Lentils are a superlative brain food. Not only are they affordable (they cost less than $1 per serving), they’re packed with dietary fiber and protein.
Makes eight servings
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 60 minutes
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup low-sodium vegetable broth or 1 tbs. coconut oil for sautéing
- 4 celery stalks, cut into 1⁄2-inch pieces
- 1 carrot, cut into 1⁄2-inch pieces
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 2 onions, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 6 cups water
- 6 cups unsalted vegetable broth or bone broth
- 2 cups red lentils
- 1/4 cup brown rice
- 1⁄2 tsp. curry powder
- 1⁄2 tsp. ground cumin
- 1 tbs. lemon pepper
- 1 tsp. pepper
- Garlic salt (optional)
- 1 tbs. fresh lemon juice
Directions
- In a large soup pot, heat the vegetable broth or coconut oil. Sauté celery, carrot, bell pepper, onion, and garlic for about five minutes.
- Add water and vegetable broth to the pot. Stir in the lentils and rice. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 25 minutes.
- Stir in curry powder, cumin, lemon pepper, and pepper; add garlic salt to taste if desired. Simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes, or until lentils fall apart and mixture thickens. Stir in lemon juice.
- Ladle soup into bowls and serve hot.
Tip:
Lentils are an excellent source of vitamin B1 (also called thiamine), which helps the nervous system and brain function properly.
From The Brain Warrior’s Way Cookbook: Over 100 Recipes to Ignite Your Energy and Focus, Attack Illness and Aging, Transform Pain into Purpose by Daniel G. Amen, MD, and Tana Amen, published on November 22, 2016, by New American Library, an imprint of Penguin Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC. Copyright © 2016 by Tana Amen and Daniel G. Amen, MD.
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
