Lentil Sloppy Joes
This may just surprise you. It’s comforting and tasty. It’s full of fiber and flavor. It uses up greens in a way that you might not have thought of before! I want to continue our series of greens recipes today with this original recipe for a lentil mixture that can be enjoyed on its own as a meal, as a side dish or most excitingly as filling for a Sloppy Joe-type of sandwich. One of my favorite ways to get protein into my diet is beans and greens. Beans and greens have so much to offer- protein, fiber, vitamins galore! I can’t say enough about the humble combo of beans and greens!
Beans and Greens, a power packed duo!
To make this recipe I used an electric slow cooker, a fairly big one. If you don’t have one, use a large saucepan or soup pot on your stove top and cook until your lentils are tender. Cooking times vary between slow cookers, but lentils, like all beans, are fairly forgiving when it comes to cook times, just as long as they are not undercooked.
Ingredients:
1 lb of lentils (Use the most common green-brown ones or the French lentils because the red and yellow ones fall apart and are better for sauces and soups.)
4 cloves of garlic, minced or pressed
½ of an onion, chopped
4c vegetable broth
28 oz can of crushed tomatoes
1c of water
Salt and pepper to taste
1/3 c nutritional yeast (optional)
1 T fresh parsley, chopped finely
Chop finely
Chopped greens (I used one bag but this recipe could definitely accommodate probably twice that depending on your taste)
Instructions:
Place the first six ingredients into your electric slow cooker. I like to give the ingredients a quick stir just to make sure that nothing is clumped up. It isn’t necessary, but I do it anyway. Set your slow cooker on high for 4 hours or on low for 8 hours (or bring to a boil on the stovetop and then lower the heat to simmer, cover and cook until the lentils are tender). At the end of this cooking time, when your lentils are tender, add the rest of the ingredients and turn the slow cooker to high for about an hour.
Remember to “taste it as you make it” and to chop your greens small so they blend in with the texture of the lentils. This is a kid-friendly meal and when served as Sloppy Joes you can choose to add a slice of cheese to each sandwich as well. Let me know what you think in the comments below!
