As much as I love lentils, they are not very photogenic, poor things. Luckily they taste better than they picture...this dish, "Garden Lentil Pilaf" by Ellie Krieger, is right up my alley. I made it for the first time last night and ate all four servings myself. Yeah...I definitely went crazy for it.
For me, it was a bit pricey simply because of the fresh herbs, which I don't grow myself so the store ousts my wallet for them ($3 a bundle). *faints* But, the fresh herbs really make this recipe, so if you do decide to make it, please do not leave them out. Hopefully you have a more budget-friendly source for your greens than I.
Along with salt & pepper, the recipe calls for fresh-squeezed lemon juice. Mmmmm...I love anything sour. Gimme! Gimme! :) And now...for the recipe:
1 cup green lentils
2 cups water
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons diced shallots
3 cups baby spinach leaves (I used bok choy because I had it on hand and crave it)
1 cup, halved grape tomatoes (I used yellow ones for contrast)
1/4 cup fresh basil - chopped
1/4 cup fresh mint - chopped
1/4 fresh parsley - chopped
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Place the lentils in a pot with the water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until the lentils are tender, but still retain their shape, 30 - 35 minutes. (I could have reduced the cooking time to 25 minutes...mine were a little over cooked). Drain any excess water from the lentils and set them aside.
Heat the olive oil in a large skilled over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the spinach and cook until just wilted, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, cooked lentils, basil, mint, and parsley to the pan and stir to combine. Cook until warmed through, about 1 minute. Stir in the lemon juice, salt, and pepper, and serve.
Enjoy!
