Growing at the Speed of Life - A Year in the Life of My First Kitchen Garden

LENTILS IN A



CUMIN-FLAVORED BROTH

We really love lentils, and more so now that
we’ve visited India. Dahl is a deeply seasoned
lentil dish served in India as often as rice or
beans are served in Mexican traditions. It’s im­
portant to use a good stock at a slow simmer
and to catch the lentils when just done—before
they begin to mush. They are helpful for folks
with diabetes because their high fi ber content
slows down the conversion to sugar.
SERVES 4

1 cup lentils (green, brown, or red)
1½ cups low-sodium vegetable stock
(see page 288) or water
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt to taste

Wash the lentils well and spread them out to
dry. Discard any broken or discolored pieces.
Measure the remaining ingredients.
Bring the stock to a boil in a medium sauce-
pan. Pour the lentils slowly into the boiling
water and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover
and cook 40 minutes. In the last 10 minutes,
add the cumin. Taste and add salt only if really
necessary!

Per serving made with water: 169 calories, 1 g fat, 0 g
saturated fat, 28 g carbohydrate, 14 g protein, 15 g
dietary fiber, 3 mg sodium

QUINOA

Pronounced keen-wa, this seed grain, which

has been cultivated in South America for more

than 5,000 years, is a very attractive starch al­

ternative to the standard potato, pasta, or rice.

It also provides an excellent base for a com­

bined salad. Note: Leftovers freeze well.

MAKES 4 ½-CUP SERVINGS

1 cup water

¼ teaspoon salt

1 cup quinoa

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley or cilantro

2 teaspoons wild mushroom powder (optional)

Bring the water and salt to a boil in a medium

saucepan. Add the quinoa all at once. Stir once

to get the seeds off the bottom of the pan. When

the water comes back to a boil, turn the heat to

low, cover, and cook 14 minutes or until the

grain absorbs all the liquid. Stir in the parsley.

Add the powdered wild mushrooms for fl avor if

desired.

Per serving : 106 calories, 3 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 27 g

carbohydrate, 6 g protein, 3 g dietary fi ber, 148  mg

sodium

294 • GROWING AT THE SPEED OF LIFE