Meat eaters: BEWARE. You will nibble cautiously at first, unsure as to what you are about to encounter, and then, before you even realize what is happening, you will hear yourself say, “Is there enough for seconds?” And the happy answer, “Yes,” will meet your ears. Seriously. Wait for it.
Don’t believe me? My three-year-old niece came back for seconds THREE times before her mother made her stop. But I wasn’t going to deny her.
The best part of this meal? They’re lentils, people. LENTILS! I’m sure you have everything in your cupboard you need to throw these together tonight. Unless, of course, you need to purchase lentils. In which case, I strongly recommend you stock up on all varieties because lentils are about to become your new best friend.
I need to acknowledge that this deliciousness comes to us courtesy of the amazing Isa Chandra Moskowitz, my go-to-guru for all things vegan. Her original recipe can be found over at the Post Punk Kitchen.
Snobby Joes
Channel your inner lentil with these easy, family-friendly sandwiches everyone will love. Serve with a side salad or seasonal corn-on-the cob for a fast weeknight meal.
Ingredients:
- Uncooked red lentils - 1 cup
- Water - 4 cups
- Olive Oil - 1 T
- Yellow Onion - 1 medium, diced small
- Garlic - 2 cloves, minced
- Chili Powder - 3 T
- Oregano - 2 tsp
- Salt - 1 tsp
- Tomato Sauce - 8 oz can
- Tomato Paste - 1/4 cup
- Maple Syrup - 3 T
- Yellow Mustard - 1 T
Instructions:
Put the lentils in a small sauce pot and pour in 4 cups water. Cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes, until lentils are soft. Drain and set aside.
About 10 minutes before the lentils are done boiling, preheat a medium soup pot over medium heat. Saute the onion in the oil for about 7 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and saute a minute more. Add the cooked lentils, the chili powder, oregano and salt and mix. Add the tomato sauce and tomato paste. Cook for about 10 minutes.
Add the maple syrup and mustard and heat through.Turn the heat off and let sit for about 10 minutes, so that the flavors can meld, or go ahead and eat immediately if you can’t wait, but you will scald your tongue. I do speak from experience. I like to serve these open-faced on oven-toasted buns that I've spread with a layer of Earth Balance before putting in the oven. Keep an eye on them as they will brown quickly.
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