Sweetly Spiced Lentils and Rice

If this looks a little strange to your dinner table, be brave and trust me when I say, it’s the most delicious comforting food, both in winter and summer. My family and I adore this dish and it’s a no brainer as far as ease, but a super food for your brain.

White rice is a food in the old life. The body reacts to it in the same way as it does refined sugar – sends the body into a spin! However, basmati rice is a better alternative and doesn’t freak the body out. For next level thriving, brown basmati is the way forward. I love the nutty whole grain taste. Health food shops sell it in packets or their bulk bins and if not, online.

Ingredients

Lentils

• 2½ cups cooked lentils or equivalent tinned, drained and rinsed

• 2 tsp cumin

• 1½ Tbs coriander

• 1½ allspice

• ½ tsp turmeric

• 1½ tsp cinnamon

• 1 tsp coconut sugar

• ¾ tsp Celtic salt

• Lots of black pepper

• 2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil

• Big handful of organic sultanas or figs, chopped

• 1 cup brown basmati rice, rinsed well

• 1-1/2 c filtered water

• 2 red onions, finely sliced

• 2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil

• Sweet potato (for fries)

Roasted Pumpkin

• 1kg pumpkin, cut into 1cm thick wedges

• 2 Tbs EV olive oil

• Handful parsley, chopped

• 1 tsp lemon zest

• 2 Tbs pecorino or parmesan, grated

• 1 bird’s eye chili

• Celtic Sea Salt and pepper

• Nuts & Seeds, roasted (can make double and store in fridge)

  • 1 c pumpkin seeds

  • 1/2 c favorite nuts

  • 1/2 c sunflower seeds

  • 1/4 c pine nuts

Scrumptious Side of Greens

• Broccoli head with stem, woody parts removed from stem, Steam until you can slice through the stalk, but it’s still firm and bright green.

• Bok choy, roughly chopped

• EVOO

• 1 – 2 garlic, chopped finely

• Lemon

Cooking Lentils

1. Heat a fry pan to medium heat and add spices to a dry pan. Cook for 1 minute, stirring to release fragrance.

2. Add rice, Celtic salt, pepper, coconut sugar and 2 Tbs olive oil and stir to coat rice with oil.

3. Add lentils.

4. Add 350ml filtered water and sultanas or figs and bring to the boil. Cover with a lid and simmer on low for 15 minutes or until rice is cooked.

5. Remove from the heat and let sit for 10 minutes with the lid on. This is an important step as the rice continues to cook.

6. While the rice is cooking, in another saucepan, heat 2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil on medium heat and sauté red onion for 10 minutes, until really soft and sweet.

7. Plate up each bowl with sweet lentils, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and top with a big spoonful of soft caramelly red onion. If using brown basmati (see Notes), then use 2 cup of filtered water and cook for 30 minutes as per above method.

Roasting Seeds and Nuts

1. Preheat oven 320 and line a baking tray with baking paper.

2. Spread out nuts and seeds (except pine nuts) and roast for 10 – 15 minutes. Check after 10 minutes. The almonds should still be cream on the inside (but have the delicious roasted flavour) and not have turned brown.

3. Roughly chop the nuts.

4. Place pine nuts in a fry pan on a medium to high heat and lightly toast. Keep moving them around the pan until they are slightly colored. Easy to burn, so stay focused.

5. Cool nuts and seeds and store in a glass jar in the fridge.

Cooking Pumpkin

1. Preheat oven to 200°C and line a baking tray with baking paper.

2. Drizzle olive oil onto the tray and rub pumpkin wedges in the oil on both sides.

3. Season with Celtic salt and pepper and bake for 15 minutes.

4. Mix together seed and nut mix, parsley, lemon zest, pecorino and chilli (if using) with 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil, a good pinch of Celtic salt and a grind of pepper.

5. Remove the pumpkin from the oven, turn all the wedges over and scatter the seed and nut mix on the top of each wedge.

6. Return to the oven and cook a further 15 – 20 minutes.

Scrumptious Greens

1. Lightly steam the whole broccoli portion (this helps to retain the nutrients).

2. Once the broccoli is steamed, cut into bite size pieces and slice up the stalk into sticks.

3. In a pan, heat 2 good splashes of extra virgin olive oil and add bok choy. Cook down for a few minutes until it starts to wilt.

4. Add the garlic and broccoli and cook for a further 2 minutes.

5. Season with a generous amount of Celtic salt and good grind of pepper.

6. Finish with a good squeeze of lemon.

Serve with:

• Beetroot, steamed. Cut beetroot into ¼’s for steaming and slice once cooked. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, a squeeze of lemon or a capful of apple cider vinegar and season with Celtic salt and ground black pepper. Serve in RAW bowl.

• Avocado, carrot sticks, sauerkraut, radish