The trick is to cook the lentils first to perfection, and then marinate them. And if you can boil pasta, you can cook perfect lentils too.
Makes just over a cup of cooked lentils.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup lentils, black or brown
1.5 cups water
4 tbsp safflower oil (or other oil with a high burning point)
3 cloves of garlic; 2 cloves, sliced and 1 clove cut in half
1 tsp coriander seeds
Salt & pepper to taste
Fresh crusty bread
Directions:
Rinse lentils (a mesh strainer works well), then place lentils and water in a pot. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
In a small pot, add oil, garlic and coriander seeds and bring to a boil; then simmer for 2-3 minutes (this will infuse the oil with flavor), and turn off heat to let cool.
Slice bread, toast if preferred, and rub a cut piece of raw garlic on bread.
When lentils are cooked, drain any leftover liquid, add garlic and coriander infused oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Top bread and enjoy!
That marinade . . . 🤤
Lentils are little powerhouses of nutrition (their phytates are especially potent).
Recently, a former colleague has been posting about his dad's cancer returning.
I don't know his dad, but for those of us who've been affected by cancer - unfortunately too many of us - each time I hear news like this, it breaks my heart.
My immediate reaction is to try and help by sharing nutritional information, but more so to get in the kitchen and cook. Cook whole foods that are packed with nutrients, then deliver it to those who need it.
Since it would be strange for me to show up at his father's house with a bunch of food, instead, I've shared a detailed meal plan that hopefully will help his father's recovery.
There are many factors that contribute to healing, besides the food we put into our bodies. But I wholeheartedly believe that eating food proven to help the body is better than eating food proven to hurt the body. Even though it's common sense, that connection isn't always made.
My work friend's dad is about to undergo surgery, which will likely be followed by radiation, chemo, or a combination of the two. Whatever the case may be, his body should be fueled with the best nutrients that'll compliment his treatment.
Dr. Michael Greger writes in his book How Not To Die (pg. 67):
"Phytates target cancer cells through a combination of antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immune-enhancing activities. Besides affecting the cancer cells directly, phytates have been found to boost the activity of natural killer cells, which are white blood cells that form your first line of defense by hunting down and disposing of cancer cells. Phytates can also play a role in your last line of defense, which involves starving tumors of their blood supply. There are many phytonutrients in plant foods that can help block the formation of new blood vessels that feed tumors, but phytates also appear able to disrupt existing tumor supply lines. Similarly, many plant compounds appear able to help slow down and even stop cancer cell growth, but phytates can sometimes also cause cancer cells to apparently revert back to their normal state - in other words, to stop behaving like cancer. This cancer cell "rehabilitation" has been demonstrated in vitro in colon cancer cells, as well as in cancer cells of the breast, liver, and prostate."
So where else can we find these magical phytates? According to Dr. Greger (How Not To Die, pg.66):
"they are also found in the seeds of plants - in other words, in all whole grains, beans, nuts, and seeds."
I didn't grow up eating lentils and started including them into my diet only recently. Though I went plant-based seven years ago, lentils weren't part of our regular routine until I started getting more conscious about including more whole foods into my and my little family's diet.
We all know veg and fruit are good for us. But I've also learned that greens, beans and grains go beyond the simpler nutrients and provide a vital key to health.
In the last few years, I've been mostly plant-based but it's included a lot of processed food. Lately even just incorporating more whole foods like these lentils into my system, I've already seen benefits: I shaved off a few pounds, my skin looks noticeably younger (although it could be the Korean face masks I've been using 🤔), and I have more energy and strength during hot yoga, even after a four year hiatus from any regular physical activity.
There's much more I can do to get even healthier, but this is a good step in the right direction. #lentilsforlife