For those of you who thought the lentil theme was over (because I think I said it was. Whoops) I’m afraid it’s not. Ways to use them keep popping up, and I’ve happily gone along with them.
Thanks to these little legumes, I’ve been able to cut down on the amount of regular beans we eat without increasing the budget to make up for it. For all of you struggling with the budget and with reluctant beans-and-ricers around your table, there is an answer. Use lentils.
Many of us have that person sitting at our table (and sometimes we are that person). No matter how important it is to trim the grocery budget, they flat-out refuse to eat more beans. Which is why I love lentils. Still cheap. Still protein. Still delicious. Not beans.
Here’s a basic recipe that many bean eaters and non-bean eaters enjoy. I used to frugalize it by monkeying with the ratio of beans to meat. But now I simply supplement a little bit of meat with lentils. Keeps the bean level down, but stretches the meat beautifully and frugally.
Mostly Meatless Chili
Serves 4
I’m including directions on soaking and cooking the beans and lentils, but if you use cans, you can skip those directions. You may also skip soaking the lentils and just rinse them before pouring them into the chili. They will cook just fine. See bottom of recipe for a slow-cooker variation too.
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 cup dry black, red, kidney or pinto beans OR one 14-ounce can of any of those beans
- 1/2-3/4 cup dry lentils (or use canned)
- 3 tablespoons butter, olive oil or other fat
- 1/2 large onion, chopped
- 1 green pepper, chopped (optional)
- 1/3-1/2 pound ground beef or turkey
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 3 1/2 cups diced tomatoes (fresh or frozen) OR one 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
- 1 eight ounce can tomato sauce OR 2-3 tablespoons tomato paste OR 2 cups tomatoes, chopped and cooked down (for those of you avoiding anything canned)
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt, to taste
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2-1 cup stock/broth or water
DIRECTIONS:
- If using dry lentils and beans:
- The day before making chili, pour beans and lentils into two separate bowls, keeping in mind that they will swell to triple their size (so use large bowls)
- Fill bowls with filtered water, to about one inch over the beans and lentils. Allow them to soak overnight (12-24 hours)
- The next morning:
- Pour beans into a strainer and rinse
- Dump beans into a small crockpot or saucepan and cover with water
- If using crockpot, cook them all day on low, until ready to use them in chili (check once or twice and add more water if needed)
- If using saucepan, boil them for 15 minutes, then turn heat down to low and cook until beans are soft, about 15-30 minutes
- With both methods, strain and rinse after cooking.
- To make chili:
- Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat and sauté onion and pepper until soft
- Add meat and garlic to saucepan and cook until meat is browned
- Add rest of the ingredients except lentils to the saucepan and stir well
- Pour soaking lentils into a strainer and rinse them. Pour them into the saucepan and stir it again
- Allow it to cook on low for 30 minutes-1 hour
- Slow cooker method:
- Prepare as directed, but place all ingredients in a crockpot (beans should be cooked beforehand)
- Cook on low all day
- Serve in bowls and enjoy with cornbread muffins (which I’m planning to rant about next week)
WHAT ABOUT YOU?
Got any reluctant bean-eaters at your table?
Cheers,
P.S. For more delicious inspiration, check out Allergy-Free Wednesday, Fat Tuesday, Kitchen Tip Tuesday, and Allergy Friendly Lunchbox Love!
11 comments
Mirjam
01/25/2012 at 2:06 AM (UTC -6)
Hi, over here it’s the other way around, my family simply refuses to eat lentils! Lately, I’ve tried smuggling them in by substituting only a quarter of the ground beef in the stuffed peppers, and after the first bite they all went ” hm, tastes different… Please tell me you didn’t put LENTILS in it!!?”
So now I have 6 single servings of stuffed bell pepper in the freezer, just for me
(Normally, they fight over the baked on scraps with this dish!)
Steph
01/25/2012 at 3:14 PM (UTC -6)
Wow, that’s so interesting… is it the flavor they can’t stand?
Yay for stuffed peppers all to yourself! Sounds like you might be on to something, haha…
Anne @ Quick and Easy Cheap and Healthy
01/25/2012 at 7:47 AM (UTC -6)
Personally not a HUGE fan of beans but I do like them. Can’t cook with them much though because my DH can’t have them (although he likes them in a cruel and ironic twist of fate!)
Steph
01/25/2012 at 3:11 PM (UTC -6)
Can he not have lentils either?
Nancy @Real Food Allergy Free
01/25/2012 at 9:05 AM (UTC -6)
Hey Steph,
This looks delicious and frugal which is my kind of meal! I’d love for you to share it at our new blog hop. Hope to see you there! http://www.realfoodallergyfree.com/2012/01/allergy-free-wednesday-125/
-Nancy
Steph
01/25/2012 at 3:10 PM (UTC -6)
Thanks for the invite! I was actually planning to look up some blog hops today so you had great timing
Elizabeth
01/25/2012 at 11:01 AM (UTC -6)
Ok, this doesn’t directly have to do with this post… but it made me think of it!
I wanted to let you know that last week I took the plunge and made your Lentil Mush… I say plunge because neither my husband or I were too excited to try it, but, for the sake of stretching the budget we gave it a chance. I am so glad we did, because it is great! So easy, so comforting and filling… and most of all, so CHEAP! I only made half a batch, and we still got three meals out of it. I def will be making it again, and my husband wants me to try to add some taco seasoning to it so he can roll it up in tortillas.
So, THANKS for helping us incorporate cheap AND healthy food to our diet… you helped make our grocery budget go just a little bit farther
Steph
01/25/2012 at 3:09 PM (UTC -6)
Yay, I’m so glad you tried it! Lol, anything with the name “mush” takes some guts to try, but I agree that it’s delicious. I mean, how can you go wrong with protein, cheese, and tomato sauce?
You might like the next lentil recipe I have lined up to post here, and it’ll probably be even easier to to “plunge” into.
For anyone interested in the recipe we’re talking about, you can find it here: http://thecheapskatecook.com/2010/10/07/childhood-memories-something-we-called-mush/
Tessa@TessaDomesticDiva
01/25/2012 at 5:03 PM (UTC -6)
I just LOVE chili!! Thanks for taking the time to share your beautiful one with us! I’ve been thinking of a pressure cooker so I was more apt to cook my own beans, it would save me loads!! Ever used one of those?
Michelle @ The Willing Cook
01/26/2012 at 7:00 PM (UTC -6)
We love lentils but I’ve never put them in chili. One can never have enough chili recipes. I’ll have to put this one in my recipe file. Thank you for sharing it Allergy-Free Wednesday!
Deborah Jennings
01/31/2012 at 4:40 PM (UTC -6)
I love all beans with one exception. I’m not crazy about Garbanzo beans. Although I do put them in my canned pickled 3-bean salad.