The Perfect End-of-Winter Food with the smokey flavour of chipolte peppers. Lentils are a rich source of both high-quality protein and carbohydrates and are low on the glycemic index. In addition to their perfect protein profile, they also nourish the kidneys and adrenal glands.
Gram for gram, lentils are even more efficient complete protein providers than red meat. Their protein is almost complete, so if you add a grain to one of your meals in the same day, your body will have all the essential amino acids it needs to make new proteins. The carbs found in lentils trickle slowly into the bloodstream, allowing adequate amounts of glucose to enter the bloodstream slowly giving you sustained energy throughout the day.
Turmeric is one of the best anti-inflammatories to alleviate arthritic conditions, while the curcumin in cumin inhibits the enzymes that help cancer cells invade healthy tissue.
Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
2 large onions, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp turmeric
1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes with juice
2 cups brown lentils
1 1/3 cups frozen corn kernels
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 cup toasted pumpkin seeds, coarsely chopped
sea salt, pepper, and dulse powder to taste
2 canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped (if unavailable, use cayenne pepper to taste)
Directions
In large pot over medium heat, sauté onions in olive oil until lightly browned, about 15 minutes.
Add garlic, cumin, and turmeric and sauté 2 minutes more.
Stir in tomatoes, lentils and 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until lentils are soft, about 50 minutes (add more water during cooking if mixture gets too dry).
Add corn kernels and heat through, about 2 minutes. Stir in cilantro, pumpkin seeds, salt, pepper and dulse powder. Add chipotle peppers or cayenne and simmer about 10 minutes more.
