They are one of the world’s most ancient foods and proves itself as a reliable staple being cheap, bountiful, filling, nutritious and even packed with protein while being vegan friendly. This plant-based seed or legume when cooked right has an interesting texture that blends well with many types of vegetables and meat, poultry in particular. Lentils come in different varieties and this is very obvious to see for their color differences are stark ranging from dark blues and earthen tones, beiges and bright yellows and neon orange-reds. Their taste ranges too having nutty and/or meaty elements which makes lentil a good meal filler for meat lovers who need a break from meat.
Nearly everyone is familiar with lentils, and if not you may just know its native term. Since lentils are also low-gluten they do not raise blood sugar levels which makes them a healing superfood and a weight loss tip. They are also high in minerals which keeps our bodies balanced and urgent, being packed with so many minerals and antioxidants you can be perfectly nourished from a meal of simple lentil pot dish with flat bread and tea or fresh fruit juice.
The fiber content is at 8g per 100g and lowers cholesterol effectively while being easily absorbable by the body. Lentil’s nutrients do not leach out as much as other vegetables and its calcium content is used by our bodies more efficiently along with iron and zinc. The potassium level in lentils along with its anti -acid properties is also a good hangover meal if you are in the mood for something healthier and lighter (that must be a bad hangover if you find a burger absolutely repelling).
Consider Lentils More!
Lentils cook fast! Besides being packed with life-giving nutrients and taste they boil and and are ready within minutes. The lighter the color of the lentils are the fluffier or lighter they will be, black, brown and other darkly colored lentils are denser. Lentils do not require soaking like their other legume cousins and they should not even be salted at first, they should be salted towards the end of cooking! The salt being thrown in early on actually breaks them down too much into a more unpleasant mush-that is actually how fragile lentils are. The darker, denser ones retain their form more so they could be thrown into salads, pasta salads or as an additional soup or stew topping.
And we did mention how tasty they are. There are nuttier, meatier even smoky tasting ones and they take on not only the flavor of the spices given to them but by the care of the hands of the cook preparing them. Since I have also mentioned that most of us are probably familiar with lentils, a lot of us may be bored or even repelled by them. Well you have misunderstood a good companion in your diet, this is a very versatile AND tasty dish. You can even mush it up and include it in breads and savory pancakes with spices and oils. You can go Middle Eastern or Asian if you wish, you can eat it with rice or flat bread. I have already mentioned how to cook it without making it mushy- add the salt towards the end, and how to get it cooked perfectly?
Taste it if it is not too hard enough of course!
These legumes are amazing and underrated, they are in second place to soylent green or soybeans and can reach up to 30g of protein per 100g depending on the quality of the lentil. Also being high in B vitamins and folate which both stimulate the growth and health of red blood cell production therefore oxygen is encouraged to distribute more.
We should always think about the humble and often forgotten ingredients we realize (all over again) are delicious and make you feel great like lentils, cabbage, carrots and brown rice are examples of non-boring ingredients. You can very possibly create food that is both tasty and pretty rich and filling with the right combination of spices, vegetables, healthy oils and method of cooking (with love!). Hooray for superfoods and all things meant to do good to your body.
