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Lentil Soup with Cumin & Coriander

October 14, 2014 8 Comments

Lentil-Soup When I was a kid, my favourite soup was chicken noodle. Preferably from a can. And preferably without any chicken and mostly noodles.

I would often eat canned soup for lunch on the weekends. It was easy enough for me to make myself once I knew how to use a can opener and the microwave (that’s right, I didn’t even cook it in a pot on the stove).

Chicken noodle soup was my thang. For years. Even as an adult, it was one of my favourite things to eat when I was too lazy to come up with something a bit more creative.

Vegan-Lentil-Soup Now, though, I’m obviously done with chicken noodle, but I still love the comfort of soup. My current favourite is vegetable, but this lentil soup is a close second.

It’s easy to throw together, it’s crazy good for you, and it tastes amazing. Way better than chicken noodle soup ever did.

Side note: Photographing soup is HARD. Photographing brown soup is even harder. Perhaps the green parsley on top will help? What if I stick some green in the background?

Be jealous of my food photography skillzzzz. Or not.

Lentil-Soup-Vegan When it’s cold and gray outside (like today at my house!), soup is the perfect remedy. Try this lentil soup and let me know if you enjoyed it as much as I did!

Lentil Soup with Cumin & Coriander
 
Print
Prep time
10 mins
Cook time
45 mins
Total time
55 mins
 
Author: Vegan Insanity
Recipe type: Entree, Lunch
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 4 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 small yellow onion, minced
  • 4 medium carrots, chopped
  • 4 celery stalks, chopped
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 cups green or brown lentils, uncooked (I used brown)
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • ½ tsp coriander
  • 8 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 large bay leaf
  • 2 whole sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1 cup chopped spinach
  • ½ cup chopped tomatoes
  • Salt & pepper, to taste
Instructions
  1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
  2. Add in the onion, carrots, celery and garlic, and cook until tender and browned.
  3. Add the lentils, cumin, coriander, broth, bay leaf and fresh thyme. Give it all a good mix, then add lid and simmer over low heat until the lentils are tender, 30-40 minutes.
  4. Remove the bay leaf and thyme, and add in the chopped spinach and tomatoes. Cook for 3-4 minutes, or until spinach has wilted.
  5. season with salt and pepper, and serve, with some fresh parsley on top for colour (if desired).
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Filed Under: Recipes, Soup Tagged With: beans and legumes, dinner, gluten free, lunch, nut-free, quick and easy, soy free

Vegan Veggie & Black Bean Enchiladas

October 1, 2014 38 Comments

Veggie-Black-Bean-Enchiladas ENCHILADA LOVE OVER HERE!

Just look at these beauties. So gorgeous, so tasty, so healthy, so amazing. I’m in love!

Vegan-Black-Bean-Enchiladas This recipe all started with an expired jar of enchilada sauce.

You see, I had planned on making some enchiladas for dinner recently, and so I went to the store to buy some enchilada sauce. Because, you know, I was too lazy to make my own.

I came home, ready to get down to business, and that’s when I noticed that the enchilada sauce that I JUST BOUGHT was expired. By 3 months!

That’s what I get for trying to go the easy route.

Black-Bean-Veggie-Enchiladas After a fit of rage ensued (not really, but kinda sorta yes it’s true), I took some deep breaths and decided to just make my regular enchilada sauce. I had all the ingredients, and it was easy, so fine. I’ll do it. I wanted enchiladas too bad to give up on the whole operation.

After THAT situation was handled, I got to work on the filling for these enchiladas. I just used a few veggies I had in my fridge. When they were done cooking, I then drizzled some super yum cashew cream on top, sprinkled pretty things on top (because I like pretty food), and stuffed my face.

 

Totally oblivious to the awful enchilada sauce experience I’d just had. Because DAMN, these things are GOOD.

Black-Bean-Enchiladas-Vegan

Vegan Veggie & Black Bean Enchiladas
 
Print
Prep time
15 mins
Cook time
45 mins
Total time
1 hour
 
Author: Vegan Insanity
Recipe type: Main Dish
Serves: 4 Servings
Ingredients
Enchilada Sauce
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tbsp flour (I used kamut flour)
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tbsp oregano
  • 4 tbsp chili powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 cups vegetable broth
Cashew Cream
  • ⅓ cup raw cashews
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 garlic clove
  • ¼ cup water
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Filling
  • ½ tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 small yellow onion, diced
  • 1 small bell pepper, diced (I used red)
  • 1 small zucchini, diced
  • 1½ cups cooked black beans (or 1 15oz can)
  • ½ cup corn kernels
  • ¼ sliced olives (I used black olives)
  • 3-4 green onions, sliced
  • ½ cup chopped cilantro or parsley (I used parsley)
  • Salt & pepper, to taste
  • 8 flour or corn tortillas (I used flour tortillas)
Instructions
Enchilada Sauce
  1. In a small pot, heat your oil until warm, over low heat, then add in the flour and whisk until there are no clumps remaining. At that point, you can add in your spices, tomato paste and vegetable broth. Whisk until smooth. Simmer for about 10 minutes, or until thickened.
Cashew Cream
  1. Add all ingredients to a food processor or high-powered blender and process/blend until very smooth.
Filling
  1. Add your oil to a large pan, over medium heat. Once warmed, add in your diced onion, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
  2. Then, add in the bell pepper and zucchini. Cook for another 5 minutes, or until softened.
  3. Add in your cooked black beans and corn, until it's all warmed through. Season with salt and pepper. Remove the pan from heat and set aside.
  4. Preheat your oven to 350F and add a big ladle-full of enchilada sauce to the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish.
  5. Add about 2 tablespoons of veggies to a tortilla, top with olives, green onion and cilantro/parsley. Roll it up tightly, and place seam-side down in your baking dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas.
  6. Pour the enchilada sauce over your enchiladas, making sure to cover everything well.
  7. Cover the baking dish with foil, and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbling around the edges.
  8. Serve with a drizzle of cashew cream, chopped cilantro/parsley, and a few more green onions on top.
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Filed Under: Entrees, Recipes Tagged With: beans and legumes, dinner, lunch, soy free

Smoky Barbecue Chili with Vegan Sour Cream

September 18, 2014 Leave a Comment

Homemade-Barbecue-Chili-Vegan

Okay FINE. It’s fall. I get it. I’m accepting the cold weather that won’t seem to go away. I’m accepting that soon enough, my kitchen will be bursting at the seems with all things pumpkin (no complaints there!). I’m accepting that OMG CHRISTMAS IS COMING.

I suppose I should get going on my shopping then, huh?

But first – chili. Smoky barbecue chili. To help ease my pain of no more summer.

Homemade-Vegan-Barbecue-Chili

This is such a fun change from the regular chili that I make. I love adding Sweet Baby Ray’s barbecue sauce, because I find it has a sweet, smoky flavour that is really delicious in chili. I also added smoked paprika because, why not? Smoky goodness up in huuuurrrrr.

Vegan-Barbecue-Chili

You don’t have to feel bad eating this chili either. It’s loaded with veggies, veggies, and more veggies. And with a silky white drizzle of delicious, homemade vegan sour cream added on top?

Hot damn! This is a tasty meal. A tasty, healthy meal that I ate two bowls of last week. In a row. I am not ashamed!

Barbecue-Chili

Smoky Barbecue Chili with Vegan Sour Cream
 
Print
Prep time
15 mins
Cook time
40 mins
Total time
55 mins
 
Author: Vegan Insanity
Recipe type: Entree
Serves: 3-4
Ingredients
Barbecue Chili
  • 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium-large red bell pepper, diced
  • ½ large onion, peeled and diced
  • 4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
  • 6 cups diced tomatoes, fresh or canned
  • ½ cup vegetable broth
  • 3 tbsp tbsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1 cup cooked kidney beans
  • 1⅓ cup cooked black beans
  • 1 cup frozen corn
  • 2 tbsp barbecue sauce (I used Sweet Baby Rays)
  • 1 cup chopped spinach
  • ¾ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • Chopped green onions for garnish, if desired
Sour Cream
  • 1 cup raw cashews, soaked for at least 2 hours
  • ¾ cup water
  • 2 tsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • ½ tsp salt
Instructions
Barbecue Chili
  1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add in the pepper and onion and cook until onion becomes translucent (about 5 minutes). Add in the garlic and good for another minute or so, or until lightly browned.
  2. Add in the diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes and mix well.
  3. Add in the beans, frozen corn, and barbecue sauce, and mix again. If it looks too thick, add in some more vegetable broth, just a bit at a time. Remember that it will thicken as it cooks, so you don't want it to be too thick right off the bat. Cook for about 20-30 minutes.
  4. About 15 minutes before the chili is done cooking, add in your chopped greens, salt and pepper. Adjust s&p as necessary.
  5. Serve, topped with vegan sour cream, chopped green onions, or whatever else you like on your chili!
Sour Cream
  1. Add all ingredients to a food processor or high powdered blender and process/blend until smooth. Will keep in the fridge up to 5 days.
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Filed Under: Entrees, Recipes Tagged With: beans and legumes, dinner, lunch, nut free option, soy free

Big Vegan Taco Salad

September 16, 2014 5 Comments

Big-Vegan-Taco-Salad

Hello, my name is Cassie, and I’m still holding on to summer with all I’ve got. Will. Not. Let. It. Go.

Considering I’ve switched from shorts and t-shirts to pants and sweaters in less than a week, I think it’s safe to say that summer has abruptly just up and left me, without even saying goodbye.

Which just means YAY, FALL FOODS TIME! But it also means summer is gone, and also, much of my fave summer meals. Boo. So let’s give summer one last hurrah, shall we?

Vegan-Taco-Salad

This is a big, monster vegan taco salad that I whipped up on a whim the other day, hoping it would bring summer back to me (it didn’t), and it ended up being one of my most favourite salads that I made all summer.

It’s loaded with veggies, quinoa, vegan taco meat and a healthy drizzle of oh-so-good green sauce. It makes my tummy happy.

Big-Taco-Salad

I also added crushed up tortilla chips (Neil Brothers are THE BEST!) on top, because duh, that’s just obvious. It added a nice salty, crunchy flair to the dish. It also kinda sorta helped with getting my two picky kids to eat a meal full of VEGETABLES.

Goodbye summer, you will be missed! And please… let fall last awhile before old man winter comes along! Pumpkin EVERYTHING is calling my name…

The-Big-Vegan-Taco-Salad

Big Vegan Taco Salad
 
Print
Prep time
20 mins
Total time
20 mins
 
Author: Vegan Insanity
Recipe type: Salad
Serves: 1-2
Ingredients
Creamy Green Sauce
  • 1 cup raw cashews (soaked for at least 2 hours)
  • ¼ cup unsweetened almond milk
  • ¼ cup parsley (cilantro would work, too)
  • 2 tbsp lime juice
  • ½ tsp apple cider vinegar
  • ½ tsp onion powder
  • 1 medium garlic clove
  • ½ tsp sea salt
  • ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Taco Meat
  • 1 cup walnuts, soaked for at least 2 hours
  • ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, soaked for at least 2 hours
  • ¼ tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp cumin
  • ½ tsp salt
  • Pinch of cayenne pepper
Taco Salad
  • 4 cups chopped lettuce (I used mixed greens)
  • ⅔ cup cooked quinoa
  • ¼ cup red onion, finely chopped
  • ¼ cup corn
  • ¼ cup cooked black beans
  • ¼ cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
  • ½ cup salsa
  • Handful of crushed tortilla chips (optional)
Instructions
Creamy Green Sauce
  1. Add all ingredients to a high-powered blender or food processor and blend/process until smooth and creamy. Set aside.
Taco Meat
  1. Drain walnuts and sun-dried tomatoes.
  2. Add all ingredients to a food processor and process until combined, and still a bit chunky. Set aside.
Taco Salad
  1. On one large plate or 2 medium-sized plates, add your lettuce, quinoa, red onion, taco meat, corn, the black beans, cherry tomatoes and salsa.
  2. Drizzle on a heavy amount of dressing, sprinkle with crushed tortilla chips, if desired, and dig in! If you have any left over, the dressing should last in the fridge for 4-5 days.
Notes
*Make this recipe gluten-free by omitting the tortilla chips (or using a gluten-free variety).
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Filed Under: Recipes, Salad Tagged With: beans and legumes, dinner, gluten free, lunch, oil free, quinoa, soy free

Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie

September 11, 2014 9 Comments

Vegan-Sweet-Potato-Shepherds-Pie

Fall is in the air. Can you smell it?

Though it’s not technically fall yet, I have already started making fall foods, because fall foods are the BEST EVER EVER.

Like this sweet potato shepherd’s pie. Gluten-free and loaded with good stuff like lentils, peas, carrots and corn. Perfect for fall.

Shepherds-Pie

You can really add any veggies you’d like to this dish, but I’ve always loved corn, peas and carrots. Along with celery, onions and garlic for some flavour, of course. I also swapped the traditional potato topping and used sweet potato instead.

Sweet potato:

Is a good source of magnesium (which helps with relaxation)
Is a source of vitamin D, which is hard to get in a vegan diet
Is naturally sweet-tasting
Contains almost twice as much fiber than other types of potatoes
Is good for your heart

So go ahead – stuff your face with sweet potatoes!

Shepherds-Pie-Vegan

I love the hint of sweetness that the sweet potato brings to this dish. It really balances nicely with the vegetables and seasonings.

I always add a sprinkle of paprika on top of my shepherd’s pie, both for flavour and because it looks pretty. And good looking food just tastes better. It’s a fact. Look it up.

So let’s eat up, my friend! This sweet potato shepherd’s pie is not gonna last long around me – get it while you can!

Sweet-Potato-Shepherds-Pie

Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie
 
Print
Prep time
10 mins
Cook time
60 mins
Total time
1 hour 10 mins
 
Author: Vegan Insanity
Recipe type: Dinner
Serves: 6
Ingredients
  • 4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled & chopped into small pieces
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ cup diced celery
  • ½ cup diced onions
  • 1 large garlic clove, minced
  • ½ cup diced carrots
  • 4½ cups cooked lentils
  • 2 cups diced tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp non-dairy milk (I used almond)
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • paprika & fresh parsley, for garnish
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350F.
  2. Steam your sweet potatoes and set aside.
  3. While the sweet potatoes are heat a large pan over medium heat. Once warmed, add a tbsp or so of oil, then add in the diced celery, onion, garlic, tomatoes and carrots. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until softened.
  4. Add the cooked lentils and soy sauce to the veggies, and heat until warmed through.
  5. Once your sweet potatoes are finished steaming, mash with the non-dairy milk some salt & pepper.
  6. Scoop the lentil & veggie mix to the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish, then spread the mashed sweet potatoes over top and spread in an even layer.
  7. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until the top has browned lightly. Sprinkle with a bit of paprika and fresh parsley, if desired. Serve warm.
3.2.2807

Vegan-Shepherds-Pie

Filed Under: Entrees, Recipes Tagged With: beans and legumes, dinner, gluten free, nut-free, potatoes, soy free

Quinoa, Lentils & Sauteed Greens with a Creamy, Savoury Dressing

September 2, 2014 9 Comments

It’s no secret that I’m a big fan of quinoa bowls. They’re easy, they don’t take long to make, you can prepare them in advance, they’re a simple solution to excess food in your fridge that needs to be used up, AND they travel well. If those aren’t good enough reasons for you to go make yourself a quinoa bowl RIGHTTHISSECOND, I don’t know what is.

Vegan-Quinoa-Lentils-Greens

I often make pretty simple quinoa bowls because I can’t be bothered to slave away in the kitchen for hours on end (usually). So recently, I made this bad boy.

And he was YUM. Only 3 things in my quinoa bowl (including the quinoa) and a delicious, savoury dressing smothered on top. Awww yea! It doesn’t look like much, but it was perfect. The dressing really makes this bowl, though, so if you skip it, you will have a very sad, bland, boring quinoa bowl on your hands.

Lentils-Quinoa-Greens

I’m still working on getting my little ones to eat quinoa bowls, but they are stubborn! They’ll eat the quinoa, but only if it’s plain. One of them will eat the lentils, but only if the other one isn’t around telling her how “gross” they are.

Sigh. One of these days my kids will like more than just bread and chocolate – right? Please tell me I’m right!

So – on to this delicious quinoa bowl masterpiece [not]…

Quinoa-Lentils-Greens

First, cook up some quinoa and divide between bowls. Cook up some lentils and do the same. While those two are cooking, sautee some greens with a tiny bit of oil, salt, and black pepper. Then, make the dressing.

Ta-da! No muss, no fuss. Simple, easy, delicious.

Quinoa, Lentils & Sauteed Greens with a Creamy, Savoury Dressing
 
Print
Prep time
10 mins
Cook time
35 mins
Total time
45 mins
 
Author: Vegan Insanity
Recipe type: Lunch, Dinner
Serves: 2
Ingredients
Lentils
  • ½ cup brown or green lentils
  • 1½ cups water
  • 1 medium-large garlic clove, crushed
  • 1 bay leaf
Quinoa
  • 1 cup quinoa
  • 2 cups water
Greens
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 cup greens of choice (kale, spinach, swiss chard)
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
Dressing
  • ¼ cup nutritional yeast
  • 3 tbsp water
  • 3 tbsp tamari
  • 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 medium-large clove of garlic, grated
  • ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1.5 tbsp tahini
Instructions
Lentils
  1. Add lentils, water, garlic and bay leaf to a small pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low-medium and simmer about 25-40 minutes, or until most of the liquid has been absorbed and the lentils are tender. Remove bay leaf and crushed garlic. Set aside.
Quinoa
  1. Add quinoa and water to a small pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low-medium and simmer about 12 minutes, or until most of the liquid has been absorbed and the quinoa is tender.
Greens
  1. Heat oil in a medium pan over medium heat. Once warmed, add the greens and cook until softened. Sprinkle on the salt and pepper, turn off the heat, and set aside.
Dressing
  1. In a small bowl, whisk together all ingredients until smooth.
Putting it all together
  1. Divide quinoa between bowls, then add in the lentils and sauteed greens.
  2. Pour a healthy amount of dressing over each bowl. Serve warm!
3.2.2708

 

Filed Under: Entrees, Recipes Tagged With: beans and legumes, dinner, gluten free, lunch, quick and easy, quinoa, soy free

Fruity Wheatberry Salad with Greens & Chickpeas

August 26, 2014 Leave a Comment

Have you ever made a recipe that was SO GOOD that you just couldn’t wait to shout it from the rooftops and tell all of your friends? Well, I have. (Often.) And this is one of those recipes.

fruity-wheatberry-salad

This past weekend, I was struggling with my menu plan. Nothing on it sounded interesting to me. I needed to change it up. So I did what I always do when I can’t think of what to make: I turned to my dear friend Pinterest. She gets me. She solves all of my [food-related] problems.

While I was browsing Pinterest, I came across this older recipe from Angela – Heat Wave Summer Salad. I wouldn’t say we were having a heat wave that day, but we certainly were experiencing a really hot summer’s day, so  I checked out the recipe.

vegan-wheatberry-salad

And…. I’m not gonna lie, I almost went back to searching Pinterest. Wheatberries with peaches and berries? Plus chickpeas and sauteed greens? What? How does that even work?! And the dressing has mustard and CINNAMON.

Everything just sounded so… weird. Like, there’s no way that combination of food would actually work.

wheatberry-salad-vegan

And then I remembered that it was Angela sharing the recipe, not some random person that just started a food blog 2 weeks ago. Angela is a well-respected vegan food blogger, and has been for years – there’s no way she would post a recipe that tasted weird!

So, I decided to give it a go.

vegan-fruity-wheatberry-salad

And all I can say is – YOU HAVE TO MAKE THIS RECIPE. Holy wow is it ever good. The ingredients combine so well, and it’s like a flavour explosion in your mouth with every bite. The dressing, as weird as it sounded to me in the beginning, really helps pull everything together and make it a well-rounded, satisfying dish.

This recipe makes a lot, but I don’t suggest cutting it in half, unless you’re just making the recipe for one person. Because, hello – LEFTOVERS!

I had leftovers of this yummy meal for lunch yesterday and it was marvelous. Just as good as when I’d made it the day before.

wheatberry-salad

So don’t be weirded out by the ingredients in this dish. Just trust me (and Angela) when I say that this recipe is AMAZZZZZING.

Fruity Wheatberry Salad with Greens & Chickpeas
 
Print
Prep time
15 mins
Cook time
1 hour
Total time
1 hour 15 mins
 
Author: Vegan Insanity
Recipe type: Lunch, Dinner
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
Salad
  • 1 cups wheatberries
  • 1½ cups cooked chickpeas
  • 1 cups chopped peaches, skins removed
  • 1 cup blueberries
  • 1 cup sliced strawberries
  • 4 cups chopped raw kale or spinach (I used kale)
  • ½ cup almonds, chopped
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Dressing
  • 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1½ tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 tsp hemp oil
  • 1 tsp flax oil
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • ¼ tsp cinnamon
  • ½ tsp salt
Instructions
Salad
  1. Cook your wheatberries by combining 1 cup wheatberries and 3 cups water to a large pot. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer, cover, and cook for about 1 hour.
  2. Sautee your kale in a pan of water (just a bit of water is fine), until wilted. Set aside.
  3. Chop your almonds and add to a large bowl with peaches, blueberries, strawberries, chickpeas, sauteed kale and cooked wheatberries. Add in the dressing (all of it), and mix well, being careful not to smash the fresh fruit.
  4. Serve cold or at room temperature (I think it tastes best at room temperature).
Dressing
  1. Add all ingredients to a small mason jar (or small bowl) and shake/whisk until combined. Taste and adjust seasonings, if needed.
Notes
Recipe slightly adapted from Oh She Glows.

*For a nut-free dish, omit the almonds. Replace with sunflower seeds.
*If you don't have hemp or flax oil, replace either with extra virgin olive oil.
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Filed Under: Recipes, Salad Tagged With: beans and legumes, dinner, lunch, nut free option, soy free

How to Sprout Lentils

June 4, 2014 2 Comments

Sprouts are one of the easiest things you can make at home. I used to buy sprouted lentils all the time, because they are awesome in salad, but now I make my own because the simplicity is hard to beat. Not to mention, it’s much more inexpensive to sprout lentils at home than to buy sprouted lentils at the store!

So, why do you want to eat sprouted lentils anyway? Why are they better than regular lentils?

While cooked lentils are a powerhouse of nutrition, sprouted lentils are even better. They’re easier to digest, leave you with less gas & bloating, and sprouting increases the amount of vitamins in the lentils.

You only need 4 things to make your own sprouted lentils: a mason jar & ring, very thin cloth (I used cheesecloth), water, and dried lentils.

Sprout-Lentils-Supplies

The first thing you want to do is put some lentils in a jar (I used about 1/4 cup lentils and 3/4 cup water).

The lentils are going to expand quite a bit, so don’t put too many of them in there. Just a little bit will yield quite a few lentils once they’ve sprouted.

Sprouting-Lentils

 

Put the lid on your jar, with the piece of thin cloth underneath. Make sure it’s on there tight.

Then stare at your jar of lentils. This is going to be so exciting! Homemade sprouted lentils for salads, in regular-lentil dishes and even as a tasty snack on their own!

Sprout-Lentils

How-to-Sprout-Lentils

Put your jar in a dark corner of your kitchen and leave them alone for 24 hours.

I put mine in the back corner of my kitchen, away from direct sunlight.

Lentils-Sprouts

After 24 hours, drain the water, rinse the lentils and put them back in the jar. Add a new piece of thin cloth to the jar, do NOT add any more water, put the lid on the jar and let it sit in a dark corner again, for about 12 hours – only this time, lay it on it’s side.

Lentil-Sprouts

Rinse the lentils, drain them, and add a new piece of cloth, Leave them out of direct sunlight, repeat this process every 12 hours, until your lentils have sprouted and the sprouts are at least 1/4 inch in length. This took about 3 days for me.

Vegan-Lentil-Sprouts

Spread the lentils out on a towel and let air dry before storing in the refrigerator (in an air-tight dish). They will last for 5-7 days.

Green-Lentil-Sprouts

Look how cute they are!

What? Lentils can be cute, can’t they?

Lentil-Sprouts-Vegan

Filed Under: How-to Guides Tagged With: beans and legumes, tips and tricks

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I'm Cassie - vegan food lover and animal rights activist. I live in Vaughan, Ontario, right near Toronto, with my husband, our 2 kids, 3 cats, and a dog that thinks he's a cat, too. I love to cook and share delicious vegan food with everyone I know. MORE →


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