’t need to stress about the numbers. We prefer to focus on food quality and trust our bodies to tell us what we need. — The Editors
