Lentils and Quinoa

 Suddenly, I'm back on a vegetarian kick. This happens when I get sick of chicken. I came across this recipe on Wishfulchef.com and the only change that I made was using quinoa instead of brown rice.


For fun, I sauted some green peppers and served them on top with some ripe tomatoes and a little parsley. I was going to make a salad but the lettuce sort of froze in the back the of fridge so I had to throw it out.

• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 1/2 cups french green lentils, rinsed
• 1 cup brown rice (or quinoa)
• 1-2 tablespoons garam masala (or a mix of curry and cumin)
• 1 teaspoon chili powder (optional)
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 onion, diced
• 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
• 4-5 cups vegetable stock, or water
• 2 teaspoons salt

Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onions, garlic, tomato paste and garam masala and sauté for about 3-4 minutes. Stir in lentils and rice.

Add vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat. Simmer for about 45-60 minutes, or until lentils and rice are tender. When done, let lentils and rice sit in pot for a few minutes until soup is somewhat thick. Garnish with chopped parsley.