Lentils: The Little Legume That Could!

One of the fun things about homeschooling is cooking new recipes that go along with what you are learning.  One of our favorites of all time (and it was a surprise that we ALL liked it) is Lentil Soup.  

Lentils come in a variety of sizes and colors.  Green petite lentils, black lentils, and red lentils are common varieties.

They are considered extremely healthy and are a great "meatless" option to add into your meal rotation.  Not to mention a frugal buy.

Health benefits:
*Great source of plant based protein (lean too, very little fat!)
*Heart Healthy 
*High fiber that helps lower cholesterol
*Contains Magnesium, Folate, iron and tons of other great vitamins.
*Creates energy and stabilizes blood sugar 
*some studies have shown they help prevent breast cancer
 

One downside to lentils is that they do best when soaked and cooked for 25-50 minutes.  To soak, combine rinsed lentils with water at 90-100 degree water and 2 tsp. salt.  Let sit for 2-3 hours before cooking.  Rinse and cook according to directions.  I often forget to get them started and that can be frustrating if you have lunch planned for lentil soup.  

I recently found a new product that saves me soaking time and cooking time:

Since they are sprouted and dried they will digest easier and cook faster.  Which is a huge game changer!  Plus NO more soaking!  Woo hoo!

Here is our favorite recipe for lentil soup (it is more a guideline then a true recipe):

In a large soup pot saute 1 chopped/minced onion in 2 TBSP coconut oil or olive oil

Add 1 clove of garlic or powdered garlic, brown.

Add 4 cups of water or chicken broth, bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to medium low and add 1 cup of lentils, 1tsp. powdered cumin, and 2 tsp. Real Salt.

Let cook until tender and soft.  Anywhere from 5-20 minutes.  If you like more broth add more liquid.  We like our lentils super salty (yum) so we add more salt when eating them.

My Nemesis: AKA Lunch

I like to cook.  I like to bake.  I LOVE new recipes.  I hate, ahem, dislike planning lunches.  I have my standard fall backs, ya know... sandwiches, veggies and fruit, a hotdog (healthiest I can find), etc.  We also do a lot of leftovers for lunch (these I like!)  Since I  teach cooking classes, I thought doing a back to school cooking class would help others (and of course me!)  It went well, BUT I guess I didn't learn a thing from myself.  You see, as I was fixing lunch today, it was my standard thrown together lunch with, however, a cool addition, champange grapes.  So that's what you get for pictures.  But I'll throw in some of my notes for you.

Top eight allergen free lunch.  Bread is the 2.0 version of my standard recipe.  Watch for it people, it'll get posted soon.

 

Yup, my non-allergy kid is my pickiest, go figure.  And yes, that is a yucky white hotdog bun.  But I need that kid to eat!

The yummy chocolate thing is a new recipe from Enjoy Life on the back of one of their new cereals.  It is certainly YUMMY!

Lunches

Assembled Lunches

·   Wraps (use brown rice or coconut tortillas)

Fill with:

·         Hummus

·         Left over meats from a previous meal

·         Peanut butter or alternative butter

·         Salad fillings

·          Use as a wrap or cut into pinwheels

·    Stainless Steel Hot containers (note: always heat food on a stove not microwave prior to filling container.  Also, while warming food have container sitting filled with hot water to prewarm, food will stay warmer longer)

·         Mac N’ Cheese

·         Soups

·         Chili

·   Homemade Lunchables (Get creative, but make a list.  Look at what Lunchables contain and make your own, only much healthier.  To save time make a week’s worth at once!)

·   Lunch meat (cut by small cookie cutters), cheese (regular or CF), crackers, juice, fruit/veggie

·   Ian’s breaded chicken with BBQ sauce to dip, pudding, juice box

·   Crackers/mini pizza crust, pizza sauce, shredded cheese, pepperoni, milk, fruit, treat

·   Turkey on Schar “sub” bread, applesauce, So Delicious or almond yogurt, cookie of choice

·   Ian’s breaded chicken, BBQ sauce, applesauce, Envirokids rice crispy bar, Protien2Go, water

·   Misc. Container Ideas

·   Boiled Egg, Qwackers, fruit, cheese and meat Kabobs on toothpicks

·   Egg salad on a lettuce wrap, sliced cucumber, granola, Mary’s Gone Crackers

·   Leftover (or planned) chicken wings with dipping sauce, Beanitos, applesauce, carrots

·   Pasta salad, breadsticks, dipping sauce, fruit

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·   Mason Jar Salads

Use mason jars with lids and rings to bring a salad to school or work

            Ideas for filling  them: Start with your lettuce of choice… romaine, spinach, kale and top with

·   strawberries, feta or goat cheese (or non dairy cheese), pecans with dressing

·   diced green apple, cranberries, walnuts and raspberry vinaigrette

·   Try a Cobb salad– diced egg, cherry tomato, onion, avocado, cheese

·   green peas, corn, black beans, onion, tomato, avocado, cilantro, and fresh lime juice

·   garbanzo beans, cucumber, tomato, feta with mixed greens and a vinaigrette

·   BLT – bacon, lettuce, tomato.

·   Beet(really!), goat cheese or non dairy cheese, pecans with balsamic vinaigrette

Ready to Go Lunches

·   Picnic To Go

·   Mac andCheese Cups (GF and GF/CF)

·   Thai Kitchenbowls

·   Allergaroo Pastas

·   Frozen “burritos”

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Things to “throw” in lunches

·   Beanitos

·   Fruitabu

·   Annie’sOrganic Bunny Fruits

·   Nu NuttinBars

·   TastyOrganic Smoothie Fruits

·   Qwackers

·   StretchIsland Fruit

·   NavitasTrailmix

·   EnviroKids

·   Justin’sAlmond Packets

·   Lara Bars(raw, no added sugar, LOVE these!)

·   Enjoy LifeSeed and Fruit (not Nut)

·   Glutino pretzels

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Miscellaneous Ideas

·   Freeze juice boxes and coconut milk boxes, use as a freezer pack.  They will unthaw by lunch.  Shake well.

·   Use an apple slicer to cut an apple.  Cut most of the way through.  Keep together and put in a baggie.

·   Get Bento boxes, plastic ware boxes and make lunch fun.  Little containers, lots of choices

·   Tell your children to bring home what they don’t eat.  You can then adjust for their tastes and appetites.

·   Keep a box on your shelf stocked with a variety of grab and go things: fruit, bars, chip bags, treats.  Same with the refrigerator, keep baggies of: washed and cut veggies/ fruits, yogurts, dips etc.

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