Beans, due to their beneficial properties, have long been included in the diet; lentil grains are considered especially popular, from which side dishes and cereals are prepared. Considering that this legume crop has different varieties, many housewives will undoubtedly have a question: "how to properly cook lentils"? In fact, there are no difficulties in this, the main thing is to know exactly how much each variety of grains is cooked, and what cooking features it has.

Not only ordinary cereals can be made from lentils. Side dishes based on these legumes are also popular. The very technology of creating a dish is simple, you just need to decide in advance what type of lentil it will be prepared from - red, brown, black or green. This will help you quickly make a light, low-calorie lunch or dinner.

It is believed that red grains are not suitable for a side dish, since they tend to boil quickly, taking on the appearance of a puree. But, nevertheless, the red variety has a pleasant spicy taste, and this is the most important condition for preparing such a delicious dish.

Ingredients

• Red lentils - 150 gr.
• Tomatoes - 2 pcs.
• Meat broth - 100 gr.
• Onions - 1 pc.
• Carrots - 1 pc.
• Garlic - 1-2 cloves.
• Vegetable oil - 1 tbsp. l.
• Thyme - 2 sprigs (use only herbs).

Spices for garnish (to taste): ground black pepper, rosemary (dried), chili, paprika (red), salt, turmeric.

How to prepare a side dish

1. Wash and clean vegetables.
2. Cut the onion into half rings.
3. Three carrots on a fine (or medium) grater.
4. Pour the slices into a frying pan, pour the vegetables with vegetable oil and fry them for no more than 2-3 minutes, until a slight blush. We pass everything over medium heat.
5. Soak the red lentil plates in water for a few minutes.
6. We make cuts on the surface of the tomatoes, after which we place the fruits in boiling water for a couple of minutes.
7. Remove the skin from the tomatoes and cut the vegetables into small cubes.
8. Transfer the tomato slices to a pan with onions and carrots, and continue to sauté the vegetables for another 3 minutes over medium heat.
9. Add salt, lentils and broth to the sautéer. Mix everything and simmer vegetables for 2 minutes.
10. We pass the garlic through a press, then put it along with herbs and other spices in a side dish.
11. Finally, simmer the beans with vegetables for another 5-7 minutes over low heat, after which the dish can be considered ready.

Serve the red lentil garnish hot. It is best to present it with fish or meat dishes. It is advisable to serve legumes with sauce or ketchup, you can even make a dressing for a garnish with the reddest lentils.

Ingredients

• - 5 glasses + -
• - 1.5 cups + -
• - 1 piece + -
• - on the tip of a knife + -
• - 1 piece + -
• — 1 tsp or to taste + -
• — 0.5 tsp or to taste + -
• - 1-2 tbsp. + -
• - 2 teeth + -
• Thyme - 2 branches + -

How to cook delicious lentils

It is not difficult to prepare a tasty green variety, the main thing is to know exactly how much to cook the grains so that they do not lose their shape.

Since of all the popular types of this legume, green lentils are cooked the longest, many housewives avoid them when preparing a side dish. However, green plates taste no worse than red and brown varieties, so they can be safely added to vegetable or meat side dishes.

1. A few hours before cooking, we soak the legumes: pour water into a saucepan and pour lentils into it. Be sure to add some salt to the water.
2. Heat vegetable oil in a frying pan, then add garlic, pressed under the press, to it for frying. You can also chop garlic cloves by hand.
3. When after 30 sec. the garlic is stewed in vegetable oil - reduce the heat to the minimum flame and put a piece of butter in the pan.
4. When the butter melts, we send finely chopped carrots and onions to a preheated pan. Simmer the slices until they acquire a pleasant softness and a beautiful transparent color.
5. We take out the lentils, which were previously soaked, from the water as soon as they "swell" and become soft. It is important not to overexpose it and not to allow it to lose its shape.
6. Transfer the lentils to the pan, add chopped thyme to it (use only leaves) and fry everything over high heat. Do not forget to stir the garnish.

We serve the finished dish extremely hot. Before serving, you can sprinkle it with fresh chopped herbs or aromatic spices. It is not worth keeping boiled lentils for a long time, even as a side dish. It is best to eat the portions made on the day of preparation.

It is easy to make a delicious dinner for the whole family from this variety of beans in just 30 minutes. Brown grains cook faster than others, but there are a lot of peculiarities in their preparation, which you cannot do without knowing. Therefore, we will tell you in detail how to cook dark lentils in a step-by-step recipe.

Ingredients

• Brown lentils - 1 cup
• Tomato paste - 3 tbsp l .;
• Boiled rice (basmati) - 4 cups;
• Garlic - 3 cloves;
• Red onions - 2 cups;
• Salt - ¼ tsp;
• Vegetable (or olive) oil - 2 tsp;
• Cilantro (fresh) - ¼ glass;
• Vegetable broth - 3 cups;
• Spices to taste.

Preparation

1. Soak the brown lentil grains in water in advance.
2. We wash and peel vegetables.
3. Finely chop the onion, garlic and cilantro.
4. Heat oil in a saucepan over low heat.
5. Add chopped onion to a preheated dish and simmer it, stirring occasionally. The extinguishing time is 15 minutes.
6. When the onion in a saucepan has softened, add garlic to it, which we also sauté over the fire for 5 minutes.
7. Fill the roast with 3 tbsp. l. tomato paste, and sprinkle everything on top with spices. It is desirable that the seasoning is spicy, you can use a mixture of spices immediately, for example, "Berbere". Simmer vegetables with seasoning and pasta for another 1 minute.
8. Pour the food with vegetable broth and bring them to a boil over high heat.
9. As soon as the grains are soft, put them in a saucepan, cover with a lid and cook for 20-25 minutes.
10. After boiling the lentils until tender, salt them to taste. After that, mix the ready-made beans with boiled rice - and serve the garnish to the table.
11. Laying out the dish in portions, decorate it with cilantro or any other herbs.

You can serve a side dish not only with fresh vegetables, but also with fresh or pickled mushrooms, stewed chicken, fish or beef.

Soak

Soak or not

Whether it is necessary to soak lentils before cooking is the most common question among most housewives. It is believed that lentils are one of the few legumes that you do not need to soak. This is true, but not a single grain of beans has yet suffered from "bathing" in water.

It is important not to forget that the lentil plates lying in home bins become dry over time, and therefore they urgently need a fresh sip of water.

How long does it take to soak lentils

Another, no less important, question that interests housewives is how long do you need to soak lentils?

If the ripe grains are several months old, then 8 hours will be enough, but if the lentils lie for six months, or even a year, then the soaking time can be increased to 12-24 hours. The longer the product lies, the more it will soak.

However, it should be noted that it is not necessary to soak the plates for that long. Sometimes, it is enough to immerse the grains in water for just a few minutes so that they soften a little and take on their original shape.

Calorie table and cooking time lentils

Not all housewives know well how much to cook brown, red, green and black lentils (another name is beluga lentils). One thing for sure is that they have different cooking times and calorie availability.

To make cooking simple and enjoyable, use the table below, which lists the calories of known types of lentils and the time it takes to cook them until cooked.

Now you know how to cook different types of lentils. All the secrets of its preparation are easily applied in practice. Prepare a variety of stand-alone meals from legumes, or add lentils as an optional side dish. May your cooking be successful and your lentil treat deliciously delicious.

Enjoy your meal!

Lentils are a food that contains a large amount of vegetable protein. Compared to other legumes, it contains much less sulfuric amino acids, tryptophan, fat, but boasts more iron, folic acid and soluble fiber (dietary fiber). Lentils were widespread in Ancient Russia, but with the popularization of potatoes, which Peter I brought to the country, the people lost the culture of consuming this healthy plant. Now there is a revival of interest in low-calorie cereals, because dishes made from it contribute to weight loss.

Why lentils are useful for losing weight

In an effort to improve the spirit and body, people began to pay more attention to proper nutrition, therefore, all kinds of cereals are at the peak of popularity. The benefits of lentils for the human body are enormous: the fat content is practically zero, but there are many useful vitamins and minerals (sulfur, zinc, magnesium, phosphorus, manganese, iron, potassium, calcium). This cereal lowers blood glucose levels, therefore it is recommended to be included in the menu of diabetics.

Lentils are able to remove toxins from the body, normalize the genitourinary system, stimulate metabolism, increase metabolism and immunity, and lentil broth is useful for urolithiasis. Thanks to the high serotonin content, lentil dishes prevent the development of depression. During growth, the cereal does not absorb toxins, radionuclides and nitrates from the soil, therefore it is an environmentally friendly food product. Lentil fruits preserve beneficial features during processing: cooking, drying, conservation.

As for the harm, people suffering from increased gas production should limit the consumption of lentils, since excessive use of it leads to flatulence, like all legumes. Also, the cereal is rich in vegetable proteins, which in large quantities lead to indigestion. Remember that the healing secrets of lentils are contained in its correct preparation, and you will learn how to cook lentils for weight loss.

Calorie content and nutritional value

Which lentil is better to choose

Nutrient foods for weight loss should be low in calories, therefore lentils are the first choice for weight loss. But on the shelves of grocery stores, we often find several varieties of this cereal, so when choosing it is easy to face difficulties. Lentils differ in appearance and taste:

1. Brown lentils have a nutty flavor and are suitable for thick stews and slimming soups;
2. The red variety has a spicy taste, boils quickly and is great in cereals that will please even a true gourmet;
3. Green lentils have a pungent taste, therefore they are suitable for vegetable salads for weight loss;
4. Beluga is a versatile variety with shiny black grains and a pungent taste that is used to make slimming lentil dishes.

How to cook lentils for weight loss

Vegetarians use lentils as a meat substitute, because it contains the same amount of protein, but much less calories. During weight loss, the body also needs easily digestible protein and complex carbohydrates, so these legumes are used in the dietary menu, especially since they are harmoniously combined with all food products.

However, many do not know how much to cook lentils in soup until tender in time. The cooking process for this legume is simple: boil in water without salt in a ratio of 1 cup to 2 cups of water. Add lentils to boiling water and cook with the lid closed for 15 minutes. After cooking, discard the lentil porridge in a colander to remove excess liquid. If you overexpose the lentils in water, you will get puree.

Simple Lentil Recipes

Lentil slimming dishes delight with taste and energize for the whole day. Gourmet lentil dishes are on guard for a slim figure and health. They are cooked in a double boiler, multicooker, in the oven and on the stove, and most importantly, they do not require a lot of culinary experience, therefore they are subject to even a novice cook. Let's see what dishes can be made from lentils, known for their usefulness and low calorie content.

Diet soup

Lentil soup is a slimming dish that is suitable for both lunch and light supper while dieting. To prepare the soup, you need red lentils, which boil quickly. With the help of such a soup, it is easy to get rid of 2-3 kilos per week.

Ingredients:

• 200 grams of lentils;
• one onion;
• one tbsp. l. tomato. pastes;
• 2 tbsp. l. rice;
• one tsp olive oil;
• spices at your discretion.

Step by step cooking:

1. Peel the onion, cut into cubes.
2. Fry in olive oil until soft.
3. Add tomato paste, simmer for 3 minutes.
4. Put lentils and rice in boiling water for 10 minutes, cook slowly. fire;
5. Add onion in tomato sauce, spices to ready-made products, bring to a boil, then serve.

Lentil porridge in a slow cooker

Nutritionists recommend that when losing weight, eat lentil porridge without salt every morning on an empty stomach to remove bad cholesterol from the body and improve intestinal motor function. It is also useful for problems of the urinary organs, and for improving the functioning of the cardiovascular system. It remains only to figure out how to cook lentils in a slow cooker.

Ingredients:

• 250 g red lentils;
• one carrot;
• one onion;
• one liter of water;
• two cloves of garlic;
• spices at your discretion.

Cooking recipe:

1. Rinse the lentils, pour into the multicooker bowl, cover with water or broth (vegetable or chicken), set the Stew program for 30 minutes.
2. Peel vegetables, cut into cubes, pour into a bowl.
3. Extend the program for another 10 minutes.
4. Add minced garlic to the dish.
5. Let the porridge brew for another 10 minutes. Enjoy your meal!

Puree

If you are planning to make a diet puree, then red or black lentils are suitable for this purpose. This product does not require pre-soaking, like other legumes and is more suitable for weight loss than peas or beans. In addition, lentil puree is very nutritious, so with its help it is easy to lose extra pounds without starving.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup lentils
• a couple of carrots;
• one onion;
• one tablespoon of vegetable oil;
• spices at your discretion.

Cooking recipe:

1. Rinse the legumes, pour into boiling water, boil over low heat until soft.
2. Peel the onions and carrots, chop finely, sauté in vegetable oil for 1-2 minutes.
3. Add the sautéing to the finished lentils, boil for another 5 minutes, then add the spices and leave to cool.
4. Send the whole mass to a blender, beat until a thick consistency.

Warm salad

For a warm dietary salad, you will need green lentils, which differ in that they retain their shape during heat treatment, but cook much longer than red ones - 1.5 hours. The green variety contains even more fiber than others, which makes it suitable for weight loss. We offer a healthy, warm salad with pumpkin, cheese and lentils.

Ingredients:

• 200 g of boiled green lentils;
• 300 g fresh pumpkin;
• 200 g feta cheese;
• 1 tsp dry provencal herbs;
• rast. oil, spices.

Cooking recipe:

1. Cut the pumpkin into cubes, add the Provencal herbs, lightly fry on rast. oil.
2. Combine the pumpkin with the ready-made green lentils, pour over the rast. butter, add spices.
3. Top with diced soft feta cheese. A chic dietary dish for weight loss is ready!

Lentil meatballs

Lentils have recently appeared on the tables of our compatriots, but everyone has already managed to make sure that this is a universal product. It is suitable as the main ingredient for first courses, as a side dish, and instead of meat meals. Discover lentil meatballs, and they will become frequent "guests" on your table with a diet for weight loss.

Ingredients:

• 200 g lentils;
• two tbsp. l. ground walnuts;
• 3 tooth. garlic;
• 4 tbsp. l. finely ground crackers;
• one egg;
• 2 tbsp. l. rast. oils;
• spices at your discretion.

Cooking recipe:

1. Pour the washed lentils with water, boil, then heat or beat on a blender until puree.
2. Grate the garlic on a grater, add crackers, nuts to it, pour the mixture to the lentil puree.
3. Add spices, salt, egg and olive oil to the puree and mix thoroughly.
4. Form into round meatballs.
5. Saute them lightly. butter, then serve with the sauce and garnish.

Stewed lentils with vegetables

In a diet for weight loss, lentils are used in any form and combination. It complements mushrooms, meat, other high-calorie foods and can even replace bread. But best of all, this legume is combined with vegetables, and we will tell you how to cook this dish deliciously.

Ingredients:

• 200 g red lentils;
• two bulgarian peppers;
• one red hot pepper;
• one onion;
• three tomatoes;
• one carrot;
• a bunch of cilantro or parsley;
• two tooth. garlic;
• olive oil, spices.

Cooking recipe:

1. Pour the washed lentils with water, boil until tender.
2. Fry the chopped onion on a plant. oil until transparent.
3. Chop the garlic in any way, bulg. Dice the peppers and carrots.
4. Add chopped vegetables to onions, fry for 5 minutes.
5. Finely chop the tomatoes, add to vegetable frying, simmer for another 5 minutes.
6. Put lentils in vegetables, add spices, finely chopped herbs, simmer all together for 2 minutes.
7. Use lentils with vegetables as a standalone meal for weight loss or instead of a side dish.

Lentil tortillas

A very tasty dish is lentil cakes. They will replace bread for weight loss and are suitable as a snack with a diet menu. Lentil dough comes out tender and fragrant - judge for yourself.

Ingredients:

• 200 g lentils;
• 300 g flour;
• 7 g fresh yeast;
• 3 tbsp. l. water;
• 3 tbsp. l. rast. oils;
• one bow;
• one and a half tsp Sahara;
• 1 tsp salt;
• spices at your discretion.

Cooking recipe:

1. Boil the lentils until tender, drain the water, chop in a blender.
2. Mix yeast, sugar, flour with warm water, then put it in the heat for 15 minutes so that the dough rises.
3. Add lentil puree and rast. butter in a dough, stir, leave in a warm place until it rises (2-3 hours).
4. Fry the chopped onion, add to the dough.
5. Then add the flour in several steps, stirring constantly.
6. Knead the dough, divide into 6 pieces, form into tortillas.
7. Put on a baking sheet, bake at 180 C until golden brown (20-30 minutes).

Contraindications for taking lentil dishes

Lentils have few contraindications, but they are. You should not use lentil slimming dishes with extensive joint lesions and dyskinesia of the urinary tract. You will harm yourself if you abuse this legume for kidney disease, because lentil seeds contribute to the formation of stones in these organs. But this does not mean that lentils are completely contraindicated, the main thing is to have everything in moderation.

Lentil diet options

According to those losing weight, the lentil diet gives amazingly effective weight loss. Nutritionists are allowed to adhere to it for up to a month, during which it is easy to get rid of 10-15 kg. So that lentils are not boring, and weight loss is easier, experts advise eating one serving a day, diluting the dish with other dietary products. There are two options for the lentil diet: hard (extreme) and gentle (classic).

In the first option, you will have to eat daily only lentil porridge without salt, oil and seasonings for 5 days. For dinner, you are allowed to drink a glass of kefir with a minimum fat content. The result from such a diet is 1 kg minutes per day. The classic version is more varied. During the week, eat any lentil dishes, low-fat yoghurts, diet cottage cheese, fruits, vegetables, whole grain toast, green tea with honey. The classic lentil diet is so balanced that it is beneficial for weight loss and for pregnant women and for people with diabetes.

Lentils: Cooking Secrets + 3 Amazing Recipes

A good lentil dish will always find a place on the table both in summer and in winter. This surprisingly satisfying type of legumes is almost on a par with meat in protein content, and surpasses many side dishes in taste.
However, like other legumes, grains, and seeds, lentils are difficult to digest and, if not cooked correctly, can hinder your digestive tract and cause bloating. Are there any ways to avoid such unpleasant consequences?

We answer: there is, and many intuitively use them all the time. Today - about the secrets of making easy-to-digest lentils, as well as 3 delicious lentil recipes for practicing the skill.

How to properly prepare lentils

Unprepared lentils are literally a digestive challenge. The fact is that absolutely all legumes contain special substances - inhibitors that do not allow grains to germinate without a sufficient amount of moisture and literally block our enzymes, thus slowing down digestion. This is exactly what happens every time we boil dry lentils. Of course, with good digestion, such a process can pass without a trace. However, if you got the sensitive organs of the gastrointestinal tract or lentils with enviable regularity come to your table, then you should think about the "workarounds" of preparation.

It is this method - preliminary soaking of lentils in water for several hours, which in fact imitates the ingress of grain into moist soil and neutralizes inhibitors, also transferring all nutrients into a more bioavailable form. Rinse the grains, cover them with water and leave them in a saucepan under the lid.

According to various sources, it is better to soak lentils for 3–7 hours or even overnight - that is how much is required to neutralize inhibitors. Also, experts advise to soak lentils in a warm place - this way the process will go even faster. After soaking, drain the water, rinse the lentils and proceed to the selected cooking method.

How to cook lentils: helpful tips

1. Pay attention to spices
Match lentils with spices that have a positive effect on the absorption of legumes: asafoetida, turmeric, coriander, black pepper, fresh and dried ginger.

2. Choose the type of lentil
Different types of lentils are better suited for different dishes in terms of their characteristics. For example, green French, "marble" lentils practically do not boil over, therefore chefs often use them to add to salads. Orange lentils are an ideal base for a rich soup, but brown lentils are well suited as a side dish and as the main ingredient in a second course with meat.

3. Time yourself
Lentil varieties also have different cooking times. Cook the red one for 25-30 minutes, the brown one will be ready in 20-25 minutes, but for the elastic green one it will take all 40 minutes. It is important to consider that it is not recommended to cook lentils in salted water, as this only increases the cooking time - just add salt at the end.

Red lentil and carrot soup

Light, nutritious and quick to prepare, this soup is a great dietary lunch option for all occasions.

Ingredients:

● Cumin 2 tsp.
● Red pepper flakes, a pinch
● Olive oil 2 tbsp. l.
● Grated carrots 600 g
● Red lentils 140 g
● Vegetable broth 1 l
● Milk 125 ml

Cooking method:

1. Soak lentils overnight. Drain and rinse.
2. Heat the cumin and pepper flakes in a dry skillet until the aroma is revealed.

3. Transfer half of the spices from the pan to a plate, and add the oils and add the carrots, lentils, broth and milk to the rest. Bring to a boil and cook for 15 minutes until tender.
4. Pass the soup with a blender until smooth or textured.
5. Serve hot with Indian tortillas, garnish with the remaining spices.

2. Salad with green lentils and red onions

A bright vitamin salad that can even decorate a festive table. To prepare this dish, we advise you to take a dense variety of green lentils "De Puy", which will retain its shape during cooking.

Ingredients:

● Green lentils "De Puy" 250 g
● Juice of half a lemon
● Juice of half a lime
● White wine or apple cider vinegar 1 tbsp. l.
● Red onion 1 pc.
● Olive oil 2 tbsp. l.
Ground cumin 1 tsp
● Garlic 1 clove
● Mango sauce or dressing to taste 2 tbsp. l.
● Cilantro - a handful
● Cherry tomatoes 250 g
● Spinach 85 g

Cooking method:

1. Soak lentils overnight and boil according to package directions.
2. Combine citrus juice, vinegar or wine with a pinch of salt, then add chopped onion rings and marinate for a few minutes until tender.

3. In a separate bowl, combine butter, cumin, mashed garlic, and selected dressing.
4. Add onion rings and combine with remaining ingredients.
5. Serve garnished with fresh cilantro.

Sweet potato and lentil soup

An amazingly warming, aromatic soup - just right for a rainy or chilly day. If you don't have sweet potatoes, you can replace it with pumpkin or turnip.

For a 3 liter pot:

● 2.5 l of broth with meat (I have beef)
● 1 medium sweet potato
● 1 medium onion
● 1 carrot
● 100 g lentils
● 1 tsp. tomato paste
● paprika, curry, cumin, salt, pepper
● greens

Cooking method:

1. Peel the vegetables, cut the sweet potato into cubes, finely chop the onion, grate the carrots.
2. Put vegetables and lentils into boiling broth, add tomato paste and spices and cook until lentils are tender.
3. If desired, you can pre-fry onions and carrots with spices.
4. 10 minutes before cooking, add salt and paprika.
5. Serve with fresh herbs and sour cream.

Lentils are ideal for pregnant women and beyond

Renowned since ancient times as a food of great nutritional value, lentils are high in protein, fiber, iron and folic acid (vitamin B9), making them an ideal food for pregnant women.
Thanks to folic acid and vitamin B, it can prevent the development of congenital malformations in the fetus, such as spina bifida and anencephaly. A high protein food, like lentils, is very important for pregnant women as protein is involved in development muscle mass fetus.

In addition, folic acid can help combat the negative effects of certain medications. For example, a smoker or alcoholic can use lentils to restore their level of folic acid, which is excreted from the body due to these bad habits.

Lentils are also rich in potassium, fiber, phosphorus, vitamin B5 and vitamin B6. Due to its high concentration of potassium, it promotes good blood circulation and regulates blood pressure... Eating lentils can help combat gastrointestinal problems due to its coarse fiber content, which lowers cholesterol and helps control obesity.

Being a phosphorus-rich product, lentils keep bones, teeth and skin in good condition, and its consumption helps to restore their natural pH balance. Lentils are recommended for improving biological brain function.
In addition, vitamin B5, or pantothenic acid, makes lentils an indispensable tool in the fight against stress and headaches, and vitamin B6 in its composition is recommended for diabetes, depression and asthma.


Thus, we can say that lentils are an irreplaceable product in the diet of any person. In addition to all of the above, lentils are a vegetable rich in iron, which can help fight anemia. In order to maximize the content of this mineral, you can add citrus fruits - lemons, oranges and tangerines to the diet.

You can add lentils as a side dish to other dishes, can be used in a salad, in combination with lemon juice. However, do not cook lentils for a long time, as they will lose their appearance, taste and many of their beneficial properties. The largest amount of vitamins and minerals will be preserved if the lentils are germinated, for this it must be washed, filled with clean water for 6-8 hours, then drained, rinsed the lentils and left in a warm, dark place for another 8 hours.

Finally, I will say that lentils contain the following nutrients:
70 mg calcium, 1.50 mg iodine, 3.10 mg zinc, 40.60 g carbohydrates, 24 mg sodium, 10 mg vitamin A, 0.47 mg vitamin B1, 0.22 mg vitamin B2, 6.58 mg vitamin B3, 3.40 mg vitamin C, 1.80 mg vitamin E, 304 calories, 1.70 g fat, 1.10 g sugars and 127 mg purine.

Many delicious dishes can be prepared from such a healthy product as red lentils, rich in various vitamins and microelements. Red lentil recipes will surprise you!

Other ingredients in a formulation can significantly affect both the calorie content of lentils and how tasty they can be cooked. Being the same plant-based protein product as beans, lentils are much easier to prepare. For example, it should not be soaked at all before boiling.

Those who adhere to the principles healthy eatinghave long included red lentils in their daily menu.

Red lentil soup with meat

These two products are perfectly combined in any dish, complementing and enriching each other's flavoring bouquet.

Ingredients:

• red lentils - 1 tbsp.;
• beef on the bone - 1 small part;
• tomato paste - 2 tbsp. l;
• potatoes - 3 pcs.;
• sweet pepper - 1 pc.;
• tomatoes - 2 pcs.;
• bow - 1 head;
• garlic - 2 cloves;
• carrots - 1 pc.;
• greenery;
• bay leaf;
• salt pepper.

Preparation:

• We wash the meat, pour 2-3 liters of cold water and set to boil until tender.

• While the meat is boiling, prepare vegetables for soup, wash, peel and chop. Cut the carrots into thin strips, and the rest of the vegetables into small cubes.

• We spread the prepared carrots in a preheated pan with vegetable oil, fry for two to three minutes and add the onion.
• As the vegetables are prepared, add the rest to the carrots and onions. Fry until crispy crust appears on vegetables.
• Add tomato paste, salt, pepper, whatever your favorite or spicy herbs, as well as bay leaves to the vegetables, turn off the heat.

• For half an hour before the meat is ready, the broth should be salted. We extract the meat on the bone from the broth, cool and cut into small portions. Let's go to soup again
• Put the washed red lentils in the meat broth. We continue to cook the soup at a low boil for 20 minutes.
• Add the diced potatoes and prepared sauteed vegetables with tomato paste.
• Cook for another 10 minutes, according to the recipe. Then we take a sample, if the soup does not need to be adjusted for the content of salt and spices, turn off the heat.

Add greens and serve delicious and aromatic red lentil soup to the table.

Lentils with carrots and herbs

This tasty and aromatic dish of very simple preparation can be used both in a self-sufficient form and as a side dish for any meat and poultry dish.

Ingredients:

• red lentils - 200 g;
• carrots - 2 pcs.;
• sour cream - 150 g;
• garlic - 2 cloves;
• parsley;
• salt pepper.

Preparation:

• Rinse the red lentils and put them in a deep frying pan or saucepan. Pour 1/2 tbsp. water, according to the recipe, close the lid.

• As soon as the water in the container boils, we reduce the fire and simmer under the lid for 20 minutes.
• During this time, we prepare the carrots, wash, peel and rub on a coarse grater.
• Spread a layer of carrots on the lentils, close the lid again and simmer until the carrots are cooked.

• As soon as the carrots become soft, add salt, a mixture of peppers, chopped parsley and sour cream to the prepared products, mix everything.

• To cook deliciously red lentils like a real chef, simmer for another five minutes under the lid and turn off the heat.
• We give the dish prepared according to this recipe, brew under the lid for 15 minutes, then serve it to the table.

Lentils with mushrooms

According to this recipe with a photo, you can cook very tasty red lentils for diet food.

Ingredients:

• lentils - 1 tbsp.;
• carrot;
• champignons - 150 g;
• garlic - 3 cloves;
• tomato paste or ketchup;
• vegetable oil for frying;
• greenery;
• dry spicy herbs;
• salt;
• a mixture of peppers.

Preparation:

1. Chop onion for deliciously cooked red lentils, as for frying.
2. Rub the carrots on a coarse grater.
3. We wash the champignons and cut into plates.
4. Put the vegetables in a frying pan heated with vegetable oil, fry over high heat for two to three minutes.
5. Add pre-chopped garlic to the fried vegetables.
6. Reduce heat to medium and fry for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
7. Add the washed lentils, fill everything with hot water or broth so that the liquid covers the food being prepared.
8. At this stage of cooking, add salt, a mixture of peppers and herbs. We close the skillet or saucepan with a lid and simmer for 10 minutes.
9. Add tomato paste or ketchup, stir, simmer for another 15 minutes.
10. Decorate a healthy and tasty red lentil dish prepared according to this recipe with herbs and serve.

Lentil pancakes

Even children love lentils in this form, which should stimulate their mother to cook this hearty and healthy dish more often.

Ingredients:

• lentils - 200 g;
• corn starch - 2 tbsp. l;
• eggs - 2 pcs.;
• onion - 2 heads;
• pepper;
• salt;
• olive oil - 1 tbsp l.

Preparation:

1. Rinse the red lentils thoroughly and fill with two glasses of water, according to the recipe, set on fire.

1. To cook deliciously lentils, cook them for 20 minutes so that they boil well, like mashed potatoes.
2. Beat the boiled lentils with a fork until smooth. You can use a blender if you like.

1. While the lentils are boiling, prepare the onion, for which we peel it, cut it into arbitrary pieces.
2. Grind the prepared onion in a blender, add to the finished lentil gruel.
3. Add salt, pepper, eggs, olive oil and starch to the lentil pancake dough, knead everything thoroughly.

1. From the resulting dough, bake small pancakes in a frying pan, 1 minute on each side.
2. Serve lentil pancakes to the table with sour cream or sweet sauce.

Oven red lentil cutlets

With such a delicious and nutritious dish, it is quite possible to meet guests, but for everyday meals it is a real find.

Ingredients:

• red lentils - 300 g;
• walnuts - 100 g;
• garlic - 5 cloves;
• sour cream - 150 g;
• bow - 1 head;
• dried bread - 150 g;
• eggs - 2 pcs.;
• salt;
• pepper.

Recipe:

• Rinse red lentils and fill with water, bring water to a boil.

• Put the onion and bay leaf in boiling water with lentils, reduce the heat and cook for 15 minutes.
• We drain everything into a colander, let the water drain completely. We remove and remove the onion and bay leaf.
• Grind the boiled lentils with a hand blender.

• Lightly dry the bread in a skillet or oven. Break the croutons into pieces and put them in a blender bowl. Grind the dried bread into crumbs.
• We also grind the nuts using a blender. Add both prepared ingredients to the lentils.

• Add salt, pepper, eggs and sour cream to the products collected in one container. Knead everything thoroughly until a homogeneous mass is obtained.
• We lay out the prepared mass in silicone molds, pre-lubricated with vegetable oil.

• We bake in the oven at 200 * C for 10-15 minutes.
• We serve delicious dietary red lentil cutlets with a golden brown crust, prepared according to this recipe, to the table.

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Rice meatballs

Original preparation allows you to get juicy tasty meatballs that are perfect for a healthy diet every day. The red lentils in this recipe will add a special touch of flavor.

Ingredients:

• red lentils - 1, 5 tbsp.;
• rice - 1 tbsp.;
• vegetable oil for frying;
• onion - 2 heads;
• garlic - 3 cloves;
• greenery;
• nutmeg - 1/3 tsp;
• paprika;
• corn flour for breading;
• salt pepper.

Preparation:

1. Rinse the lentils and fill with water, leave in this form for 3-4 hours.
2. Rinse the rice and boil until tender, as usual.
3. While the rice is boiling, we prepare other products according to the recipe. Put the lentils in a blender bowl and grind.
4. To grind evenly, add a couple of tablespoons of water to the lentils and stop the process several times to mix.
5. Add pre-chopped onion and garlic cloves to the lentil mass in the blender bowl.
6. We put everything in a spacious container, add rice and spices, mix thoroughly.
7. From the resulting mass, we form small balls, give them the desired shape and roll in corn breading.
8. For color and flavor, the breading cornmeal can be mixed with paprika if desired.
9. Fry all the meatballs in a small amount of vegetable oil for 5 minutes on each side, according to the recipe.
10. Serve ready-made red lentil meatballs hot with sour cream or sauce. Any vegetable dish can be served as a side dish.

Soup - red lentil puree

The pleasant consistency of the soup and its taste will certainly appeal to all family members, in addition, this dish is very nutritious and healthy.

Ingredients:

• lentils - 1, 5 tbsp.;
• potatoes - 2 pcs.;
• carrots - 1 pc.;
• onion - 1 pc.;
• tomato paste - 2 tbsp l;
• sweet paprika paste - 2 tbsp l;
• butter - 2 tbsp. l;
• olive oil - 1 tbsp l;
• paprika;
• dried mint - 1 tsp.

Recipe:

1. For a delicious red lentil dish, peel and chop the onions and carrots as usual for frying. How to cook this healthy product is described in detail in the cooking recipe.
2. Peel and cut the potatoes into small cubes.
3. To prepare the dish, choose a spacious pan with a thick bottom. Pour olive oil or any vegetable oil, heat it up.
4. Put prepared onions and carrots in a preheated saucepan with butter, fry over high heat until golden brown.
5. Add chopped potatoes to the vegetables to be fried, reduce the heat a little and continue frying.
6. Rinse the lentils and add to the saucepan, mix and pour two liters of boiling water.
7. Bring the contents of the saucepan to a boil, reduce the heat again, close the lid and simmer for 20 minutes.
8. We puree the finished lentil soup using an immersion blender.
9. Preparing the mint cream sauce. Put butter on a preheated frying pan, add paprika and mint, mix.
10. We lay out the lentil puree soup in portioned containers and pour over the prepared sauce.
11. Delicious nutritious red lentil dish prepared with simple recipe, serve to the table. Now we know how to cook a very simple and delicious meal for every day.

Lentil sweets

You can overeat to your health with such delicious and healthy red lentil sweets. Such a passion for a delicacy will definitely not bring any harm to the body.

Ingredients:

• red lentils - 1 tbsp.;
• dried apricots - 100 g;
• prunes - 100 g;
• cocoa powder - 3 tbsp. l + 2 tbsp. l for crumbling;
• coconut flakes for crumbling;
• peanuts or other nuts for the filling;
• sugar - 2 tbsp. l;
• salt;
• vanillin - 2 g.

Preparation:

1. We wash the red lentils and soak in water for 2 hours, so that during heat treatment it will boil as much as possible.
2. After the specified time, we put the container with lentils on fire. After boiling, reduce the heat, close the pan with a lid and cook for 30 minutes.
3. Pour the contents of the pan onto cheesecloth, folded in four and placed on any convenient container.
4. We connect the ends of the gauze and squeeze out all the liquid. Wipe the prepared lentil puree through a sieve. You can use a hand blender for this purpose.
5. Rinse dried fruits and cut into small pieces.
6. Add cocoa powder, dried fruits, sugar and vanillin to a homogeneous smooth lentil mass.
7. Mix everything thoroughly and put it in the refrigerator for half an hour.
8. From the cooled mass we form small balls, divide them in half. Roll one half of the candies in cocoa powder, and the other in coconut. Now we know exactly how delicious you can cook not only lentil soup, but also make a real dessert.
9. We put red lentil candies on a beautiful dish and serve. Adhering to of this recipe you can make your own adjustments to achieve the perfect taste just for you.

As you can see from such a healthy product as red lentils, you can prepare very tasty dishes for each section of the traditional menu. These are various soups, second courses that completely replace meat, excellent delicious side dishes with vegetables in the composition and even desserts! This expanded range of dishes makes it possible to include red lentils in your daily diet.

Lentils are a food product known since ancient times. She began her triumphant march around the world from Southeast Asia. IN Ancient egypt, Babylon and Greece, this groat enjoyed great respect. green in Russia began to cook in the 14th century. They instantly gained great popularity among the Slavic peoples. This product is undeservedly forgotten these days. What dishes can be made from green lentils? Recipes: simple and tasty.

Useful properties of the product

Green lentils are not fully ripe fruits of the plant, therefore, when heat treated, they perfectly retain their shape. They are usually used for the preparation of snacks and salads, they are added to meat greens and are useful to eat to relieve symptoms of diseases such as hypertension, rheumatism, cholecystitis, pyelonephritis, ulcers, hepatitis. When boiled, the fruits of this plant fully retain all their beneficial properties. One hundred grams of lentils contains:

• - 25 grams;
• water - 14 grams;
• carbohydrates - 54 grams;
• fat - 1 gram.

Thus, this grain is an inexhaustible source of useful protein that is perfectly accepted by the human body. In addition, it contains a lot of natural sugar, starch, unsaturated fatty acids Omega-6 and Omega-3, soluble fiber, folic acid, beneficial trace elements and minerals. Below you will find a detailed story on how to prepare a variety of green lentil dishes.

Garnish. Ingredients

This wonderful dish has an original taste and goes well with everything. It should be present in the daily menu of every person, because green lentil dishes contain all the substances the body needs.

Ingredients for the side dish:

• onion - 1 piece;
• butter - 50 grams;
• green lentils - 1 glass;
• bay leaf - 1 piece;
• salt to taste.

Side dish preparation

First of all, you need to pour the lentil fruits with cold water in a ratio of 1: 5.

1. Now you need to peel, chop and lightly fry the onions.
2. Then bring the lentils to a boil and add oil, salt and laurel leaf to it.
3. Next, the side dish must be cooked over very low heat. Cooking time - 35 minutes.

The finished dish must be flavored with butter. If you plan to serve it with sausages, then raw meat products can be thrown into a side dish three minutes before they are fully cooked.

Lentil soup. Ingredients

Dishes from green lentils can be very different. Cooking recipes can be easily mastered even by a novice housewife. Soup with the addition of lentils turns out to be appetizing and rich.

Ingredients:

• potatoes - 2 tubers;
• beef - 250 grams;
• tomato paste - 1 tablespoon;
• lentils - 120 grams;
• carrots - 1 piece;
• onion - 1 piece;
• vegetable oil - 2 tablespoons;
• paprika, salt, black pepper - to taste;
• coriander - a third of a teaspoon.

Soup preparation method

1. First of all, the beef must be cut into small pieces and fried in vegetable oil. Moreover, it must be salted and seasoned with spices.
2. Now you should wash, peel, chop the carrots and onions. Add vegetables to grilled meat and simmer over medium heat for fifteen minutes. If the mixture is too dry, you can add a little water to it.
3. After that, you need to wash and pour cold water over the lentils. Then it must be put on fire. After ten minutes, potatoes cut into small pieces should be added to the cereal.
4. Then the tomato paste must be diluted with water and poured into a pan with meat and onions. The frying must be kept on the fire for another five minutes.
5. Next, meat and onions should be combined with potatoes and lentils. Cook the food for another ten minutes.

The soup is ready! It should be served to the table, sprinkled with finely chopped herbs.

Lentils with chicken

Ancient healers believed that green lentil dishes give a person energy and health. Therefore, from time immemorial, people have eaten this product with pleasure. Consider with chicken.

Ingredients:

• chicken fillet - 500 grams;
• carrots - 1 piece;
• onions (preferably red) - 3 pieces;
• green lentils - 400 grams;
• garlic - 3 cloves;
• vegetable oil - 1 tablespoon;
• spices: coriander, red and black pepper, laurel leaf - to taste;
• salt to taste.

Cooking method

1. First you need to chop the vegetables: onions, carrots and garlic should be cut into small pieces.
2. Then you need to cut the chicken fillet.
3. After that, the lentils need to be poured into a saucepan, rinsed and covered with cold water.
4. Now the container with cereals needs to be put on fire, allowed to boil, remove the resulting foam, reduce heat. Lentil cooking time - thirty minutes. Ten minutes before cooking, add laurel leaf and salt to it.
5. Next, you need to drain the remaining water from the cereal.
6. Then you need to lightly fry the garlic in sunflower oil. After that, pieces of chicken should be added to it. It needs to be browned on all sides until crisp.
7. After that, the chicken fillet must be combined with carrots and onions. All ingredients should be mixed thoroughly.
8. Now the resulting mass needs to be salt and season with coriander and pepper. It needs to be fried for about ten more minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
9. Then add lentils to the pan. It must be mixed with meat and vegetables and heated over very low heat for about one minute.

Chicken lentils are ready! It is served hot along with fresh vegetables.

Lentils with vegetables

Dishes of green lentils with vegetables are very satisfying and nutritious. The recipe below has its own flavor. This is a special combination of spices that gives the dish a spicy pungency.

Ingredients:

• zucchini - 250 grams;
• green lentils - 2 cups;
• onions - 1 piece (50 grams);
• tomatoes - 2 pieces;
• vegetable oil - 2-3 tablespoons;
• hot water - 3 glasses.

Condiments:

• dry parsley - 1 tablespoon;
• corn flour - 1 tablespoon with a slide;
• savory - 1 teaspoon;
• paprika - one tablespoon with a slide;
• garlic - 1-2 cloves;
• red pepper (hot) - one pinch;
• salt to taste.

Cooking lentils with vegetables

Soak the lentils in warm water for about half an hour.

Now you need to chop the tomatoes and lightly fry the onions in sunflower oil. After a couple of minutes, add the rest of the vegetables to it. After that, all the ingredients must be mixed well and fry over medium heat for another five to seven minutes.

Add lentils to a container with vegetables. Then you need to pour in water and add the necessary seasonings. Now the food should be covered with a lid and simmer over moderate heat for fifteen minutes.

The food is ready! If desired, you can not add flour to it, then it will turn out to be less high-calorie.

Cooking in a slow cooker

Nowadays, not only the stove, but also other household devices are used to create culinary masterpieces. Dishes from green lentils in a slow cooker are great. In order to prepare a hearty side dish, it is enough to fry the onions and carrots in the device, then add a couple of glasses of washed lentils to the vegetables and pour all the ingredients with four glasses of water. Cooking time - 40 minutes in the "Porridge" mode. After that, the dish can be served at the table.

Enjoy your meal!