Back to Basics: French Green Lentils

Back to Basics: French Green Lentils 2

I LOVE French green lentils (also called Le Puy) culinarily because they stay “al dente” and are just perfect for salads! They are very “petite” (but of course!) and have a strong nutty flavor to them. My French Lentil and Sweet Potato Salad uses these-YUM! You will also love my Carrot Quinoa Lentils. I love lentils in general because, nutritionally, they are truly outstanding (I mean that quite literally: click here to find out more about the health benefits of lentils). They are low in calories; they are an excellent source of high-quality plant protein; an outstanding source of fiber; rich in minerals, including calcium, potassium, and magnesium and a good source of B vitamins, especially folate. I have devoted two blogs entirely devoted to lentils so you can find out more how much and why I just love them: A Clandestine Ingredient; The Goodness of Lentils.

I like to use Bob’s Red Mills organic petite French Green Lentils (click here to see package and nutrition facts).

Ingredients

1 cup French green lentils (dry)

3½ cups water

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Instructions

1. Bring the water to boil in a medium saucepan

2. Add the lentils and cook, uncovered, for 20-22 minutes, or until "al dente" but cooked through.

3. Place in a colander to drain and rinse under cold water and drain again.

This post originally appeared on Cuisinicity.com.

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Catherine Katz, Ph.D.
Catherine is the founder of Cuisinicity- Love the Food That Loves You Back, a website where good food and good health come together in a way that is feasible for today’s busy families, as it has been for hers (Catherine and her husband, Nutrition expert Dr. David L. Katz, have 5 children!). Catherine’s recipes have been widely featured in national media, including ABC News, O Magazine, Eating Well, Prevention Magazine, Woman’s World, Fitness, Shape, and many others. She is the co-creator of the Nutrition Detectives™ food label literacy program, now in use by thousands of schools all over the world and has collaborated in the production of other health promotion programming, including the Unjunk Yourself® music video program.