COCONUT LENTIL DHAL

I've been running a series of Healthy Eating Workshops with North Glasgow Homes in Springburn.
The focus is on healthy, cheap, tasty food, made with ingredients that can be bought locally.
All of my workshops are plant based with a heavy reliance on lentils, beans and pulses which are cheap, versatile and extremely healthy. Add in loads of seasonal veggies and you have an extremely climate friendly, healthy, inexpensive way of eating.
 This week the theme was Indian so we made lots of delicious rice, lentil and bean dishes. The favourite dish was this Coconut Lentil Dhal so I thought I'd reshare the recipe! I posted this one last year, it really is one of our go to family favourites. 
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It's perfect comfort food, like a big warm coconutty hug! Richly flavoured with spices, this lentil dish is good enough to impress your friends, your husband/wife and kids!
It's made with orange split lentils, the easiest to digest and fastest to cook so its a perfect dish for the weekend. You can rustle it up in no time!

All lentils are high in protein, fibre, minerals, vitamins, antioxidants and literally support every system in the body. They are also incredibly cheap, versatile and you can store them for ages and they won't go off ( less waste!) so they do tick a lot of boxes!

Delicious, nutritious and super healthy; with  superstars turmeric, garlic, ginger and coconut providing bags of anti inflammatory, pain relieving, circulation boosting, energy boosting, immune boosting benefits.
You can up the nutritional benefits even more  by serving with brown rice and steamed greens! Dinner, in my opinion, is just incomplete without some kind of greens. My favourites at the moment are kale, cavolo nero, pointed cabbage and spring greens, all highly alkalising, and packed with minerals, vitamins, antioxidants and fibre. 

Food is medicine right enough and what a delicious way to improve your health! I hope you give this a go and consider at least having one or two meat free days a week, your body and the planet will thank you!! All the recipes I share are plant based so you won't be short of ideas and inspiration! If you haven't already then consider subscribing to the blog so you won't miss any posts! They will all be sent directly to your inbox, the power of technology!! And its free so go ahead and fill in your details, it could be the best decision you make for your health! Well you'd have to actually make and eat some of the food before it would benefit your health! Just reading the posts won't do a thing so follow up with action steps! Go out and buy some healthy staples including lentils and beans and no I don't mean Heinz baked beans, they are high in sugar and salt! I've just had an idea for another post, Healthy Shopping List..., coming soon....!

Here is my recipe...

COCONUT LENTIL DHAL WITH TOASTED ALMONDS

Ingredients

• 2tbsp coconut oil or rapeseed oil
• 1 inch piece of ginger, finely chopped or grated
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 carrot, cut into small dice
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 tsp mustard seeds
• 2 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp mild chilli powder
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 225g/8oz/ 1 cup red lentils
• 1x 400ml tin coconut milk
• 250ml water, more if needed
• 1 tin chopped tomatoes or 5 fresh tomatoes, peeled and chopped
• Handful of spinach (optional)
• Juice of 1 lime  (optional)
• Handful of fresh coriander, chopped
• 25g flaked almonds, lightly toasted
• Sea salt and black pepper, to taste

Method

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion and sauté for 5 mins, until softened.
2. Add the garlic, ginger, carrot, mustard and cumin seeds.
3. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring constantly until seeds begin to pop.
4. Add the turmeric, chilli powder and garam masala and cook for a further minute.
5. Stir in lentils, coconut milk, tomatoes and water; season well with salt and pepper.
6. Bring to the boil then lower the heat, cover and cook gently for 20 to 30 minutes stirring occasionally to prevent the lentils from sticking. Add more water if too dry.
7. Add the spinach, and stir in until it wilts.
8. Stir in the lime juice, fresh coriander & check the seasoning. 
9. Serve topped with toasted almond flakes and fresh coriander.

Wee point to note, I added a spoonful of Coriander Detox Pesto to mine instead of fresh coriander. This adds bags more flavour! I just dolloped a spoonful on each portion before serving, then topped with toasted almonds. Delicious!

                       .......your health in your hands......