Lentils with Spinach and Quinoa
You do not want to mix old lentils with new lentils. The older lentils are, the longer they take to cook. Lentils will cook unevenly if you mix old and new lentils together.
INGREDIENTS
- ½ cup uncooked quinoa
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon oil
- ½ teaspoon garlic
- 1 cup dry lentils
- Gluten-free, casein-free broth to cover lentils (vegetable, chicken, or beef)
- 3 cups fresh spinach
Add quinoa and water in a microwaveable glass bowl. Cover and heat on high for 4 minutes. Remove from microwave and stir. Heat again for 2 minutes, stir, and let stand for 1 minute.
Pick out debris from lentils. In a medium pan, sauté garlic and oil until clear over low-medium heat. Then add lentils to pan, cover with broth, and bring to a boil for 2–3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and cook until the lentils are tender.
At end of lentils cooking, add spinach to broth.
Drain. Combine quinoa, lentils, and spinach.
MAKES 2 CUPS (SERVES 4)
Calories: 263 | Fat: 3 g | Protein: 16 g | Fiber: 17 g
Lentil Cooking Tips
Wait! Do not add salt to the water in cooking your lentils as these might toughen the beans. Looking for another tip? Wait to add any acidic items to lentils until late in the cooking process as acidic foods make lentils take longer to cook.
